Bluetooth speaker connects to Raspberry Pi 4 but plays no sound

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Bluetooth speakers can be successfully paired with a Raspberry Pi 4, and users can select them as audio output through the desktop interface. The speaker's profile typically appears as "High Fidelity Audio (A2DP Sink)." However, issues may arise where the speaker remains silent during media playback, with only brief sound when adjusting the volume. Troubleshooting steps include ensuring the proper Bluetooth driver is installed on the Raspberry Pi. While some users may successfully use Bluetooth earphones, specific modules may still be required for speaker functionality. A recommended solution involves adding the user to the Bluetooth group with the command "sudo usermod -a -G bluetooth pi," which can resolve audio output issues after a reboot.
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  • I am able to pair my Bluetooth speaker to my Raspberry Pi 4.
  • I am able to select it as the current audio output by right clicking on the "speaker" icon, top left of desktop.
  • Under "device profiles" the speaker's profile is shown as "High Fidelity Audio (A2DP Sink)".
  • But when I play any media, the speaker is silent.
  • Each time I press the volume up (+) key on the speaker, it plays the media for a short time (a fraction of a second).

Anything I can do to troubleshoot and fix this?
 
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I haven't done anything like this before but the first thing that I would do is check to see if you have a proper driver installed on the Pi.
 
Borg said:
I haven't done anything like this before but the first thing that I would do is check to see if you have a proper driver installed on the Pi.

At least some of the driver stack is installed and working properly, because I am able to use Bluetooth earphones (2 or 3 different makes) without any problem.

I could still be missing some specific module that is needed for the speaker, though. I am googling this problem. The suggestions I found so far haven't helped.
 
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