Database Info

[BUG] Crackling sound on calls and music, can anyone help?

Hello,
I am a proud owner of a couple Android Phones since the HTC G1, the HTC Magic and so goes on.
Now I was very excited to get the Nexus S, but on the first day of use, after making all the updates to 2.3.2 and installing all my usual apps, I noticed a crackling sound when hearing music from the speakers.
I can not find the reason of this but would like to know if someone had a problem similar to mine, and if yes, if it was possible to solve it.
There are some facts about this crackling noise that I point as follow:
- The crackling sound is not present all the times. The phone works well when playing shorts sounds like ringtones and notifications. I can hear everything crystal clear;
- When I start to hear a song (tried many different players, all the same problem), or when I am playing a game that uses constant music or sound effects, the crackling sound starts after some minutes of perfect sound (usually between 01:00 and 01:30 of good playing);
- It seems like a irregular white noise, like playing a corrupted MP3 file, that gets in the middle of the media;
- It beguns with a low volume compared to the media and gets louder as time passes, until it gets more frequent and as louder as the music playing;
- At first I thought of a broken speaker, and checked the headphones, but the crackling sound appears when listening music on both headphones and external speakers;
- Then I noticed the crackling sound appears on long voice calls too.
Well... I thought it could be something related to the software, so tried the OEM recovery process (Settings > Privacy > Factory data reset), but it was not sucessfull.
[Q] Does anyone had a problem like mine?
[Q] Could someone point what could be the cause of it or a possible solutions?
Thanks in advance.
Jon

I noticed the same thing while listening to Pandora. Not sure what's going on. I'm on Modaco and don't know if its something in there or not.
I hear the noise after about 30 minutes of pandora.

I'm having the same issue running Modaco while listening to music via Spotify.
Just got back to the stock ROM, I'll see if it's any better and keep you guys posted.

I can now confirm that stock ROM is not affected by this issue.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Audio Crackling/Audio stutter when screen off after 3.1 Update

All,
I noticed a couple possible defects after upgrading to 3.1 manually.
1. When playing audio from certain applications (XMP for Android for instance) The Audio cuts out shortly after the screen turns off, and then halts for a period of time before coming back shortly, then cuts out again.
2. Once you turn the screen back on, there is a distinct crackling in the audio.
Workaround:
1. Turn screen back on (get the crackling)
2. Unplug the 3.5mm audio jack
3. Play music from the speakers
4. Plug back in the 3.5mm audio jack
Anyone else seeing these issues with other audio applications?

Yep, I had the crackling and long pauses start happening today after the FOTA update.
Seems to happen (more often?) when applications interrupt an audio stream. For instance, listening to music and get an IM or email.

Yeah I had issues with this as well afer updating to 3.1...I saw in another thread that doing a "hard reboot" will fix the issue and has seemed to work for me so far. Hold the power button down for 10-15 sec until the unit reboots.

same problem
I have the same problem as well. The audio stops functioning properly when the screen times out or when I lock the device with the power button. The weird thing is that this behaviour is not consistent for all apps.
For example, "Music" stops only at the end of the song. From the "3.1 ROM issues" thread, other users are experiencing this as well. In contrast, in the apps "Listen" and "Audible", almost as soon as the screen goes off or I lock it, the audio stops, starting after some 30 seconds, halting again after 10 seconds. It repeats this cycle a few times and then stops completely. If I lit the screen by hitting the power button, the audio resumes with crackling noises as mentioned in the original posts.
Also, hard reset didn't work. I am tempted to do a factory reset except that I don't really know what's going on and I don't know if that'd fix it!
UPDATE: I found the following workaround solutions:
1- Winamp works flawlessly for songs, not a peep or hitch!
2- BeyondPod is working fairly well for podcasts. (It has paused once after 11 minutes so far.)

I did the fota update.
and I've the the crackling. Sucky.

me too. Hope they get an update out to fix this asap. Extremely annoying bug.

Would like to add I am also experiencing this issue although mine didn't start till a couple days after the update to 3.1. A hard reset works for a little while but the issue eventually presents itself again. Might be due to a caching issue with the music player?

Anyone try another music player?

I discovered the crackling noise problem last night.
At first I thought the FLAC songs were recorded from a dirty vinyl record.
I also discovered the problem where the Music app does not continue to the next song when listening with the screen turned off. How stupid is that.
These are two big problems that ASUS needs to address ASAP.
I am already annoyed by the pop sound when turning the Transformer on and whenever any sound to the speaker (Headphones are fine) is played after a long pause.
They must have used a really cheap sound chip in the Transformer.

Yes I can confirm the same problems with google listen. Have tried the hard reset but it doesn't really help very much. Things worked fine after the restart, but as soon as the screen turned off, then the audio paused, and began to crackle, then more pauses. It is almost as if some part of the system is in some sort of low power mode and is not able to feed the data at the required data rate...

gloomyandy said:
... It is almost as if some part of the system is in some sort of low power mode and is not able to feed the data at the required data rate...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe this could be exactly the problem. I have not yet gotten my TF, but looking forward to one greatly. However, I get exactly this problem on my Galaxy Tab 7" WHEN using setCPU to add a profile that scales the CPU down when screen is off. It sounds to me as if ASUS has added some sort of governer/scaling that does this. I could be wrong of course This is just based on reading, and personal experience

corodius said:
I believe this could be exactly the problem. I have not yet gotten my TF, but looking forward to one greatly. However, I get exactly this problem on my Galaxy Tab 7" WHEN using setCPU to add a profile that scales the CPU down when screen is off. It sounds to me as if ASUS has added some sort of governer/scaling that does this. I could be wrong of course This is just based on reading, and personal experience
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I get a lot of weird little problems with the Tab 7'' when setCPU scales clock speed down too far, including random reboots. I guess that's the sacrifice Asus made to give the TF such a tremendous battery life.

grainysand said:
I guess that's the sacrifice Asus made to give the TF such a tremendous battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about "tremendous"
More like pretty good...

i can confirm that i have this issue using google music app. I previously purchased PowerAMP (arguably the best android music app) and no problems whatsoever when the screen goes off.
I do like the google music app as it seems like a truly lightweight player but its still in beta stage and needs a bit of work.

I just discovered something. The problem does not occur for my Transformer when the unit is plugged in!
So it must be power management problem, the question is how to fix it?

Hey guys, loving the xda forums btw, much love. I have a acer iconia a500 16gb, and same problem here:
Using Acer_a500_4.010.13_com_gen2
The default Music player is buggy and crashed fairly often, the audio stopping when screen turns off and stopping intermittently is also present on iconia with the default music player and the others as well.
The audio crackling is also present under same conditions.
To add insult to injury, sometimes when i connect a headphones the speakers dont turn off. And if i play with he "dolby mobile" settings, the sound on my headphones get really tinny untill i unplug the headphones and plug them back in, or i reboot the sys in some cases.

I just thought I should add to this thread that I have the same problems on my Acer Iconia A500. It consistently only finishes the song after I turn the screen off then it waits MINUTES to start the next song. I only occasionally have problems with the crackle sound. I had the crackling a lot when I first got it but it doesn't seem to happen as often any more. It doesn't seem to happen when I use doubleTwist but I really wish that the STOCK APPLICATION (which I like the best) would work...
Is there ANY way to fix this stuff? I mean even downgrading to like 3.0 or something. I like to use my tablet to play on my stereo system and I don't enjoy having to effing go back every time I want to play the next song. I also don't want to leave the screen on all the time and murder the battery.

I have the same thing happening on my A500 (running the ASUS PRIME ROM, though). When the screen turns off, anything audio related gets really skippy.

apparently there's some sort of setting build in for the cpu to underclock to the point of not being able to continue running the music application when the screen turns off. (that's me guessing it could be wrong) It always happens with stock music app though it didnt happen when in 3.0.
I installed winamp and doubletwist and both played nonstop.
Also i noticed that if you had music in your external sd and you open music app (also happened with winamp) and remove the sd the applications wont work anymore (thy always fc)unless you install the sd back (that is if you had your music library in the sd even if you also have it internally)
I tried moving the music to the internal storage but the error persist. the only way to get rid of it is formatting the tablet and passing the music to the tablet before running the apps. However if you install the sd and you happen to have music and music app open, youre screw again.
thats the error ive been having and im stuck with a 16gb sd in the tablet to hear music, (which i find it sucking cause my tablet is 32gb)
any suggestions?

[Q] ICS problem with music, podcast player and everything audio related

Hi all,
ICS 4.0.3
Ver. 3.32.707.10
I was wondering if anybody else is encountering similar problems.
Ever since the ICS update, my music player, podcast player (beyondPod) and e-book audio player have gone crazy.
I cannot understand the logic behind it, but the player either stops, skips, pauses, jumps... u name it. Not all the time, but (please do not laugh!) when the car door is slammed shut.
It got me thinking. Is it the shock or the vibration? Tapping or gently bashing the phone does not disrupt the player. Only door of the car closing. It happens every morning and every night when someone gets off the car before me.
Rebooting, taking battery out, clearing out some stuff from my Micro SD... simple stuff to eliminate causes have had no success.
Only rebooting the phone can solve the problem. Force closing the app does not help.
I was thinking that after a heavy days use, maybe the RAM was running out, bu the problem starts even within 20 min of reboot, with no other unnecessary apps running.
I am using Jays headset app since my headphone has that button that allows me to stop/play skip and volume control etc. This has nothing to do with it? I have had it for a while since Gingerbread...
If it were apps from the market that was problematic, i can understand. But since this affects the stock music player as well as other audio related features, I am baffled.
Anybody else? Suggestions?

Found the definitive cause. But still have no solution.
OK guys and gals...
I had my podcast player and stock sense music player do crazy stuff on me, ever since the ICS update.
Maybe the scratched paint is the cause of headache for some people, and covering/insulating it may relieve it of problems, but my feeling is that for quite a few that have posted on this thread, their reasons of malfunction differ, and in fact, are on the same boat as I am.
Please read my post which is the link below to understand the full symptom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=24511005
I am not sure if ICS update from GS is related to this problem directly or indirecty. All I know is that I had a happy sensation until the update OTA.
Here is the reason why I know that neither the paint or back cover of sensation is the cause of skipping/jumping/stopping/calling last contacted....
I tried the experiment with the back cover off, but I could not replicate the problem, thus no paint chip, back cover or short circuit of any kind is the answer.
So, by method of deduction, with the cover off, I tried wriggling the headphone in the socket to see if that had any effect. None. I tried plugging and unplugging. None. I tried using the remote button to control the music app and the podcast player. No problem. The play/pause/vol up and down etc all worked fine. I even uninstalled the jays app and tried. Without the app, the button on my headset does play and stop, answer and end calls. It got me thinking, and the environment it caused the symptoms only could point to the mic on my headphones.
And guess what? It is the bloody Microphone on the headset. I bet you there are some of you with this problem using the stock headset supplied that have built in hands free.
Basically, the pressure spike caused by slamming of he car door, is the same effect as blowing into the mic of the headset. And once this is done, the only way you can stop is reboot.
Since there have been no posts on this thread, and while I was hunting desperately for answers, I came across a different thread. Similar symptoms. I posted there too, so u might want to take a peep.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=24668109#post24668109
Weird symptom. Possible solution? (Apart from using headsets without mic)

I have the same problem with my Sensation after i flashed the ICS. I have flashed two different custom ICS and with both i had the same problem. The music app goes crazy. I haven't find any pattern on what is that that cause the music app go crazy. When I touch the jack of the headphones (the original headphones of the Sensation) the app start forwarding, skipping track pause, etc. Also the same happens when i put the phone in my pocket. I haven't found any solution but maybe is the signal from the microphone as you said. When i shake the jack i think that signal noise i created and makes the app go crazy.
I hope someone will find a solution soon.

I just found a way to hear music in my ICS Sensation. I just disabled the default music app in the app settings that comes with the rom and i have installed the ESfile explorer which has its own music player. I am using ESFileExplorer's music player and i don't have problems till now...
Hope this is useful for someone.

I think issue is software related. Look here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1689440

NikosDim said:
I have the same problem with my Sensation after i flashed the ICS. I have flashed two different custom ICS and with both i had the same problem. The music app goes crazy. I haven't find any pattern on what is that that cause the music app go crazy. When I touch the jack of the headphones (the original headphones of the Sensation) the app start forwarding, skipping track pause, etc. Also the same happens when i put the phone in my pocket. I haven't found any solution but maybe is the signal from the microphone as you said. When i shake the jack i think that signal noise i created and makes the app go crazy.
I hope someone will find a solution soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it happen ONLY when using headsets? I have the same problem, but is caused by the jack connector (only in ICS). It randomly sends signals that the phone understand as multimedia commands. If you remove the headsets and play the music with the speaker, no problem at all.
Crap.

System/Music volume is stuffed in ICS stock ROM

Hi all,
Recently updated to official ICS. I like to listen to music on my HTC, and I found a major glitch. Whenever you are playing music (with the stock player), and there is another system sound (ie SMS notification), the entire media volume of the phone dies.
For example, I am listening to music and I receive a SMS. I hear the SMS and the music stops playing. I check the music app and the slider is still moving but there is no sound. After that point there is NO media volume at all! I start a game. No sound. I start a video. No sound. Youtube. No sound. Only way to fix this is restart the phone.
If I'm listening to music and I wanna play a game. I start the game and the game has its own sound. The music stops playing and the game sounds are also now gone. Only way to get any sound back is to restart.
Basically whats happening is if there ANY other non-music sound, it ends up killing the phone's Media volume. Only way to fix is restart.
Anyone else have this problem?
Running stock ICS 4.0.3 Vodafone Australia ROM.

Sounds like a fluke - cause this doesn't really happen to anyone else. Since you're stock, the way to fix most issues is to wipe your data and start from scratch. Most people who have random issues like this do that and it clears up.

Not its not a fluke. I can reproduce it even after a factory reset. It only happens with stock player not another player I downloaded from Play.
Maybe its a problem with the Vodafone ROM.

masands said:
Not its not a fluke. I can reproduce it even after a factory reset. It only happens with stock player not another player I downloaded from Play.
Maybe its a problem with the Vodafone ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can reproduce the issue with a factory reset then perhaps you could try flashing your RUU and see if the issue persists. I do know that what you're describing is NOT a wide spread problem, and that means it's either isolated to your device or to VODA's build...

masands said:
Not its not a fluke. I can reproduce it even after a factory reset. It only happens with stock player not another player I downloaded from Play.
Maybe its a problem with the Vodafone ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant fluke as in only happening to you, not only happening once.
Try Grogg's advice. Hell, flash his rom, music player works great in it.

Similar issue here
I'd just like to say I have a similar issue with mine. If i am listening to music and receive an SMS or email notification then the music volume increases to match that of the notification. Pressing either volume up or down then changes it one step from the original volume.
I also have another issue with the default music player. If I am listening to music at work, press pause then remove the headphones (when leaving my desk for a short while) after plugging headphones back in when I press play the sound quality is often seriously distorted. Pressing pause then play again always seems to sort this out...
I've noticed 3 or 4 little bugs with the latest (UK) release on my phone, I keep expecting another update to sort them out but so far nothing...

TheMightyStu said:
I'd just like to say I have a similar issue with mine. If i am listening to music and receive an SMS or email notification then the music volume increases to match that of the notification. Pressing either volume up or down then changes it one step from the original volume.
I also have another issue with the default music player. If I am listening to music at work, press pause then remove the headphones (when leaving my desk for a short while) after plugging headphones back in when I press play the sound quality is often seriously distorted. Pressing pause then play again always seems to sort this out...
I've noticed 3 or 4 little bugs with the latest (UK) release on my phone, I keep expecting another update to sort them out but so far nothing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have this same problem with notification increasing the volume.. anyone got a solution??

HTC Sensation headset audio problem
masands said:
Hi all,
Recently updated to official ICS. I like to listen to music on my HTC, and I found a major glitch. Whenever you are playing music (with the stock player), and there is another system sound (ie SMS notification), the entire media volume of the phone dies.
For example, I am listening to music and I receive a SMS. I hear the SMS and the music stops playing. I check the music app and the slider is still moving but there is no sound. After that point there is NO media volume at all! I start a game. No sound. I start a video. No sound. Youtube. No sound. Only way to fix this is restart the phone.
If I'm listening to music and I wanna play a game. I start the game and the game has its own sound. The music stops playing and the game sounds are also now gone. Only way to get any sound back is to restart.
Basically whats happening is if there ANY other non-music sound, it ends up killing the phone's Media volume. Only way to fix is restart.
Anyone else have this problem?
Running stock ICS 4.0.3 Vodafone Australia ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have got the same problem. HTC Sensation, stock ICS 4.0.3 (3.33.401.53). Have you found the solution ?

Media Volume Mutes on Playback with Headset

Hi,
I've got a strange problem which no amount of searching and experimentation has fixed...
Whenever I start playing audio the media volume reduces to zero / mute by itself. I can then turn it back up and all is well, until the end of that song / video at which point the problem repeats. This occurs in all my media playing apps.
This only happens when using my wired headphones that have a builtin microphone. I don't get the issue on speakers, with a non-microphone headphone / external speaker, or with a bluetooth device.
I've tried the headphones on another phone (not OPO) running the same version of cm13 nightly, and the problem doesn't occur.
So I'm fairly sure that its a software bug/setting issue, but I don't know what.
I've tried making sure all other possible audio players are not started at boot and force stopped to make sure its not some weird app/clash.
Would appreciate any suggestions!
Thanks...

+1 for that issue I thought it as due to faulty buttons .......

therohanchawla said:
+1 for that issue I thought it as due to faulty buttons .......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to hear its not just me! It even does it in safe mode.
I guess the only thing to try is a different ROM...

The best thread I've found that describes this problem is:
https://www.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comments/3jkilb/oneplus_one_volume_automatically_decreases_to/
Sultanxda's comments describe whats happening nicely.
So in a last and final attempt to fix this I tried some different ROMs. I tried the latest cm13 stable, sultanxda's latest and even went back to good old kitkat! But all had the same problem....
It would seem this is a hardware issue that is only getting worse. I've had instances now where the volume will mute whilst playing a song). Sometimes it mutes and then turns on Do Not Disturb!
Oh well.... time for some bluetooth headphones.