[Q] Bluetooth to car stereo phone noise - HTC Amaze 4G

Hi all. New here, so hopefully this will be concise enough.
T-mobile HTC Amaze 4g, no mods, all stock plus a few apps. Everything working fine on the phone. Purchased a Platronics BT headset, works OK; limited range, but passable. Just bought a Sony MEX-BT4100P car unit. Did the install myself (retired auto technician, so I know a little about doing it correctly). All working OK, BT pairs fine, functions all good (Phone book, redial, etc). Problem is a buzz noise during calls, only audible on the other end of the call, but it's pretty loud. Sound is similar to a slightly shorted mic cable. Voice is audible, just a loud background buzz. No noises with any other car stereo function. No noises with any other phone function.
Talked to car stereo vendor, they sent new unit and microphone. No change. Talked to HTC. They say that since the Plantroncs works fine, there's no problem with the phone.
I'm trying to find out if anyone else has experienced this specific issue and if so what had to happen to resolve it.
Any thoughts? I don't have another BT phone to try
Android 4.0.3, Sense 3.6. Don't know what other info might be helpful.
Thanks.
Charlie

Might be the headset
charlie.kaiser said:
Hi all. New here, so hopefully this will be concise enough.
T-mobile HTC Amaze 4g, no mods, all stock plus a few apps. Everything working fine on the phone. Purchased a Platronics BT headset, works OK; limited range, but passable. Just bought a Sony MEX-BT4100P car unit. Did the install myself (retired auto technician, so I know a little about doing it correctly). All working OK, BT pairs fine, functions all good (Phone book, redial, etc). Problem is a buzz noise during calls, only audible on the other end of the call, but it's pretty loud. Sound is similar to a slightly shorted mic cable. Voice is audible, just a loud background buzz. No noises with any other car stereo function. No noises with any other phone function.
Talked to car stereo vendor, they sent new unit and microphone. No change. Talked to HTC. They say that since the Plantroncs works fine, there's no problem with the phone.
I'm trying to find out if anyone else has experienced this specific issue and if so what had to happen to resolve it.
Any thoughts? I don't have another BT phone to try
Android 4.0.3, Sense 3.6. Don't know what other info might be helpful.
Thanks.
Charlie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Charlie,
I remember having a plantonics headset. They were awful for me and they broke eventually. Did you try another headset? I think the headphones you're using could be the source of the problem. Hopefully someone else experienced in BT and headsets can assist you.

SuperAfnan said:
Hey Charlie,
I remember having a plantonics headset. They were awful for me and they broke eventually. Did you try another headset? I think the headphones you're using could be the source of the problem. Hopefully someone else experienced in BT and headsets can assist you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Plantronics headset is fine; it's the Sony car stereo BT function that's making the noise...

It's been a while since I've had the stock ROM on my phone, but try looking under the settings menu in dialer for 'noise suppression' and make sure it's ticked.
Does your head unit have a gain setting for the mic? I had a JVC unit that had one in the Bluetooth menu settings.
Actually, I just looked up your manual, you do have a mic gain.
It looks like you also have an echo canceller/noise canceller setting as well. See what playing with those do for you.
Failing those options, it sounds like you have interference in your mic. Try routing it away from any wires that carry current. You might try just holding it out in the open and making a test call.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app

DarkMatter_74 said:
It's been a while since I've had the stock ROM on my phone, but try looking under the settings menu in dialer for 'noise suppression' and make sure it's ticked.
Does your head unit have a gain setting for the mic? I had a JVC unit that had one in the Bluetooth menu settings.
Actually, I just looked up your manual, you do have a mic gain.
It looks like you also have an echo canceller/noise canceller setting as well. See what playing with those do for you.
Failing those options, it sounds like you have interference in your mic. Try routing it away from any wires that carry current. You might try just holding it out in the open and making a test call.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Head unit - I've tried all settings on mic gain and noise cancellation with no changes at all to the noise, although voice quality changed as expected.
Microphone has been pulled out of the car, literally to the full extent of its cable, with no change. I've wrapped the mic and its cable in tin foil and jumpered that tin foil shield to chassis ground with no change.
It does indeed to me sound like microphone interference, but nothing I do, including a different mic, changes the noise. Head unit and mic have been changed out for new.

Does it happen even with the engine off?
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app

DarkMatter_74 said:
Does it happen even with the engine off?
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. On, off, no difference. In garage, out of garage, no difference.

charlie.kaiser said:
Yes. On, off, no difference. In garage, out of garage, no difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This tells me it's not interference, at least not from the car's electrical system. Do you happen to live under high tension lines?
Ok, here's what we've got in an extremely simplified flowchart:
mic------>head unit------->bluetooth-------->phone-------->person called
Follow the path, eliminate as you go.
1. Unplug the mic completely. Make a test call, see if your caller hears the noise still. If not, it's either the mic (replaced already, but not unheard of to get multiple bad ones. Try a desktop computer microphone?) or poor shielding in the radio (not easy to fix, even harder to locate.) If it's still there....still might be shielding in the head unit. Unlikely though.
2. You've already messed around with the head unit's settings. Nothing to do here.
3. Bluetooth. My radio used a USB bluetooth adapter, yours is built in. Can't try a different BT.
4. Phone. You don't know someone with a phone with bluetooth? If pairing with a different device results in a clear call, it's the phone (you could try rooting/updating/replacing it. Maybe they just don't like each other?) If the noise is still there with a different phone, it's either the head unit (you got another bad one or they just don't make them very well) or it's outside your control. Maybe the tower itself. You could try driving quite some distance away, till you're on a different tower. See if it's clear then.
Beyond all this, I really don't know of anything else to try, apart from getting a different head unit.

DarkMatter_74 said:
This tells me it's not interference, at least not from the car's electrical system. Do you happen to live under high tension lines?
Ok, here's what we've got in an extremely simplified flowchart:
mic------>head unit------->bluetooth-------->phone-------->person called
Follow the path, eliminate as you go.
1. Unplug the mic completely. Make a test call, see if your caller hears the noise still. If not, it's either the mic (replaced already, but not unheard of to get multiple bad ones. Try a desktop computer microphone?) or poor shielding in the radio (not easy to fix, even harder to locate.) If it's still there....still might be shielding in the head unit. Unlikely though.
2. You've already messed around with the head unit's settings. Nothing to do here.
3. Bluetooth. My radio used a USB bluetooth adapter, yours is built in. Can't try a different BT.
4. Phone. You don't know someone with a phone with bluetooth? If pairing with a different device results in a clear call, it's the phone (you could try rooting/updating/replacing it. Maybe they just don't like each other?) If the noise is still there with a different phone, it's either the head unit (you got another bad one or they just don't make them very well) or it's outside your control. Maybe the tower itself. You could try driving quite some distance away, till you're on a different tower. See if it's clear then.
Beyond all this, I really don't know of anything else to try, apart from getting a different head unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did try unplugging the mic and the noise goes away, but according to Sony and the vendor, if a mic isn't plugged in, the entire audio chain gets muted automatically, so it's not much of a test. I'm going to see if I can dig up another mic like a computer mic with a mute or on/off switch and see what that might do.
I'm in a rural area and not too many cell phones I can borrow here. Might be one I can find...
I'll try another tower too; that's something I have not tried. But this really sounds like audio input chain noise rather than post-processing noise. I was an audio engineer in a previous life and I am still leaning towards mic-related issues...
Thanks.

charlie.kaiser said:
I did try unplugging the mic and the noise goes away, but according to Sony and the vendor, if a mic isn't plugged in, the entire audio chain gets muted automatically, so it's not much of a test. I'm going to see if I can dig up another mic like a computer mic with a mute or on/off switch and see what that might do.
I'm in a rural area and not too many cell phones I can borrow here. Might be one I can find...
I'll try another tower too; that's something I have not tried. But this really sounds like audio input chain noise rather than post-processing noise. I was an audio engineer in a previous life and I am still leaning towards mic-related issues...
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update... Tried driving to another location, and voila! The noise disappeared. I'm now getting normal audio from the system. And what's really strange... back at the house the noise is gone as well...
Thanks to all for the suggestions and ideas! Glad it wasn't something more difficult to fix...

Related

[Q] Problem with Ear Buds.

Hi Everyone...Question where is the code behind the earbuds? Reason I am asking is that I plug my earbuds in and I can hear just fine but the person on the other end can't hear me. If I set TTY to VCO it works but audio stinks. Is this a Radio/ROM/KErnel issue??? Or do I need to unroot and take it back lol...someone please let me know!!!
Thanks!!!
it can be either or...
i found when using some AOSP roms(mainly older versions of CM7) people had a hard time hearing me.
currently i'm using CM7 1.6.1 and that's not an issue anymore.
In case anyone sees this it was actually a hardware problem, got a replacement phone and used the same ROM/kernel and all worked perfectly...the tech said that the saulder connections on the ear buds goes out easily...
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
BuffoGT said:
In case anyone sees this it was actually a hardware problem, got a replacement phone and used the same ROM/kernel and all worked perfectly...the tech said that the saulder connections on the ear buds goes out easily...
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having a similar issue with ALL types of wired headsets. Posted in the General section and hoping to get some devs attention in it. Did some general Google searching and apparently by manufacturer design (thanks HTC!), when headsets are plugged in (not headphones mind you, diff is if it includes a mic), the mic disables on both the phone and the mic in your chord. You can bypass the disabling of the phone mic by changing the TTY mode but the quality is poor and still does not allow you to use your headset mic.
If you use regular headphones, the phone will show the headphone icon (again, not the headSET icon (with the boom mic in the pic)) and you can still use the mic from the regular phone. The problem I have here is it still requires me to walk around with my phone in the air as if it were on speakerphone.
I'm assuming devs can tweek this and I am 99% positive, previous headsets with my TB did NOT have this problem. I've used a mix of GB, AOSP, and Froyo roms (current), and have NOT found a way to get my headset (with mic built into the chord) to work. Extremely frustrating.

Cm7 headphones audio problems

I'm not sure if this has to do with the x2 or just cm7 but I can't seem to figure it out. The audio without headphones is perfectly fine, but with them only the instrumental parts can be heard occasionally you can hear kind of a digital chirp of the vocals.tried figuring it out in dsp and music settings but nothing. Any advice on this is very much appreciated.
Sent from my DX2 w/Cm7 using XDA App
No problems with or without my headphones under CM7. Maybe your headphone port is bad?
Have you tried hooking up a different pair of headphones to see if it might be the headphones or the connector?
Have you tried it under a different ROM to see if you're getting the same problem?
Is this something that you only experience when listening to music with your headphones? Try checking the audio port to see if its got any lint in it. You can clear it out with a paperclip and you might be surprised to see how much has built up. It'd also be a good idea to test your phone with other headphones.
If this is happening with/without headphones, I'm not sure what would cause this. Maybe try a different music player?
It's happening to me, only on CM7
Skelente said:
Is this something that you only experience when listening to music with your headphones? Try checking the audio port to see if its got any lint in it. You can clear it out with a paperclip and you might be surprised to see how much has built up. It'd also be a good idea to test your phone with other headphones.
If this is happening with/without headphones, I'm not sure what would cause this. Maybe try a different music player?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This happened to my Inspire 4G with CM7.1. The problem dissappeared upon installing ICS with aospX and kept working fine with IceColdSandwich, but several other problems forced me to return to Gingebrear. Now with CM 7.2 the problem is again.
It is not a total attenuation. It is a DSP setting that seems to be optimized for karaoke, because it selectively suppresses voice frequencies. However, all settings in DSP manager are turned off. Turning on Stage Virtual Room barely improves it. I can hear some voices, but really bad.
I think it's probably your headphones wearing out. I had a similar problem and a new pair of headphones immediately fixed the issue.
you got a case on that phone? I stopped using my otterbox 'cause every time i plugged in headphones, they'd act very stupid (sometimes giving the "no vocals" thing, sometimes cutting in and out)
I've also noticed that some headphone jacks don't do a good job of locating themselves and you can actually push them too far in.
I use a set of samsung headphones that have four contacts on the 3.5mm jack instead of the typical Tip-ring-sleeve three contact design. these are the ONLY headphones I have used that give me zero problems (unless I use the otterbox case along with them)
between the stupid angle on the hole for the 3.5mm jack on the phone, and a plethora of minute differences between jack designs, generally the X2 and headphones are a marriage made in hell...
stereo bluetooth works perfectly however

High pitch noise when plugged into car's AUX

Full description of the problem:
I just got my EVO 4G LTE the other day, as a replacement to my original EVO 4G. However, I noticed when it was plugged into my car's AUX port, it puts out a high-pitch (like a teapot) noise. This noise happens as long as the headphone jack is powered up (something playing). Even if I turn the phone's volume down all the way, the high pitch is still heard. Otherwise, the audio from the phone can also be heard normally.
Things I've tried:
1. Different cables known to work. All act identically.
2. Headphones. They work fine.
3. Another car's AUX port. Worked fine.
4. Jiggling the jack on either end causes the pitch to change momentarily, but does not go away.
5. Slightly unplugging it from the car side (so one of the channels is not connected) makes it go away, leaving me to believe the high pitch noise is only coming from one channel (I believe the right channel, hard to tell).
Things I don't want to do:
1. Get a new car stereo.
2. Use a Bluetooth adapter. I already have the Stereoclip, and it doesn't do phone calls. Anything else sounds awful with music.
Does anyone have any solutions? I think its some sort of strange feedback/grounding issue, but I have no idea how I would fix this.
I don't have a solution, but I am experiencing the same issue with the phone plugged into my car's AUX. As long as music is playing I can't really hear the whine, but between songs it's pretty annoying.
I haven't tried playing around with the different EQ settings. By default it's been going to Beats. I may switch to a different setting or try a different player like Winamp. I'm currently using the HTC media player.
jasonkc25 said:
I don't have a solution, but I am experiencing the same issue with the phone plugged into my car's AUX. As long as music is playing I can't really hear the whine, but between songs it's pretty annoying.
I haven't tried playing around with the different EQ settings. By default it's been going to Beats. I may switch to a different setting or try a different player like Winamp. I'm currently using the HTC media player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience it has absolutely nothing to do with what app is being used, nor the EQ. It's nothing software as far as I can tell.
This fixes it:
http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-Reducing-SmartPhone-including-iPhone/dp/B0031U1ATQ
if your phone is plugged into the car charger and your audio jack is plugged in to listen to music. what our hearing is a ground loop from the cars alternator. try unplugging the power supply and see if that helps..
papadunit said:
if your phone is plugged into the car charger and your audio jack is plugged in to listen to music. what our hearing is a ground loop from the cars alternator. try unplugging the power supply and see if that helps..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The car charger makes no difference. I have tried using nothing but the audio cable in the phone and still had the static.
I was under the impression that a normal ground loop would require a charger, but...
Modplan: are you sure this will fix it if the noise occurs even without the charger plugged in? The noise is high-pitch, not really a hum, so I'm wary as to whether it will help here.
Its not a simple ground loop problem. I wired my power to the phone using a separate ground from the car's common ground and the issue still persisted.
Try cranking the volume up then when you hear the noise, start playing with the touchscreen. When i did this the noise started changing according to the movement of my fingers. I concluded that there is something going on with the grounding of the capacitive display thats causing another grounding issue, but its not an issue with the car, but an issue with the phone.
I didn't want to go through the vicious cycle of returning my phone over and over until i get one that didn't have this fault so i just went with a samsung hs3000 hardwired in to my car.
lacrossev said:
Its not a simple ground loop problem. I wired my power to the phone using a separate ground from the car's common ground and the issue still persisted.
Try cranking the volume up then when you hear the noise, start playing with the touchscreen. When i did this the noise started changing according to the movement of my fingers. I concluded that there is something going on with the grounding of the capacitive display thats causing another grounding issue, but its not an issue with the car, but an issue with the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't able to replicate this.
I've had the same issue, but it's only when charging. I figured it had something to do with the aluminum body and, as papadunit said, a problem with grounding and your car's alternator and blah blah blah science.
modplan said:
This fixes it:
http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-Reducing-SmartPhone-including-iPhone/dp/B0031U1ATQ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy to report that this actually did solve the problem, amazingly. Thanks!
Actually had same issues this passed weekend but with my asus transformer. Was using it for navigation tethering from evo with both charging from my 400w inverter. Plugged transformer into aux and had same high pitching noise only when inverter was plugged in. Even tried different audio cables, same chit.
Sent from my EVO LTE
Headset Jack's other issues
I can confirm the same behavior with my EVO 4g LTE. My HTC Touch Pro 2 or Iphone 4s never had any of these issues with my vehicle's AUX jack. I also verified that if I turn the volume on the phone all the way down that the noise is audible on the vehicle's sound system. It also doesn't matter what player I use or if I add any equalizer settings to the audio. Finally, the noise is present whether the car is running or not.
Can you guys confirm: If you pause the audio on your player does the whine end about 4 seconds after and startup again if you press play? Or if you shut the player down does the noise go away shortly after?
I did some research and some said it has to do with the AUDIO DAC in the phone turning on and off as audio is played, paused, etc. If the output device has high sensitivity these sounds appear.
I had another issue with my Plantronics wired headset distoring when making phone calls. It did not present the whine but it distorted the callers voice as if the treble or bass was too high. I tried various audio settings but nothing changed. With other headsets the issue does not present itself. I think that the audio DAC is also sending higher/lower frequencies that are greater than some headsets can handle.
That Kensington thing that was posted can easily be made with common household parts. Basically all you need to do is take the big bulgy thing from any cable that would have it and attach it to your audio cable. It works best if you have one near each end of the cable. it's called a clamp-on ferrite bead and is just a clip with iron ferrite in the middle. Since i'm new I can't post a link buuuut what I can do is tell you the keywords to look up on google for the ehow link: cable magnets eliminate emi . enjoy!
lacrossev said:
Its not a simple ground loop problem. I wired my power to the phone using a separate ground from the car's common ground and the issue still persisted.
Try cranking the volume up then when you hear the noise, start playing with the touchscreen. When i did this the noise started changing according to the movement of my fingers. I concluded that there is something going on with the grounding of the capacitive display thats causing another grounding issue, but its not an issue with the car, but an issue with the phone.
I didn't want to go through the vicious cycle of returning my phone over and over until i get one that didn't have this fault so i just went with a samsung hs3000 hardwired in to my car.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine changes pitch according to my cars rpms
Sent from my EVO
I am getting this with headphones, i have used multiple brands and its hit or miss but more hit than miss :laugh:, anyone getting it in there headphone?
I was getting this issue until I installed a custom ROM. Running MeanROM right now with no background noise. Seems counterintuitive to me...but whatever.
J
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
dankorzon said:
That Kensington thing that was posted can easily be made with common household parts. Basically all you need to do is take the big bulgy thing from any cable that would have it and attach it to your audio cable. It works best if you have one near each end of the cable. it's called a clamp-on ferrite bead and is just a clip with iron ferrite in the middle. Since i'm new I can't post a link buuuut what I can do is tell you the keywords to look up on google for the ehow link: cable magnets eliminate emi . enjoy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3012599
Dankorzon, is this what you're talking about? If so I'm going to go get some tomorrow. I'm having this feedback issue too, but it is only when the car charger is plugged in. But I'd love to get rid of that sound. Drives me crazy.
SOLVED: I used a ground loop isolator
I posted earlier that I had the whining noise in my car even with the engine off. So it wasn't related to an alternator issue. I use a Blitzsafe (blitzsafe.com) device to add a line level input jack to my Honda Accord's stock radio interface. It works well with all my other devices except the Evo 4g LTE. This past weekend I did a little tinkering and noticed that if I pulled the RCA jack on one channel (left or right) every so slightly so the ground tabs weren't touching the noise disappeared. With only one channel connected the noise is not present. I'm not sure why the noise is present with both channels connected but it definitely pointed to a ground loop problem. I did some research in audio forums and some said that a wire could be jumpered so the RCA ground touches the receiver chassis and that would solve the problem. Unfortunately that did not do anything. I touched several different grounding points near the receiver but the sound was always present.
I went to Best Buy and purchased this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Fierce+...36.p?id=1218186610567&skuId=9855136&st=ground loop&cp=1&lp=1 It works great. For whatever reason the EVO 4g LTE's DAC must be sensitive or not have the right filter to block the ground signal. This explains why the Kensington product also works.
I also solved my headset issue. I can confirm that older corded Plantronic headsets will not work well with the EVO. The EVO distorts the speaker in the headset. I'm pretty sure it's because it sends lower bass frequencies than the speaker can handle. Only solution was to use a newer headset.
Thanks all for your help.
phiphiJR said:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3012599
Dankorzon, is this what you're talking about? If so I'm going to go get some tomorrow. I'm having this feedback issue too, but it is only when the car charger is plugged in. But I'd love to get rid of that sound. Drives me crazy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is what he is talking about, but that is NOT what the kennsington device is. Google "ground loop isolator" for info on what the kennsington is, it is NOT simply an aux cord with ferrite beads on it.
I've got the same problem in my car. This only happens when plugged into the charger. I'm going to try a ground loop isolation device which will arrive sometime next week.
I guess I don't understand why the phone would only do this when no music is playing though. It makes me think maybe a patch could solve the issue if HTC knew what the issue was.

Audio from headphone jack is distorted.

So I installed Neutrino on my Atrix yesterday (I'm not sure if that's relevant or not, but I figure it's good to know), and everything was working perfectly fine. However, earlier today the audio from my headphone jack started to sound completely distorted.
It's not the earbuds, because they work on other devices I have. And the audio from my speakers and from HDMI works perfectly fine.
Has anyone had this problem, and if so, is there any way I can fix it? Or is my phone screwed?
Did you play with equalizer settings any (DSPmanager or similar)?
I didn't. At least, not at first.
DSP Manager actually started to crash on startup about the same time that the audio from my headphones would be a problem. I thought reinstalling it would fix the problem, but it hasn't. Though, the louder I make it, the more "clearly" I can hear what I'm playing (it still sounds like satan farts, though).
I also tried cleaning the headphone jack, but that only helped a slight bit.
Would it be worth reinstalling Neutrino or is my phone died?
I'd say it's worth a shot. Make a nandroid, do a full wipe, and then flash your ROM. If that doesn't help, then at least you can be fairly sure it's not the software.
So I'm bumping this, with a little bit more information of what I've tried and what my problem is.
I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling DSPManager. Didn't work.
I made a Nandroid backup, did a full wipe, and tried to play music again. Didn't work.
I actually tried to install Beats Audio Drivers to see if they would help. They didn't.
This is what my phone's audio jack currently sounds like, without the high-pitched humming so pardon me if your ears hurt.
http://soundcloud.com/user587656353/i-want-you-back-almost-kinda
I actually tried cleaning the inside of my headphone jack and it seemed to help ever so slightly.
Would this mean my headphone jack is toast or does anyone else have any ideas what the problem could be?
hellothar said:
So I'm bumping this, with a little bit more information of what I've tried and what my problem is.
I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling DSPManager. Didn't work.
I made a Nandroid backup, did a full wipe, and tried to play music again. Didn't work.
I actually tried to install Beats Audio Drivers to see if they would help. They didn't.
This is what my phone's audio jack currently sounds like, without the high-pitched humming so pardon me if your ears hurt.
http://soundcloud.com/user587656353/i-want-you-back-almost-kinda
I actually tried cleaning the inside of my headphone jack and it seemed to help ever so slightly.
Would this mean my headphone jack is toast or does anyone else have any ideas what the problem could be?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure, but it sounds like what you're hearing is the difference between the 2 channels, rather than the channels themselves. This would happen if the common ground connection is broken somewhere in the audio out. It's an easy theory to test really. All you need is an audio file that plays on either the left or right channel only. If you have sound out of both channels, then there's your problem, if not, then it's something else.
Actually, this sounds like a poor connection that is overcompensated by extreme loudness so that some of the electric current is strong enough to pass through. I've heard what the "no common ground" sounds like many times, I don't think this is it.
The headphone connector is not actually soldered to the PCB but instead sits on it on springy contacts (makes for very easy repairs and replacements at service centers). I'm almost willing to bet there lies your problem.
ravilov said:
Actually, this sounds like a poor connection that is overcompensated by extreme loudness so that some of the electric current is strong enough to pass through. I've heard what the "no common ground" sounds like many times, I don't think this is it.
The headphone connector is not actually soldered to the PCB but instead sits on it on springy contacts (makes for very easy repairs and replacements at service centers). I'm almost willing to bet there lies your problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe. But if that is the case, wiggling the plug may give some indication of that without disassembling the device, just as would playing a single channel file. In both cases, the jack would likely be the culprit, but given how fragile the device is internally, taking it apart should be done with extreme caution.
lehjr said:
Maybe. But if that is the case, wiggling the plug may give some indication of that without disassembling the device, just as would playing a single channel file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. I wouldn't recommend digging into disassembling the phone right away, not before exploring other possibilities. Because...
lehjr said:
given how fragile the device is internally, taking it apart should be done with extreme caution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...this.
I tried playing a mono sound file, and sound files that play through only the left speaker and only the right speaker. They all sound like they have the same problem, so we can rule that out.
Though, I will mention that the sound that is heard is on maximum volume, and that's the only time I can hear anything at all. If I go down just two notches, then I start to hear nothing.
hellothar said:
I tried playing a mono sound file, and sound files that play through only the left speaker and only the right speaker. They all sound like they have the same problem, so we can rule that out.
Though, I will mention that the sound that is heard is on maximum volume, and that's the only time I can hear anything at all. If I go down just two notches, then I start to hear nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a thought, but have you tried another pair of headphones?
Edit: if the headphones are good, then the only other thing I can think of is a bad section in the audio chip. The schematic shows the headphone output is separate from any of the other sound outputs, so it is possible that the chip is bad. Unfortunately, if that is the case, the cheapest solution would be to replace the main board, but it's a delicate procedure.
Edit 2:
Before giving up, this thread might help.
lehjr said:
Just a thought, but have you tried another pair of headphones?
Edit: if the headphones are good, then the only other thing I can think of is a bad section in the audio chip. The schematic shows the headphone output is separate from any of the other sound outputs, so it is possible that the chip is bad. Unfortunately, if that is the case, the cheapest solution would be to replace the main board, but it's a delicate procedure.
Edit 2:
Before giving up, this thread might help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm sure it's not the headphones. I've got two; a set of headphones and a set of ear buds. Both of them are functional in other devices but do not work in the phone. Also, the audio clip was direct feed with a different chord, so the problem is surely with the phone.
I'm at the point where I'm willing to open up the phone to see if there is a problem with the jack itself. If it is corrosion or another problem with the jack then I can try some repairs. If I do have to replace the main board then I'll probably wait on that and ultimately purchase a new phone.
One thing to note is that the audio quality does not improve if I move the jacks around inside of it. However, I do hear a sort of rubbing sound from the headphones if I am moving it around.
hellothar said:
Yeah, I'm sure it's not the headphones. I've got two; a set of headphones and a set of ear buds. Both of them are functional in other devices but do not work in the phone. Also, the audio clip was direct feed with a different chord, so the problem is surely with the phone.
I'm at the point where I'm willing to open up the phone to see if there is a problem with the jack itself. If it is corrosion or another problem with the jack then I can try some repairs. If I do have to replace the main board then I'll probably wait on that and ultimately purchase a new phone.
One thing to note is that the audio quality does not improve if I move the jacks around inside of it. However, I do hear a sort of rubbing sound from the headphones if I am moving it around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the jack is the issue then it shouldn't be too bad to replace. I was looking at different websites earlier and they look to be really cheap. The thing I have to stress though is just be careful, and don't take apart the phone unless you can replace the phone itself just in case something should go horribly wrong. I know that should be pretty obvious, and generally people tend to underestimate their own skill level, but I have encountered a few people in my time who have what I consider to be the opposite of the Midas touch, and their attempts at repairing anything end up as more of a hate crime against the very thing they are trying to fix.

Audio qulity from headphone jack

Just wanted to know if anyone else noticed faint buzzing/scratching/hissing noises coming out of their headphone jack...
(and yes I have tested several headphones/earbuds and tested with my MDRv6's all with the same results. Its definitely the phone not the headphones)
When I insert my headphones there is a quick beeping sound that plays for a second or so then goes quiet.
When music is playing, especially soft music (a particular song was Instant Crush; Daft Punk) there is a hiss in the background, specifically when certain tones play.
It was terribly noticeable right at the beginning of a few songs, especially the one I listed above.
I also have button sound effects enabled. So When I press one of the soft UI buttons it makes a tick noise. However for about 5 seconds after the tick there is a long hiss then silence until I press another button.
The volume of the hissing/scratching noises is directly related to the actual volume of the device and the note playing.
Im on stock build 11c w/root, and I havent found a lot of info about this problem.
Just wondering if anyone has noticed this, or if this is a known issue?
If your phone is warranteed, I would bring it in
The G3 boasts an AMPLIFIED 1 watt sound speaker, which means there is a powered sound processor.. Unless the jack needs to be cleaned, I would lean toward thinking there is a defect in your phones jack, or sound assembly. I think its more than likely a defective jack, especially if there are no sounds like you are describing when headphones are not in use
Yeah the phone is brand new. I think I'm going to RMA....
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
I've noticed it. Seems to be worse when charging.
Verizon remotely detected root, warranty voided.
Posted about it here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=57355721
Word of warning before calling Verizon
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
nuke235 said:
Just wanted to know if anyone else noticed faint buzzing/scratching/hissing noises coming out of their headphone jack...
(and yes I have tested several headphones/earbuds and tested with my MDRv6's all with the same results. Its definitely the phone not the headphones)
When I insert my headphones there is a quick beeping sound that plays for a second or so then goes quiet.
When music is playing, especially soft music (a particular song was Instant Crush; Daft Punk) there is a hiss in the background, specifically when certain tones play.
It was terribly noticeable right at the beginning of a few songs, especially the one I listed above.
I also have button sound effects enabled. So When I press one of the soft UI buttons it makes a tick noise. However for about 5 seconds after the tick there is a long hiss then silence until I press another button.
The volume of the hissing/scratching noises is directly related to the actual volume of the device and the note playing.
Im on stock build 11c w/root, and I havent found a lot of info about this problem.
Just wondering if anyone has noticed this, or if this is a known issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got my G3 a week ago and didnt use headphones until I read your post, I tested many different songs with different players, stock player, google player, Iheart radio, pandora, etc, headphone sound is crystal clear on mine, I dont get any beeps either like you described, I did notice you need to make sure the jack is pushed in good and tight, I put it in and thought it was all the way in and sound was crappy, pushed a bit harder and it clicked in good and sound was great, do you have a case that may be preventing the jack from being pushed in all the way, I had a phone in the past that this happened to me with, had to cut away some rubber on the jack to make it fit snug, if none of those are the issue, I would look into a warranty claim. I am using the beats audio earbuds that came with my HTC M7 I had before this phone.
kchinth said:
I've noticed it. Seems to be worse when charging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That could be the issue. I know on the 2012 Nexus 7, it's really bad. It's supposedly due to the microUSB port and the headphone jack sharing the same circuit, or some engineering thing like.
Wonder if it's the same or if they didn't shield the headphone jack very well and it's picking up interference from the microUSB port when charging?
I didn't want to leave this up in the air so I figured I would post an update.
I replaced my G3 through Verizon for a brand new unit. My first phone was of an earlier batch (came with the 10b update) the second one was of a later batch and had 11b pre-installed.
Both phones had the same issue. There is a hissing noise/distortion that comes from the headphone jack. Even when not playing music.
I noticed it on other phones too but not anywhere nearly as much. I understand that any audio source is going to have a little background interference but the G3 definitely has a more significant issue than others.
However it seems to be entirely dependant on what headphones you are using.
1st. I tested first with my Sony MDR-v6's which the problem is most noticeable on. Extreme hissing/background noise.
2nd. Then I used a pair of Audio Techina ATH-PRO500's and the problem was almost unnoticeable.
3rd. I also tried my Steel Series Siberia v2's and the problem was again almost completely gone.
4th. I also used my receiver at home. JVC 5.1 channel receiver with RCA speakers and a Kenwood sub, didn't notice the issue at all. However there where some occasional strange popping noises when no music was playing I didn't get on my GS3 or other MP3 player.
5th. Finally I tried the ear buds that came with my Galaxy S3 and the distortion was again totally noticeable with and without music playing.
This is most definitely an issue that totally depends on what headphones you are using not sure if it has to do with sensitivity or impedance (this is what most people think) however it is most definitely an issue. I saw a few threads saying that audio issues were a problem in Android 4.4.2 however LG/Verizon have yet to release a stock base on anything but.
I suppose I could flash AOSP 4.4.4 and see if the problem persists but I don't know if that would even be worth it.
2 phones and 4 headsets later this is starting to seem like either a software or a design issue.
However I have nothing but good to say about every other bit of this phone. Really besides the audio jack top notch all around.
Sent from my Stumped and Bumped Verizon LG G3
I might have found a workaround for this
I have tested 3 LG D855 and all of them have noise/static/high-freq leak from the processor out to the headphones. It might be a faulty design for the headphones amplification stage for headphones (when the headphones logo appears on the status bar). However, when using line level output (the jack appears on the status bar) the problem does not reproduce.
Therefore the workaround I've found is to trick the phone into line level output mode and then plug the headphones. To do this you need to plug in a 3.5mm jack extensor or a 2-to-1 3.5mm Y-adapter with no load, that's it, with nothing connected to it. At that moment, the phone will activate the line level output mode. Only after that you will connect the headphones, and you'll see there are no artifacts on the audio.
That being said, I'm not sure this will work with all kind of headphones as I have only tried with mines that are low-impedance ones, but on those it works perfectly. To be checked if the level of the signal in line mode is enough to drive other headphones.
In any case, it is a shame this happens with a high-end and expensive smartphone. I was hopping this will be fixed in a newer hardware revision but I got two replacements of mine and no luck. I have read somewhere this might be a flaw in Snapdragon 801, as it integrates completely the signal routings but isolates badly highfreq noise from processor stages, etc. etc. but I do not remember where I did read it unfortunately.
I hope this helps!
drondron said:
I have tested 3 LG D855 and all of them have noise/static/high-freq leak from the processor out to the headphones. It might be a faulty design for the headphones amplification stage for headphones (when the headphones logo appears on the status bar). However, when using line level output (the jack appears on the status bar) the problem does not reproduce.
Therefore the workaround I've found is to trick the phone into line level output mode and then plug the headphones. To do this you need to plug in a 3.5mm jack extensor or a 2-to-1 3.5mm Y-adapter with no load, that's it, with nothing connected to it. At that moment, the phone will activate the line level output mode. Only after that you will connect the headphones, and you'll see there are no artifacts on the audio.
That being said, I'm not sure this will work with all kind of headphones as I have only tried with mines that are low-impedance ones, but on those it works perfectly. To be checked if the level of the signal in line mode is enough to drive other headphones.
In any case, it is a shame this happens with a high-end and expensive smartphone. I was hopping this will be fixed in a newer hardware revision but I got two replacements of mine and no luck. I have read somewhere this might be a flaw in Snapdragon 801, as it integrates completely the signal routings but isolates badly highfreq noise from processor stages, etc. etc. but I do not remember where I did read it unfortunately.
I hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been having the same issue. I have a pair of Shure SE846 which are about 8ohms. I experience the poor audio, especially the noise in the left channel. I find that placing a call and then listening to music removes the left channel static but the sound is still kinda bad. Ill try your suggestion tonight and post back. Just wanted to let you know your not alone.
I despise my G3 because of this. Im looking to get a new phone unless I can fix this.
Nope, my sound is perfect on my high-end Sony over the ear phones. Crystal clear on pure stock G3 .
I haven't noticed any artifact issues on my phone when using headphones, however when I plug it into my vehicle and also plug in the charger that causes everything to go nuts. The USB interference causes a crazy amount of excess noise. I haven't ever actually tried listening to headphones while charging, so in the car is the only time I've ever noticed it. The same issue occurs when I plug in my Galaxy Tab Pro into the aux jack and charge it at the same time, so this is definitely not unique to the G3. I wish all phones had as good an amplifier as my HTC DNA does, I still use that thing for music because the sound is so good.
pitbull8265 said:
If your phone is warranteed, I would bring it in
The G3 boasts an AMPLIFIED 1 watt sound speaker, which means there is a powered sound processor.. Unless the jack needs to be cleaned, I would lean toward thinking there is a defect in your phones jack, or sound assembly. I think its more than likely a defective jack, especially if there are no sounds like you are describing when headphones are not in use
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having a different audio problem.
With headphones plugged in and listening to music using any player, the right side sound emits distortion/hissing noise at a certain frequencies. When I tested it with plugging a 3.5mm to 3.5mm to an external amp (JDS labs c5) the distortion/hissing noise is completely gone. So it's definitely not a faulty jack
The hissing is evident at the beginning of (first few seconds) Tina Area's Still Running and You set fire to my heart .
I'm testing it with sensitive iem (Westone Um3x).
So does this mean there is a problem with the internal amp of the g3 or more to do with the os bug that can be solved with a custom kernel or update.
Is this a common issue found on all g3s?
drondron said:
I have tested 3 LG D855 and all of them have noise/static/high-freq leak from the processor out to the headphones. It might be a faulty design for the headphones amplification stage for headphones (when the headphones logo appears on the status bar). However, when using line level output (the jack appears on the status bar) the problem does not reproduce.
Therefore the workaround I've found is to trick the phone into line level output mode and then plug the headphones. To do this you need to plug in a 3.5mm jack extensor or a 2-to-1 3.5mm Y-adapter with no load, that's it, with nothing connected to it. At that moment, the phone will activate the line level output mode. Only after that you will connect the headphones, and you'll see there are no artifacts on the audio.
That being said, I'm not sure this will work with all kind of headphones as I have only tried with mines that are low-impedance ones, but on those it works perfectly. To be checked if the level of the signal in line mode is enough to drive other headphones.
In any case, it is a shame this happens with a high-end and expensive smartphone. I was hopping this will be fixed in a newer hardware revision but I got two replacements of mine and no luck. I have read somewhere this might be a flaw in Snapdragon 801, as it integrates completely the signal routings but isolates badly highfreq noise from processor stages, etc. etc. but I do not remember where I did read it unfortunately.
I hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! This worked perfectly for me but for me instead of tricking the phone into line level output mode, I detaching one side of my headphones before plugging it into the headphone jack then reattached it afterwards. I'm using pair of sensitive iems (Westone um3x rc)
Everything is quit with no distortion, just how it should be!
One thing, is there an option within android or an app that can permanently enable line level mode ever time headphones are plugged in without having to trick it.
If so, I won't have to sent my phone for repair!
Also are there any disadvantages for using line level with headphones?
Fungus999 said:
Hi! This worked perfectly for me but for me instead of tricking the phone into line level output mode, I detaching one side of my headphones before plugging it into the headphone jack then reattached it afterwards. I'm using pair of sensitive iems (Westone um3x rc)
Everything is quit with no distortion, just how it should be!
One thing, is there an option within android or an app that can permanently enable line level mode ever time headphones are plugged in without having to trick it.
If so, I won't have to sent my phone for repair!
Also are there any disadvantages for using line level with headphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using line out shouldn't make any difference on audio quality. It only disables the remote (buttons and microphone).
Would also really like a way to force the line-out mode. Btw, does this affect all G3s? Cause right now I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle of replacing it.
sulkie said:
Using line out shouldn't make any difference on audio quality. It only disables the remote (buttons and microphone).
Would also really like a way to force the line-out mode. Btw, does this affect all G3s? Cause right now I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle of replacing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know but some how using line out causes the hissing from the right side to go away completely. Strange huh
Are you also having this problem?
I also don't want to return mine if it exists in all g3s and there's a easier work around.
Yea same thing. I have artifacts in the left channel except when I manage to force the phone to recognize the headphones as line-out. I did this with the adapter to test it and it's impractical if not impossible to use the same adapter all the time.
I'm gonna try doing this right this moment to see if it works: http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/help/hissing-noise-left-ear-playing-music-t2804065/page17
sulkie said:
Yea same thing. I have artifacts in the left channel except when I manage to force the phone to recognize the headphones as line-out. I did this with the adapter to test it and it's impractical if not impossible to use the same adapter all the time.
I'm gonna try doing this right this moment to see if it works: http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/help/hissing-noise-left-ear-playing-music-t2804065/page17
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use earphones with a volume remote or microphone so that's not a problem.
It could be more to do with the increase in output impedance but I might be wrong cos the volume level is identical to headphone out.
I'm also getting a lot of static background noise but it disappears after making and hanging up a call as mentioned in a thread.
But yeah a permanent fix by forcing it into line out or doing some changes in kernel would be much more convenient
Fungus999 said:
I don't use earphones with a volume remote or microphone so that's not a problem.
It could be more to do with the increase in output impedance but I might be wrong cos the volume level is identical to headphone out.
I'm also getting a lot of static background noise but it disappears after making and hanging up a call as mentioned in a thread.
But yeah a permanent fix by forcing it into line out or doing some changes in kernel would be much more convenient
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great news! I just tried the fix from that thread and it worked. Here's the post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=59601465&postcount=150
I'm using stock rom which had 3 mixer xml files and I edited 2 of them, mixer_paths.xml and mixer_paths_qcwcn.xml. Also, instead of changing the value to 0, I deleted the entire line as it was suggested later in the thread.
The artifacts/noise in the left channel are gone!
sulkie said:
Great news! I just tried the fix from that thread and it worked. Here's the post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=59601465&postcount=150
I'm using stock rom which had 3 mixer xml files and I edited 2 of them, mixer_paths.xml and mixer_paths_qcwcn.xml. Also, instead of changing the value to 0, I deleted the entire line as it was suggested later in the thread.
The artifacts/noise in the left channel are gone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But mine is stock on stock Lollipop via official update and with the hiss coming from the right side.
Please excuses my ignorance but I know nothing about accessing and editing a ROM.
How do I get into the rom and into the file called system/etc"?

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