MARQ series bluetooth performance (music)

I have done a few different tests and found the following:

1) Run with just headphones (airpods, beats pro, Jabra 65 active) results in decent connectivity.  Only drops if my hands are down and my head left.

Run with Stryd and headphones (same as above) has same as above results

Run with HRM and Styrd and headphones (same as above) has a much tougher time.  During the first 20 minutes the drop outs are much more common and while in neighborhoods the connectivity gets worse.  I notice that hand/head position is very sensitive - I find myself running with my head looking just a touch left otherwise the connectivity gets worse - this leads to poor posture and a bad running experience!. 

My observation is there is no real improvement over the Fenix line.  Ultimately I gave up with my Fenix 5+ and carried either a AW or phone to listen to music/podcast/Audible books.  Not going to make that sacrifice on a $1,500 device......

Or, you have short arms.  My problem literally only happens when walking and my arms are at my side.  The signal transmitter in the watch, or the receiver in the headphones, wasn’t strong enough.  Raine my arms, not much more than an inch or two, and everything is fine.

Maybe just lop 2-inches off my left arm and the problem would be solved.

I'm 5'10 with a +2 ape index (if you know what that means), but I do tend to run with my arms "short" as it was a trick i learned early on to help keep me from over striding  

The problem occurs in any environment so not just in the city. As mentioned earlier, my issue isn't as much with connecting as it is with staying connected without dropouts. 

What makes this even more frustrating is that the first MARQ with the problem was replaced and supposedly sent to the US to be examined by the team. It's been 3 weeks and I have not received a single email.

There also haven't been any obvious fixes that mitigate the problem. It seems as if Garmin is waiting for people to tire out and give up on bringing this issue up... 

I doubt that is what is happening. Garmin doesn't likely manufacture the ANT/BLE/BT chip. So any firmware updates are going to need to be worked with the component vendor which takes longer than you might think. 

I would have had no problem waiting if a single email letting me know this is being worked on was sent.

Which hasn't happened. I would have at least expected that after being asked to let my original unit get sent back to base to get looked at. 

NYanakiev7 Have you see any differences when you switch which arm the MARQ is worn on?  Also, do you run into the same issue when you workout indoors and outdoors?

Also, remember our conversation about compatible Bluetooth Headphones.

Out of the list of Headphones, you listed, only Plantronics Backbeat Fit 3100 and Aftershokz Trekz Air are on the compatible list.  Out of those two, you said the Aftershokz Trekz Airs work just fine.  Do you do anything different with those then you do with your other ones?

No difference between indoors and outdoors. I did nothing different with the Aftershokz but they sound horrible. 

Again, the issue only appears when an activity is being recorded. I can listen to music with 90% of all the models I have mentioned in the first post when NOT performing an activity, especially with GPS. 

Noted, and I understand that.  Just making sure everything is covered.  So have you tried the device on the other arm yet?  If so, did you see any differences then?