Sonos Sub Gen 3 crackling/static sound

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246 replies

T
Userlevel 1

@andrewchiu1st 

Your case file must be very long lol. The support worker has been reading it for a good 15 minutes 😂😂😂

T
Userlevel 1

Update on my end: Spoke to support worker. Didn't even need to send in a video or do diagnostics. I just put my phone up to the Sub and he could hear the insanely loud ticking/hard drive-like noise. He insisted on a replacement, but I told him I didn't think that would work based on what I read on this thread. After referencing @andrewchiu1st 's case number he told me that a replacement solved the problem for him. I asked again because I wasn't so sure, but he insisted. 

 

This Sonos agent I pray to God is right because I am physically walking this sub 20 minutes away to return it. I don't own a car and told the agent that I would legit need to carry the sub to return it because I cannot use Uber / Don't have anyone in my bubble that drives (Covid). He once again insisted that a replacement would solve my problems and that they would check that it works before shipping out my replacement. Can @Krishma M confirm that this agent is correct before I break my back returning this sub? Thank you.

 

Edit: Just learned that they do scheduled pickup. Wish the agent would have mentioned this because he just kept saying "don't worry". Breaking my back is no longer a concern of mine. Hopefully the replacement will fix this.

andrewchiu1st
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Hmm, I wish the replacement did solve my problem, haha! I requested 1 replacement, but it still has the same problem.

 

When I last checked with them, they wanted to offer another replacement but when I saw that people who purchased the device only recently are still having the same problem, I have some doubts that another replacement is going to solve the problem if it’s an issue with the production.

N

Hi guys,

 

I just bought the Sonos Arc and the new Sub Gen 3 and I paired them with 2 Sonos One (Gen 1) speakers for the surround setup.

Yesterday I noticed that while idling and playing, there are some tiny constant crackling/static/electric current sounds coming from the brand new Sub and I found it quite irritating. So what I did first was to make sure that the connection with the power cord is secure, which it was. Then I tried to remove the Sub from the group, factory reset it and added it back to the system. But the same issue persists.

I don’t suppose this is normal, right? Does anyone has a similar issue with the new Sub?

I’ve checked my Sonos Arc, One and Beam and none of them has this issue.

Since I just bought it from Best Buy last week, should I return it and get a new one to see if it’s something wrong with the one I’ve got? 

It’s not a cheap device and I don’t want to compromise on its quality.

 

Thank you all!

Hi i come a year later as i just bought one and i have this issue. After one year, did guys solve the problem?

T
Userlevel 1

@Krishma M Considering that this is  a production issue, will my return window be extended for keeping a defective sub? From my understanding you only have something like 45 or 60 days to return the product. Once this issue is fixed in your production can I contact you guys and get a guarenteed working replacement even if I am not within the prescribed timeframe to return?

S
Badge

I got my Sub yesterday, in Canada, the same noice as described by many here. 

serial number: 54-2A-1B

hardware version: 1.32.1.4-1.2

Just might have to return it, or I can hold on if Sonos guarantees a replacement when problem is fixed. I will wait for two days for any Sonos reply with a conformation on the, if not it’s going back to the store in two day.

 

Cheers.

 

S

I did go through 4 Sub = 3 replacements

 

Sub #1 and #2 sounded equally bad

Sub # 3 was even worse 

= all 3 of these I could hear a high pitch hissing and crackling noise from more than 3 meters away!

 

Sub #4 was ALOT better, but not perfect.

I can still hear the noise, but only from about 10-20 cm away.

Still, I am awaiting a permanent solution and hope that I will get a fully working replacement once  the fix is in place

D

I’m in the same boat, Belgium

SN: A200 2009CP 54-2A-1B-21-5C-6C-5

I can hear this noise even when no music is playing (by putting my year to the sub), when watching TV (with the Beam via HDMI arc)  the sound is more intensive, I can hear it well from 1m. 

Replacements won’t help as far as I understand here.

Unbelievable, no official response, nothing. What should we do all? I believe the number of actual faulty units is huge.

T
Userlevel 1

@Krishma M can you please answer my previous question? I got my replacement and same issue.

T

Received mine today (Netherlands) and can confirm the issue is indeed still very much there. I'm still testing but would call it deafening in some cases.

 

Serial 54-2A-1B

Z

Received my Sonos Sub 3 Gen yesterday. I can confirm the cracking noise as well. Very disappointing.

In case that only music is played you can hear a constant sum noise like a harddrive. If sound is coming from TV over the Sonos ARC you can hear a cracking noise in regular intervals that is louder.

i will get in base touch with the Support on Monday.

At the moment I am not sure how to proceed. It seems that replacements do have the same error. 

R

Hmmm - Gutted to say that my new Sub Gen 3 is doing the same. This is the my first Sonos system having finally taken the plunge last week. Thanks for the ongoing support of this thread. Will contact Sonos support on Monday. Despite the Sub issue I’m absolutely blown away by the Arc. Ready Player One with the Dolby Atmos sound track was ridiculous! I just cranked up the volume and the humming Sub issue went away (as in drowned out 😂)

Z

Received my Sonos Sub 3 Gen yesterday. I can confirm the cracking noise as well. Very disappointing.

In case that only music is played you can hear a constant sum noise like a harddrive. If sound is coming from TV over the Sonos ARC you can hear a cracking noise in regular intervals that is louder.

i will get in base touch with the Support on Monday.

At the moment I am not sure how to proceed. It seems that replacements do have the same error. 

Did some more tests. Connected all speakers (ARC, Sub, 2x One SL) using Ethernet to a switch. Disabled WiFI on each speaker.

The cracking noise is gone! In a LAN-Setup the system works as expected.

I am using a FrithBox 7590 as Router in the basement. In the ground floor and upper floor there is a FRITZ!WLAN Repeater 1750E each. The FritzBox 7590 and both FRITZ!WLAN Repeater 1750E build a Fritz Mesh. WiFi is repeated WiFi-to-WiFi on the FRITZ!WLAN Repeaters. At the moment I assume that the annoying noise at the Sonos Sub is caused by this WiFi-Mesh configuration.

Has anyone had this experience too?

What can I change on the Fritz Mesh so that it works with the Sonos system without background noise?

When the going gets tough I replace the Fritz Mesh.But what would you recommend? The WiFi must work on three floors. Preferably with just one WiFi SSID.

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi all.

If your Sonos Sub is making a ticking noise, I recommend you get in touch with our technical support team, who will verify the issue and replace the unit for you. The latest hardware revision fixed this issue. Thanks.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
L
Userlevel 2
Badge

Ouch. 😔

 

I don’t want to sound too pessimistic but that kind of feedback from @andrewchiu1st and @ghflow does not sound that good in my HiFi ears.
 

I would have hoped for a solution from Sonos especially for those initial cases from a long long time ago …

 

@Corry P Any new wisdom for us?

P

Latest conversation with Sonos and they say that they are “tracking the issue”, which is odd because they have so far being denying that anyone else has reported a problem!
 

i have turned down the offer of yet another replacement and will give it a another few weeks to see if they come forward with a properly engineered solution...

D

I have this issue with a 7 day old Gen 3 sub purchased from John Lewis in the UK.

I created a separate thread as I hadn’t spotted this one, but having read through this in full it is the same issue.

Hardware Version: 1.32.1.4-2.2

Sub has an electrical hum when plugged in. There is a bit of crackle but not as bad as the videos linked in this thread. The hum is louder when the sub is “awake”. The hum can be heard from about 0.5m away. All my other Sonos products are “clean” in that they don’t hum.

I can probably live with it… but I am concerned that it will get worse over time. Given the direction of this thread, I am very tempted to return it as I am inside my “no questions asked” return period with the retailer.

My impression is that this is an issue with the PSU or some other electrical component(s) in the unit. It doesn’t sound like the hum is coming from the speakers themselves, but from inside the sub.

O

I have the same problem. It’s a really bad an annoying flaw. Constant rapid clicking. Loud enough to make me want to return the product. Very very poor Sonos!!!

A

I have a similar issue, tried a reset and moved the sub to a new location, I’m currently within the 14 day return window so trying to decide what to do, will call Sonos support on Monday and take it from there. 

C
Userlevel 2
Badge

Reading through all the new comments and it sounds like almost every g3 sub has this issue in some form. At this point, I’m thinking this has to be coil whine from the PSU due to how it increases in volume when the sub is no longer idle and is drawing more power. There is nothing Sonos will be able to do software side if this is the case and I imagine they will argue that this is in the normal range of electrical hum for a consumer electronic. Pretty huge disappointment for a high end audio product.

L
Userlevel 2
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Any update on this one? I too have a Sonos Sub Gen 3 bought in Germany and returned the first sub to my dealer. The second Sub makes the same crackling sounds …

 

Anybody without any noise so far?

L
Userlevel 2
Badge

Guys, no progress on this one? Can’t believe it takes Sonos so long?

 

What about the replacement subs? :-)

A

My first replacement is a little quieter, but the noise is still there. It’s bearable as you have to be pretty close to the sub to hear it but there shouldn’t be any noise in my opinion. At this point in time I’m hesitant to try another replacement in case it’s worse than the one I have now! 

G
Userlevel 2
Badge +1

I have requested 4 replacements and finally received one with only minor issues (very faint clicking noise). I can live with it since who knows if the next replacement will better or worse. I am not going to request more replacements until Sonos finish the so-called investigation with the gen3 sub. What annoys me the most is that sonos never made a statement recognizing the problem, which is clearly very wide-spread from a lot of people’s experiences. The customer service people are pretty helpful, but sonos really should take up some responsibility and admit they have either developed/produced a faulty product and provide a true solution to the users.

J

@TapDatApp

Of course, my case number is Case #: 018*****

It’s great that you also arranged a call with them so that we can put this under their radar!

 

Moderator note: Censored for privacy reasons.

Since it is censored, I can’t refer to your case number for my problem...

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