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How to stop crackle/ static on sound bar


Can someone tell me how to stop the crackle/ static noise on my sound bar hooked up optically in front of LG C7P? Seems like a lot of people having this problem and theres no fix. diagnostic #8262397 .
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Best answer by Keith N 11 April 2018, 19:49

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Have you pinged LG to see when the firmware update will be? I wouldn't think Sonos has significantly more weight with LG than you do, and perhaps less, since they're a direct competitor to LG's own sound bar. You may carry more weight as someone who actually purchased the device.

No, I bought a pretty expensive piece of equipment from Sonos and like any consumer expect them to support it as advertised. There is nothing in their advertising that says "Don't buy me if your using an LG OLED because we don't work with it", unless I missed it. They know about the issue, been told in my tickets that they are working on it and escalating. What they do is close my tickets out of the blue with no explanation. Love the product, would like some truth around the matter even if its "we won't be able to fix it, use PCM sorry".
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I have the same setup as Bumble, LGOLED C7P 55", connected to Playbar via optical, FiOS IPC1100 out HDMI to TV. My Playbar is connected to my GiGe via cat 5 and not wireless. If stay on the same channel watching TV, I will get the Static noise. If I switch channels or switch and come back it syncs goes back to normal for a period of time. I replaced the FiOS box but no luck. DOES NOT happen streaming music.
Same problem. Been happening since December 2017. I also have a LG C7 55in. It's really aggrevating. There was also audio dropouts which seems to be fixed with a prior firmware.
After submitting the diagnostic, you should either post the number here, or call in to Sonos and give them the number....
It looks like there are a lot of people on the forums with this issue related to Dolby. What's the status on a fix?


https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/playbar-crackling-sound-6734799
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/crackling-from-playbar-6485889
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/sonos-play-1-cracking-noise-6802387
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackling-noise-5-1-sounbar-setup-6805769
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/playbar-crackling-6797975
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/playbar-and-play-1s-crackling-6800184
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/crackling-interference-through-speakers-6798998
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/speaker-crackling-noise-6802013
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/playbar-crackling-popping-on-tv-6807134
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/speaker-pop-6801326
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/sonos-surround-speakers-crackle-static-sound-6768011
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/speaker-pop-6801326
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/sonos-surround-speakers-crackle-static-sound-6768011/index2.html
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackle-static-sound-from-a-single-play-one-within-a-5-1-setup-6802635
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackling-sound-play-3-6799084
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/sonos-keeps-making-crackle-noises-6790667
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/static-noises-from-playbar-6807066
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/surround-sound-crackling-all-the-time-6810620
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackling-6808973
https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/play-1-crackling-noise-6811070
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackling-on-paired-5-1st-gen-diagnistic-submitted-6796194
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/playbar-making-crackling-and-popping-noises-6808800
https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/play-1-speakers-are-intermittently-making-cracking-or-popping-noise-6768062
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/play-bar-crackles-barely-recognisable-audio-6787019
https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/crackling-noise-from-playbar-6787688
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/play-5-crackling-and-hissing-6810605
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/crackling-popping-from-playbar-on-all-sources-6788426
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Sonos Folks.... I submitted a few diags back in April, if you look back a this thread I was told this is a known issue with LG and awaiting a firmware update from LG. So 4+ months later, where does this crackling incompatibility stand with LG sets?

I had this issue and submitted a diagnostic about 2 months ago. The issue stopped but started again in the last few days. My Tv is a Sony XBR 950. I’m using an Apple TV 4K and a Sonos Beam. 
 

My diagnostic number, which I just submitted, is 766479866. The issue does not happen with YouTube TV and it does not happen with streaming music from any music source. It happens on occasion when I’m playing something from Apple like an iTunes Movie or something from Apple TV+. I believe it happens with Netflix as well as Amazon Prime. I don’t recall it happening when streaming a TV show from Fox Now or any other TV channel app. 

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UPDATE: Sonos replaced my Playbar (yet to receive a confirmation that they received back my original Playbar, though it has been signed for at the return destination).

Using new Playbar and new optical cable the crackling PERSISTS.

I'm so disappointed!

When my Sonos system works, I'm pretty content/satisfied--but when it doesn't I feel terrible for wasting resources on a product that degrades my experience so much. Like I said in my earlier post, I have another Sonos setup in my bedroom using a Beam and 2x Play: 1s, which sounds pretty good, but I can't really use a Beam in my living room as I have some concerns about it being sufficient as well as some reservations about using the HDMI connection required by the Beam (I say no thanks to the included HDMI to optical dongle). I'm also not sold on the Playbase, but I might need to go that route if Sonos is unable to fix this PCM/Dolby audio codec issue through an update.

😞

Are you able to verify that both the Netflix app and the Apple TV are outputting audio in a supported format for Sonos?

Either Dolby Digital or PCM/Stereo?   

By default, the Apple TV will send uncompressed multichannel LPCM, and this has been working fine for me since December - until the recent Sonos update. I’ve just attempted to force the Apple TV to reencode this as Dolby Digital (which sadly will reduce audio quality), and I will post an update if this either seems to actually resolve the problem or if it doesn’t - sometimes the issue will not immediately occur, so it is difficult to troubleshoot.

 

Since Netflix is an app on a closed platform, I’m not sure how you suggest that we can verify anything in particular about audio encodings or formats of the application - I didn’t even try, but if you know of some way, let me know, and I will do my best to give you that information.

 

It seems very likely that is a bug introduced - or reintroduced, since the other reporting user said he previously had the same issue - by the Sonos update, or perhaps some interaction between the Sonos, the Apple TV, and the Sony television, which is now surfacing due to the update.

Anyone from Sonos interested in answering this?

Static just started for me. I have a Sony XBR 950 running video through anApple TV 4K. Just submitted a diagnostic - 773522020

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Hello @Jmack3g, Welcome to the Sonos Community and thank you for reaching out with your issue. 

Can you tell us if this only happens while you are using your Apple TV as a video source? 

Are both your TV and Apple TV set to output Dolby Digital 5.1 as an audio format to your Sonos Playbar? 

I had this issue and submitted a diagnostic about 2 months ago. The issue stopped but started again in the last few days. My Tv is a Sony XBR 950. I’m using an Apple TV 4K and a Sonos Beam. 

I am also having this issue, with this exact setup (possibly a different XBR TV), since the most recent Sonos update. It does not occur on youtube, and it consistently occurs for me on Netflix. Forcing the Sonos to reboot seems to resolve the issue temporarily - but I’m not entirely sure.

I am definitely not broadcasting over Airplay. This issue is miserable, and it makes Netflix unwatchable with the Beam.

 

I’ve got an LG OLED C9 and FireTV Stick 4K with a Beam, and I intermittently hear loud crackling / static / beeps for several seconds, length varies, mainly when I turn on my TV. It’s using HDMI-ARC and audio is set to auto, not PCM. I can see on the TV it’s using Dolby digital.

Sounds like I’m intercepting a noisy radio signal of someone’s old dial up modem connecting to the internet.

Very frustrating experience for a supposedly smart speaker and the latest TV. Worse that it’s been over a year since this thread started and there’s no resolution.

Thanks for the response, @Jean C. 

It happens with the android tv apps as well. 
TV and Apple TV set to output 5.1.

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Hello bumble, thanks for that diagnostic report. We can see two main issues here. First, the Sonos system seems to have some issues staying connected to your wireless network. Are you using any wireless boosters or extenders in your household? Second, the PLAYBAR doesn't appear to be receiving a proper Dolby Digital signal over optical. Can you tell us the source you are using with that TV? (e.g. built in apps, TV box, streaming box, game console) Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
I have the exact same problem and television. I have a Comcast X1 Infinity Box. My wireless network is served by a Comcast Voice and Data Modem with Blast Pro Internet (250MBps Download Speed.) Were you able to help Bumble, Miles? I'm very frustrated and disappointed.
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Hello everyone. If you are still having troubles with this, please submit a diagnostic report after reproducing the problem. Be sure to reply with the confirmation number it gives at the end. I'll be happy to take a look and assist in any way I can.

Thanks!
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Hi Keith, I did this during the day yesterday prior to your post. I opened a ticket as well and both are below. The Support contact told me there is a known issue with my line of TV (LG OLED C7P) and my only option at this point is to set all to output PCM and that Sonos is working on a fix. I am not sure how accurate this is but I have no choice, have set PCM and will see if this occurs again. My issue is, I see on many threads on this website that customers have the same issue and some have different TV's and cable carriers and the reports are months to over a year old. How confident can I be that Sonos is doing a fix with it lingering that long. I am disappointed spending all this money and have to turn off Dolby Digital 5.1, that is not why I purchased a Playbar.

Issue happens on the room label Family Room, last occurrence 8:59pm to 9:03pm
Ticket # : 180405-001407
Diag Capture : # 1908863624
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Hi there, pgiliber. Thanks for the details and information. I believe the issue affecting your system is one that we've been talking about in the Community. Our team have been collecting information and are currently waiting on a firmware update from LG and Sony to address the problem. While it is limited to LG OLED and Sony XBR TV's it is certainly something the team is aware of and actively tracking.

Thank you for your patience so far.
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Ok, I currently have a Sony XBR 850D with a Playbar, two play 1 and sub in surround sound. I don't experience it on that which is in my Media room. Could it potentially rear its ugly head there as well?
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I do not see any cases logged with that specific model (XBR 850D). However, I would rather communicate the possibility of it happening instead of telling you it will work without a problem when it could, in fact, rear its ugly head.
Hello Keith, As I mentioned but didn't spell out in my earlier post, I have a 65" OLED65C7P. My diagnostic information is 481638033. $1,400 for my Playbar and Sub was a very significant expenditure for me. I appreciate you and Sonos moving to quickly solve this problem. Related, I have some concerns about whether my Sub is properly set up. Should the Diagnostic reveal any issues or it be generally available, I would appreciate some support to be sure I'm doing the best I can under these unfortunate circumstances. Thank you.
I am having the same issue. They replaced my Playbar but same issue. LG OLED 55 2019 model.
Where it doesn't happen when PCM is set on TV it has to be something with a 5.1 compatibility. That's what I have found from my troubleshooting. I still leave it on 5.1 because is sounds way better minus the intermittent crackling.