No sound from bluetooth headset, but it's detected

Solution 1:

For some more settings I would advice to install pavucontrol. It saved me some troubles diagnosing sound issues. It also will list any possible output where Ubuntu sound sometimes forgets to show outputs that should be available (though it keeps getting better: HDMI used to not show up; 1 update after 12.10 release it started showing up.

You too will be able to find your headset and control it from here.

If I recall correctly after I used pavucontrol to activate my hdmi ubuntu control picked it up too (but that might have been caused by an update too). Otherwise do not use Ubuntu sound settings but switch to this program since it also has far more options.

Command line install

sudo apt-get install pavucontrol

Solution 2:

Try this script: a2dp.py

Install using:

curl "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/pylover/d68be364adac5f946887b85e6ed6e7ae/raw/install.sh" | sh

The installation script will copy a2dp.py into PATH and make it executable. So, you may issue this command to use the a2dp.py script:

$ a2dp.py 
Connection MADE
Selecting device:
1. 00:22:37:3D:DB:1A JBL E40BT
2. 00:22:37:3D:DA:50 JBL E40BT
Select device[1]: 2
Device MAC: 00:22:37:3D:DA:50
Device ID: bluez_card.00_22_37_3D_DA_50
Sink: bluez_sink.00_22_37_3D_DA_50
Turning off audio profile.
Disconnecting the device.
Connecting againt.
Setting A2DP profile
Device ID: bluez_card.00_22_37_3D_DA_50
Updating default sink
Exiting bluetoothctl