Android multiple sound sources glitch

Android
1

Hi everyone,

I am probably not the only one who likes listening to music (e.g. on Spotify) or some audiobook while zwifting. While doing so, I usually wear in-ear headphones due to the noise from the Zwift ride and Kickr core. Because my headphones can only connect to one sound source at a time, I run both Zwift as well as Spotify or some other app simultaneously on my tablet (Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, Android 16).

As soon as some other audio source plays in the background, Zwift mutes most - but not all - sounds. This means that all background and game sounds (such as wind, cycling sounds etc.) cannot be heard anymore. Some audio still plays, howver, such as the “ping” accompanying a ride on or the countdown sound while close to / traversing a gate during a workout. The sounds that still play are strangely distorted, however, as if they are played at a very low audio resolution.

I tested around a bit with apps souch as Galayxy Sound Assistant (which allows switching multiple sound sources on and off), but this did not change the aformentioned behavior. This leads me to believe that the Zwift app detects different audio streams and reacts to them in a strange manner.

Could somebody please clarify if this is the indended behavior or a Zwift bug? I’d really appreciate it.

Cheers,

Chris

2

Maybe a really dumb question; but those sounds also play through a phone device running Companion.

Are you positive you aren’t hear the sounds coming through Companion?

3

:100:

In Companion app, this is controlled under Settings → Notifications, scroll all the way to the bottom and look for Game Sound Effects if you want to disable it

4

Hi Andrew, good point. But yes, I am pretty sure that they play from the tablet that is runnig Zwift and a second audio source (will check again during my next ride). But you are right - they also play from the companion app (I can actually hear them twice - with a slight delay - if my phone volume is high enough).

My original point still stands, however - is it the intended behavior that Zwift disables most or all sounds as soon as a second app is playing audio, even if multiple sound sources are enabled in Anrdoid (e.g. using Galaxy Sound assistant)? It would be really cool if this auto-muting could be disabled…

5

This might be an OS-level behavior for backgrounded apps. Look up “background audio hardening.”