PineBuds Pro - pairing from laptop cli - one earbud only

[c6Q$!]

I'm trying to pair my PineBuds Pro using `bluetoothctl` from the command line on my laptop running Arch Linux. I can only pair to one earbud.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Remove earbuds from case. Both buds flash blue repeatedly.
   
2. L flashes red/blue; R flashes blue only
   
3. Enter bluetoothctl interactive mode with `bluetoothctl`
   
4. Scan for devices with `scan on`
   
5. Lists bluetooth devices
   
6. `pair <MAC address>` labelled PineBuds Pro
   
7. Left earbud announces "pairing complete"
   
8. Play music. Sound comes through left earbud only.
   

The earbuds are fully charged, paired, trusted and connected, but I can only pair with one earbud!

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Thanks.

PS The earbuds work fine with my Android phone. The laptop works fine with a different bluetooth speaker.

[tsingi]

I have an awesome pair of earbuds but I don't use them.  Bluetooth radiation right in your ear.  As annoying as it is to have the wires your brain would prefer you use an audio jack.
I just unpacked my phone, looks like an audio jack right there on top.

[zer0sig]

only pairing one ear is a fairly common issue on many sets of bluetooth true wireless earbuds. It's possible that the firmware is just not very mature yet. I know with some sets of these (other brands), you have to time how you pull each phone out so that both are pulleed out of the case within a fraction of a second, or one has to be pulled out before the other or it won't work on both. It's possible there's a quirk about bluetoothctl or a thing to make that work, but I haven't seen it yet. Definitely want to test these soon, I'm stoked about trying these soon. Just need to order some.