UPDATE 10.31.11: Just installed a new Z130BT in wife's car - same exact BT call issues.....

As there is a huge number of threads on BT sound - specific to calls (not streaming music), I am asking that this gets stickied - until there is a resolution.

It is well documented that people here owning Z110/Z120s are getting poor performance on calls (others hear noises - incoming voices are good).

I am asking that we put one cohesive thread for these issues and possible fixes.

Personally, I have now torn apart my dash to move the mic to "top left" - from steering column. There's no perspective gain.

I have called Pioneer, talked with a person "Ray" to troubleshoot, and get curt responses.

As a "flag ship" head unit, this is kinda silly (IMHO), and had I known of the real problem, I would have gone elsewhere. I use BT for calls. Maybe most don't care about sound 'quality', but this is a Z120 *BT* meaning Bluetooth ?????

I'm hoping a real resolution occurs for the many afflicted users....

Just bumping the thread. It's also in 'Problems' - but should be stickied here....

Sticked.

Subscribing to this! I am having the same problem. I hate the BlueTooth call quality on the AVIC-Z120BT! Nothing has worked and I've tried all the recommendations that I could find so far.

Subscribing to this! I am having the same problem. I hate the BlueTooth call quality on the AVIC-Z120BT! Nothing has worked and I've tried all the recommendations that I could find so far.

It's funny - I saw somewhere a block-diagram showing the mic - and it had a 'circuit' for noise cancel (showing how it works great - and implying amazing sound) - clearly it was a marketing blurb...

We use BT headsets that (paired with a phone) work amazingly. Currently (wife and I) have moved to the Jawbone III. A good BT headset cancels noise very well (even with windows down) - this thing does not cancel noise - it amplifies it.

Our Lexus GX (stock NAV) has *very* good clarity - close to a real mic (wired - located near rear-view mirror) - and works great for everyone in the car - including kids in the far far back.

The Z120BT is very poor (really past unacceptable if that is what you use) for a HU used for day-to-day 'hands free'. If you avoid hands-free, then it has many great functions, and the Z120 upgrade makes it better.

I'm again surprised Pioneer has not addressed this huge issue...

It's funny - I saw somewhere a block-diagram showing the mic - and it had a 'circuit' for noise cancel (showing how it works great - and implying amazing sound) - clearly it was a marketing blurb...

 

We use BT headsets that (paired with a phone) work amazingly. Currently (wife and I) have moved to the Jawbone III. A good BT headset cancels noise very well (even with windows down) - this thing does not cancel noise - it amplifies it.

 

Our Lexus GX (stock NAV) has *very* good clarity - close to a real mic (wired - located near rear-view mirror) - and works great for everyone in the car - including kids in the far far back.

 

The Z120BT is very poor (really past unacceptable if that is what you use) for a HU used for day-to-day 'hands free'. If you avoid hands-free, then it has many great functions, and the Z120 upgrade makes it better.

 

I'm again surprised Pioneer has not addressed this huge issue...

Very well said. Yes, the call quality is unacceptable and yes all of the Jawbone headsets that I have used have incredible noise cancellation abilities. In fact, the Chrysler speakerphone known as UConnect has amazing call quality when compared to this POS Pioneer unit. Pioneer should be incredibly ashamed to put their name on this headunit when they make ANY claims about BlueTooth Speakerphone abilities.

I will have to check out the Jawbone 3. The series 2 unit hurts my ears pretty bad. (I guess I have very small ear canals...I know I've never been able to wear earbuds. The Jawbone 1 was comfortable, just rather large compared to the newer models.) It makes me sad to thing that I have to wear a headset just to use my head unit's speakerphone. The other features are good, but they failed so miserably on the BT call quality that it really never should have left the design phase until they got it right.

Very well said. Yes, the call quality is unacceptable and yes all of the Jawbone headsets that I have used have incredible noise cancellation abilities. In fact, the Chrysler speakerphone known as UConnect has amazing call quality when compared to this POS Pioneer unit. Pioneer should be incredibly ashamed to put their name on this headunit when they make ANY claims about BlueTooth Speakerphone abilities.

 

I will have to check out the Jawbone 3. The series 2 unit hurts my ears pretty bad. (I guess I have very small ear canals...I know I've never been able to wear earbuds. The Jawbone 1 was comfortable, just rather large compared to the newer models.) It makes me sad to thing that I have to wear a headset just to use my head unit's speakerphone. The other features are good, but they failed so miserably on the BT call quality that it really never should have left the design phase until they got it right.

The Jawbone comes with different ear sets - small to large (off topic - no need to respond - but there should be something that works). Still off-topic - the JBII was much better than I, the III is far better - Cost is in the $100 range - but it really works (like wired- but better).

There are noise canceling algorithms in the open source - for Pioneer to say they do this is kinda silly - though my guess is this info was created before it was implemented in the Z110/Z120/F10/F20 series...

I've now:

1. Moved the mic (from steering column - right in front of your face - a location that has no wind blowing - to top left [no real difference] - to center top console) - with no real perceptive change.

2. Changed mic (Garmin - ref other posts)

3. Turn off the display while talking via holding 'home' button (ref other post saying it works) - this does nothing.

I'm not sure what the customer service / marketing arms are thinking since this is not being addressed, and in fact, is being not acknowledged..............

Let's hope *they* figure this out - and maybe it is a software (firmware) upgrade - that really fixes the problem. If it is hardware, they still don't lose too much - because how many people are willing to pull their HU for an update.......

Pioneer???????????

I'm having the same problem everyone else is. What can we actually do about it? Can we get everyone on board to send an email to a generic email address for the President to try and get some attention on this?

The best thing you can do is contact Pioneer support and tell them you want to report this issue as a problem and you would like a case number. Do not get off the phone with them until you get that case number. That will require them to document the issue. With enough documented issue on this problem they will likely fix it eventually. However we may not see a fix until the release of the next unit. Other then that there is nothing you can do. Pioneer has the worst product support and they have a reputation of not taking complaints seriously or telling you they have never received a complaint so your experience is not a common issue among most users. This will always be the response unless you insist they document it and get that case number.

The problem i am having with this is much worse. People on the other end cannot make out a single word i am saying. I can hear their voices clearly. I could not get a single VR command to work, no matter how loudly or slowly I spoke. I had it installed in my Prius in the factory mic location, near the map lights. It has a small compartment that hides the mic with open vents facing down.

I did a fair amount of research before purchasing this unit, for some reason I missed BT performance issues during this research. In fact some of the professional reviewers are commending Z110's BT clarity. Since this does not seem to be an issue with all units and I wonder what makes our units different.

I called to Pioneer to complain. Their customer support promptly 'diagnosed' it as a faulty microphone, but they want me to send the faulty mic so that they can verify it before sending a new one. When i complained that involves paying the installer twice (to remove and install the new mic), their response was that installation costs is not a Pioneer's concern. I haven't seen any other company that had such a careless attitude about their customers.

I am so disappointed with this. I have bought this unit specifically for iPod integration & BT. I did not care about navigation, if I did I would have opted for Kenwood. Not sure what i can do now, after paying $$$ for the unit and installation. I am outside the return window.

I am not looking for 'Business call quality', I would settle for basic clarity for short personal calls. Any Suggestions?

The VR command issue with your ipod may pertain to the VR catalog.

The VR command issue with your ipod may pertain to the VR catalog.

Not just the ipod commands, NONE of them work. I believe it took in one command one time when I am not in motion. It probably was an accident.

That certainly does sound like a mic issue then.

Make sure Echo Cancel is ON. (See Manual pg 74). I found that it improved the quality a bunch. I don't know if it is on by default. As far as the mic goes, in your case I'd buy a Garmin mic and have your installer yank and replace in one step. If you have to pay an installer, it would be both cheaper and easier to just do it all at the same time. The cost of the mic is less than the labor. Then send the old mic to Pioneer if you want a spare (assuming it tests as defective - which is a crap-shoot).

It is also possible that your installer did a poor job. Make sure the mic is fully inserted into the back of the unit. He might of pinched the cable running it. I was having very poor VR, but I eventually got it working fairly well - no complaints on my calls and iPod VR works fairly well - an occasional glitch in recongnizing an artist/song name - which is to be expected with a 3500+ library.

I don't know what exactly fixed it, the change was moving the mic closer to my face by mounting it to the trim above the driver's window, and re-routine the mic wire. I suspect it may have been pinched somewhat in trying to hide it. Maybe just enough to break the ground or shielding connection, and straightening it out fixed it. Just a guess.

It also occurs to me that some of these mic issues are related to distortion by too much gain, not too little. Some people just speak too loudly, or louder than necesary, into phones (my wife for example). I speak in a slightly louder than normal conversion voice. I don't shout at the mic. In fact, I once tried my VR command at fairly low levels and found it still worked pretty well. But that was driving with windows closed.

Make sure Echo Cancel is ON. (See Manual pg 74).

I tried with both on and off. On is definitely better. It really did reduce the echo.

It is also possible that your installer did a poor job. Make sure the mic is fully inserted into the back of the unit. He might of pinched the cable running it.

That gives me some hope, but hearing about the problems others are having I am not sure how much improvement I will have.

It also occurs to me that some of these mic issues are related to distortion by too much gain, not too little. Some people just speak too loudly, or louder than necesary, into phones (my wife for example).

I will also pair my iphone again with BT vol all the way up as someone suggested. Hopefully combination of that and talking low might improve some.

I don't have much to add here other than the bluetooth phone quality with my Z120BT sucks too.

I've had to go back to the jawbone as well.

I just finished installing the X920BT in my 2001 Subaru Forester and I put the MIC on the upper center console just above the rear view mirror.

I guess I would not call the BT speakerphone audio quality really bad, just that it could be a lot better. My friends refer to it as "Sounding like I was in a box or like I had a cold". This is also the same as they sound to me. We could understand each other fine and I could talk at a normal level, but we just sounded very bass like and muffled. This could be the quality of my LG phones' Bluetooth!

Voice recognition is not very good but I was not expecting much from a speaker independent system.

I have firmware Version 2.000000 and Pioneer is sending me a Micro SDHC card (Free) to update the system to Version 2.003000. VR was mentioned on the website so I will have to wait and see!

I have a 2010 mazda cx-9, i sacrificed my bluetooth from factory to find out 120bt bluetooth is horrible. my bluetooth steering control cannot also work and i had to change my backup camera, i can live with the backup camera change, and the blue tooth steering wheel control but the bluetooth for z120tb is very dissapointing, i bought my wife one of theose motorola t135 stand alone blue tooth and that works better that the 120bt. Hopefully they can fix this with a firmware update

is this a problem on EVERY Z120bt, or just some of them?

I'm using the Parrot mic on my Z120bt, and the sound quality is JUST FINE

I'm using the Parrot mic on my Z120bt, and the sound quality is JUST FINE

What is the model?

What is the model?

I am interested as well. Before I install mine.

I guess I am calling Parrot today. I don't want to install crappy BT in my truck. It's one of the primary reasons for me to go with a head like this.

I guess I am calling Parrot today. I don't want to install crappy BT in my truck. It's one of the primary reasons for me to go with a head like this.

I have two Z110's installed in two different vehicles (F350 and Vette) and no matter where I place the microphones people that call me always here the background noise over my voice. I've been in contact with Pioneer and told them I've been a Pioneer users for 21 yrs and this is the first time I've had a problem with a Pioneer product and was basically told..."sorry for your problem"...."go buy an aftermarket microphone"

Any recommendation on a microphone that will work with the Z110? I couldn't find an exact model on the parrot website.

Thanks in advance.

Is this BT mic issue present only in z120 or also in Z110?