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I was so excited to receive my Sonos Era 300 yesterday. Everything sounded great at first. But last night I was going to fall asleep to some music like I sometimes do and I noticed a static pop sound. It’s like listening to your music while someone is slowly closing a bag of chips.  


I tried everything. Unplugged, reset, tried playing through both the Sonos and Apple Music app and it still did it.  
 

Anyone else notice this issue?

I’m hoping it’s a software issue, but I’m not waiting to see if it is  

 

However over time (1 month) something has changed. The first few days these crackling sounds were very frequent, but the situation improved day by day (the 15.3 update didn't help)... could it be a matter of "break-in" the electrical components? In the last week I rarely hear it, between yesterday and today at most 1/2 times (approximately) in 8 hours of listening…the first days it was 1/2 times (approximately) every 10 minutes…a big difference.

Do you have automatic updates showing as enabled in the App? (Recommended) …If so, the device might also have received firmware updates downloaded in the background - their versions usually update in the device list when that happens (about box). 


I think its not hardware. Because as a separate speaker I hear nothing. only in stereo and surround


However over time (1 month) something has changed. The first few days these crackling sounds were very frequent, but the situation improved day by day (the 15.3 update didn't help)... could it be a matter of "break-in" the electrical components? In the last week I rarely hear it, between yesterday and today at most 1/2 times (approximately) in 8 hours of listening…the first days it was 1/2 times (approximately) every 10 minutes…a big difference.

I can also corroborate a similar experience with frequency being less recently than when I got the first pair. However my observations are across several different speakers so I can only provide some anecdotal data of improvement since first reporting when it was very frequent.

From the previous RMA pair #5 and #6, one was pretty bad and the other was comparably quite infrequent. The current pair #7 and #8 are similar in frequency to one another.

I've had 5…now 4…all as 2 Arc surround. In fact, the more I go on, the more confused I am. I know a guy who has 2 Era300 paired with Beam Gen1 and he has never encountered this problem… I wonder if it only happens with some pairings… I don't know what to think anymore. But of 5 Era300 all have this problem…


However over time (1 month) something has changed. The first few days these crackling sounds were very frequent, but the situation improved day by day (the 15.3 update didn't help)... could it be a matter of "break-in" the electrical components? In the last week I rarely hear it, between yesterday and today at most 1/2 times (approximately) in 8 hours of listening…the first days it was 1/2 times (approximately) every 10 minutes…a big difference.

Do you have automatic updates showing as enabled in the App? (Recommended) …If so, the device might also have received firmware updates downloaded in the background - their versions usually update in the device list when that happens (about box). 

It is active, but the version is still 15.3…if I remember correctly it was 15.2 before. If there had been these updates you say I guess they would have changed the version… or not?


Do you have automatic updates showing as enabled in the App?

Yes, my system has the “Update Automatically” enabled.

I shared the version from the issue I had while using speakers #3, #4, #5 and #6

https://en.community.sonos.com/speakers-229128/sonos-era-300-static-pop-sound-6881431?postid=16654711#post16654711

It is the same version on the system currently as well

Version: 15.3 (build 72240060)
Hardware Version: 1.38.3.10-1.2
Series ID: A100

 

If my memory serves, this current build was released after I had reported the issue from #1 and #2. Sharing for curiosity, I’m definitely not in a position to confirm or deny the update had any effect on the issue. Comments in this thread from others reported the issue persisted on their speakers after updating however.

It seems without some more explicit indication from Sonos themselves we’d just be guessing at whether there’s a firmware/software component to the underlying issue and whether they’re attempting to resolve it that way. The Sonos folks should have a far better perspective on the reports, diagnostics and configurations of the affected units that have been reported so I trust they’ll isolate the issue and I’ll just have to be patient while they figure it out.

Hopefully the units that have been RMA’d so far are useful. I’m starting to feel some guilt burning through these units!


but besides all, can the problem apply more damage to the speaker??


Do you have automatic updates showing as enabled in the App?

Yes, my system has the “Update Automatically” enabled.

I shared the version from the issue I had while using speakers #3, #4, #5 and #6

https://en.community.sonos.com/speakers-229128/sonos-era-300-static-pop-sound-6881431?postid=16654711#post16654711

It is the same version on the system currently as well

Version: 15.3 (build 72240060)
Hardware Version: 1.38.3.10-1.2
Series ID: A100

 

If my memory serves, this current build was released after I had reported the issue from #1 and #2. Sharing for curiosity, I’m definitely not in a position to confirm or deny the update had any effect on the issue. Comments in this thread from others reported the issue persisted on their speakers after updating however.

It seems without some more explicit indication from Sonos themselves we’d just be guessing at whether there’s a firmware/software component to the underlying issue and whether they’re attempting to resolve it that way. The Sonos folks should have a far better perspective on the reports, diagnostics and configurations of the affected units that have been reported so I trust they’ll isolate the issue and I’ll just have to be patient while they figure it out.

Hopefully the units that have been RMA’d so far are useful. I’m starting to feel some guilt burning through these units!

Thank you for your effort mate. I can’t imagine how much time you have spent in troubleshooting and RMA’s!


Do you have automatic updates showing as enabled in the App?

Yes, my system has the “Update Automatically” enabled.

I shared the version from the issue I had while using speakers #3, #4, #5 and #6

https://en.community.sonos.com/speakers-229128/sonos-era-300-static-pop-sound-6881431?postid=16654711#post16654711

It is the same version on the system currently as well

Version: 15.3 (build 72240060)
Hardware Version: 1.38.3.10-1.2
Series ID: A100

 

If my memory serves, this current build was released after I had reported the issue from #1 and #2. Sharing for curiosity, I’m definitely not in a position to confirm or deny the update had any effect on the issue. Comments in this thread from others reported the issue persisted on their speakers after updating however.

It seems without some more explicit indication from Sonos themselves we’d just be guessing at whether there’s a firmware/software component to the underlying issue and whether they’re attempting to resolve it that way. The Sonos folks should have a far better perspective on the reports, diagnostics and configurations of the affected units that have been reported so I trust they’ll isolate the issue and I’ll just have to be patient while they figure it out.

Hopefully the units that have been RMA’d so far are useful. I’m starting to feel some guilt burning through these units!

Thank you for your effort mate. I can’t imagine how much time you have spent in troubleshooting and RMA’s!

My hardware version is showing as 1.38.3.10-9.2 and still getting the pops and cracks.

Was particularly bad with one track via bandcamp yesterday. Tried playing it with loudness on & off and the pops were still happening.

Would really like to hear something official, feels like this issue is being ignored.


My hardware version is showing as 1.38.3.10-9.2 and still getting the pops and cracks.

Was particularly bad with one track via bandcamp yesterday. Tried playing it with loudness on & off and the pops were still happening.

Would really like to hear something official, feels like this issue is being ignored.

Note @Panic_Attaché that the hardware version is not going to change, so perhaps don’t expect to see that. I would just take note of the software installation for any updates.

Sonos very rarely, if ever, comment on their development roadmap prior to any update, which is the same strategy for similar companies like, Apple, Google, Amazon etc.


My hardware version is showing as 1.38.3.10-9.2 and still getting the pops and cracks.

Was particularly bad with one track via bandcamp yesterday. Tried playing it with loudness on & off and the pops were still happening.

Would really like to hear something official, feels like this issue is being ignored.

Note @Panic_Attaché that the hardware version is not going to change, so perhaps don’t expect to see that. I would just take note of the software installation for any updates.

Sonos very rarely, if ever, comment on their development roadmap prior to any update, which is the same strategy for similar companies like, Apple, Google, Amazon etc.

I was just a bit puzzled as to why I had a different hardware version to OP who also had Era 300 speakers. Thought they would have the same version?

I would just like some acknowledgement from Sonos, when calling support it has felt like they don’t believe me and the store I bought the speakers from were surprised that I wanted to return & exchange as they have a low return rate and suggested it was a set up issue. All I have done is add them to my wifi network and run the audio setup test so can’t see what I could’ve done wrong tbh!


I was just a bit puzzled as to why I had a different hardware version to OP who also had Era 300 speakers. Thought they would have the same version?

I would just like some acknowledgement from Sonos, when calling support it has felt like they don’t believe me and the store I bought the speakers from were surprised that I wanted to return & exchange as they have a low return rate and suggested it was a set up issue. All I have done is add them to my wifi network and run the audio setup test so can’t see what I could’ve done wrong tbh!

I would perhaps just choose to leave the automatic Sonos update feature enabled, as mentioned earlier in this thread and see if the issue gets resolved for you. Hope that’s the case and all are covered by the Sonos warranty, from new, in any event.


The pop’s are reproduceable with certain content. For example, I was wathing a movie on Netflix yesterday and heard the pop, I rewinded 3 times and all 3 times the pop was audible at the same time. After the 4th rewind though it was gone. Very strange and frustrating!

 


The pop’s are reproduceable with certain content. For example, I was wathing a movie on Netflix yesterday and heard the pop, I rewinded 3 times and all 3 times the pop was audible at the same time. After the 4th rewind thought it was gone. Very strange and frustrating!

Given the case that you were able to initially reproduce the issue, It would have been much better to capture the sounds you heard with a mobile audio recording held near to the speaker and also taken a diagnostic report via the Sonos App… Once that was done, to then contact Sonos customer support, who could maybe forward the data gathered to engineers in order to help rectify the matter. At the moment there’s no data seemingly gathered and it appears to be an opportunity lost - it’s not even clear which movie you’re referring to? It’s not going to help to simply mention these things in a user-community, without trying to gather some form of data to perhaps help Sonos to resolve the matter.


The pop’s are reproduceable with certain content. For example, I was wathing a movie on Netflix yesterday and heard the pop, I rewinded 3 times and all 3 times the pop was audible at the same time. After the 4th rewind thought it was gone. Very strange and frustrating!

Given the case that you were able to initially reproduce the issue, It would have been much better to capture the sounds you heard with a mobile audio recording held near to the speaker and also taken a diagnostic report via the Sonos App… Once that was done, to then contact Sonos customer support, who could maybe forward the data gathered to engineers in order to help rectify the matter. At the moment there’s no data seemingly gathered and it appears to be an opportunity lost - it’s not even clear which movie you’re referring to? It’s not going to help to simply mention these things in a user-community, without trying to gather some form of data to perhaps help Sonos to resolve the matter.

That was done earlier already. I captured the event twice with two different sources (Netflix and Apple Music) and posted it on YouTube and sent a copy of the recording to Sonos support along with a diagnostics taken just after the reproduceable event. 
 

All I got back was this is not a know issue and get the speaker replaced, which I did. Replacement has the same issue so I’m assuming if do the capturing and diagnostics I’m going to be told to replace the speaker again.

 

 


That was done earlier already. I captured the event twice with two different sources (Netflix and Apple Music) and posted it on YouTube and sent a copy of the recording to Sonos support along with a diagnostics taken just after the reproduceable event. 
 

All I got back was this is not a know issue and get the speaker replaced, which I did. Replacement has the same issue so I’m assuming if do the capturing and diagnostics I’m going to be told to replace the speaker again.

I don’t think it necessarily becomes a ‘rinse/repeat’ process @Flare. That’s something you’re assuming.

I would respectfully suggest if you encounter the issue again, then take the steps to gather the data and report it - it might lead Sonos to discover where the issues actually lie here, particularly as they’ve eliminated it being just a faulty speaker by swapping yours. It could be a compatibility issue with the connected TV, for example.

So it’s certainly best to not take things for granted and to attempt to give them the data to hopefully help the Sonos engineers resolve the matter.


does anyone have any news?


does anyone have any news?

Yeah I’m curious also as I still have this annoying crack regularly…


I’m still getting the pops and crackles but they seem to be less frequent or I’m getting immune to them. 
 

 


I’ve purchased an ARC + 2 era300s as surround at the end of April and I’ve been experiencing these pops really frequently. For me it happens almost every 2nd or 3rd time I setup trueplay.

I switch between stereo and surround mode often, because music is just superior on the ERA300 compared to the arc. And this is why I need to setup trueplay that much. It will usually fail right after trueplay and there will be constant very loud pops until I disable surround and start the whole process again.

When it finally works it works, but then I experience this small crackling sounds multiple times daily. Starting to get used to them….

I’ve talked to support and sent them the links to these forum posts such as this one. The first agent haven’t even heard about this issue. I’ve sent a lot of diagnostics, no one seems to know anything yet this thread is 2 years old...

I really like how it sounds when it actually works, but this is becoming so frustrating that I am considering sending it back, just not sure what other alternatives are out there for such a good atmos experience. 


@Corry P are you able to provide any update on this issue? With all the reports and diagnostics that has been received does your engineering team know if its a software issue that can be fixed with an update or, worse, if its hardware that can only be fixed by an RMA?


Seeing this issue still persists is a joke. Sonos, fix your latest and greatest speakers asap!


Hi @Flare 

I don’t have any further information at this time.


Unfortunately the problem remains here


Hi @Flare 

I don’t have any further information at this time.

@Corry P thank you for your reply but that’s very disappointing and frustrating that the issue has not been identified yet. 


Hi @Flare 

I don’t have any further information at this time.

@Corry P thank you for your reply but that’s very disappointing and frustrating that the issue has not been identified yet. 

This is not only disappointing, but just ridiculous that sonos has brought this * on the market and abused us !paying! customers as beta testers!

It can tell me no one from sonos that you have not noticed, that would have noticed even the cleaning lady at sonos ...

If I had not thrown thousands of € of the company sonos in the maw I would buy something else for my homecinema!

 

*Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.*