However, sometimes our headphones start crackling, which can be incredibly frustrating. In this article, we’ll explore some of the possible reasons why are my Bluetooth headphones crackling, as well as some potential solutions.
Overview
What is Headphones Crackling?
Headphone crackling is a common problem that various factors can cause. In most cases, it is caused by a buildup of dust or dirt on the headphone jack or the headphones themselves. This can cause the sound to become distorted or crackle when you play music or other audio through the headphones.
If you notice your headphones crackling, the first thing you should do is clean the headphone jack and the headphones themselves. If that doesn’t fix the problem, there are a few other potential causes, such as a loose connection or a problem with the audio source.
Why Are My Headphones Crackling?
If you’re experiencing crackling or static noises coming from your headphones, a few things could be causing the problem. First, ensure that the audio source (your phone, computer, or another device) is not muted.
If it is, unmute it and see if that fixes the issue. If not, try adjusting the volume on both the audio source and the headphones. If that doesn’t work, try plugging the headphones into a different port on the audio source.
If none of these solutions work, the problem may be with the headphones themselves. In that case, you may need to clean the headphone jack or replace the headphones.
Headphones Crackling: Problem Diagnosis
There are several reasons you’re hearing a crackling sound in your headphones, and each has a different remedy.
To determine which remedy will work for you, you should first figure out what’s causing your headphones to crackle.
Check your volume and impedance.
Blown-out drivers are a typical cause of headphone cracking. If your headphones’ drivers have blown out, it might be due to mismatched impedance or too high volume.
- The degree of electrical resistance between headphones and a device is called impedance. You will most likely have poor performance and sound difficulties when using high-impedance headphones with a poor audio source.
- Similarly, utilizing low-impedance headphones with a powerful amplifier will not work effectively. When the electrical resistance of the gadget is too high for the headphones, they will not be able to manage the extra power. This might cause the drivers to blow out and stop working correctly.
Furthermore, even if your impedance is properly matched, listening to music at a high level for a long period might cause driver damage.
Your headphone drivers are only capable of so much. Because the drivers are obliged to produce larger sound waves and vibrations at maximum volume, they might become damaged, resulting in distorted or crackling noises.
Lowering the level on your device can assist in alleviating this problem and preserving sound quality in the long run.
Check your wireless connection.
The problem might be a faulty connection if you’re wearing wireless headphones and hear a crackling sound.
The most prevalent issue is something known as Bluetooth interference. This occurs when anything blocks the wireless transmission from the audio source to your headphones.
There are three techniques to determine whether or not there is Bluetooth interference.
Go near the audio source.
Each Bluetooth device has a limited range within which the wireless signal may travel uninterrupted. This might range from less than 10 meters to more than 100 meters. You might try getting closer to the audio source to pinpoint the problem.
Disconnect and reconnect the headphones
Unplug and reconnect your headphones to the audio source to determine whether this resolves the issue. This normally clears off any stored cache or problems from the previous connection. If it does, you may be certain that your headphones aren’t on their way out!
Switch locations
A physical barrier might interfere with Bluetooth signals before reaching your headphones. These might be physical objects such as concrete or brick walls or invisible signals with the same frequency as Bluetooth.
Wi-Fi routers, microwaves, and other technological gadgets are frequent offenders. If this occurs, consider relocating to a different location away from other devices to see if your connection improves.
Check for wire damages.
The primary cause of crackling in your headphones is physical damage. If they have been your go-to headphones for a while, there is probably some wear and tear on various sections of your headphones, particularly the internal cables.
Although there is sometimes extra reinforcement surrounding these locations to prevent the inner wire from harm, the wires can still become loose or damaged depending on how they are used and kept.
When there is wire breakage, a short circuit can occur, which can radically modify the sound quality or generate a static/crackling sound. You can twist and bend the cable to see if your headphones have shorted out.
Begin by putting in your headphones and playing some music on your smartphone. Start at the top and work your way down, gently twisting and bending the cable and listening for variations in sound quality. If there is a short in the wire, you will discover that holding the wire in different positions will temporarily cure the sound problem.
Check the issue’s persistence.
After all, it’s possible that the issue isn’t with your headphones! Try another set of headphones with whichever device you use if you have them close.
You may also connect the headphones to various audio sources to check if the problem persists. This might help you determine if the issue is with your headphones or the audio source settings.
How to Fix Headphones Crackling
Software
Adjust your EQ settings
Certain noises can become too apparent if your equalization (EQ) settings aren’t correctly adjusted, producing additional sound difficulties. You should check your EQ settings and see if the cracking noise you’re hearing goes away when you alter them.
- Right-click on the sound icon on the right side of your taskbar to access your Sound options.
- Scroll to the bottom and select “Sound Control Panel.”
- Look for your default device in the Sound Control Panel marked with a green check. Then, right-click it and select “Properties.”
- Click on ‘Enhancements’ in the Properties window.
- Click on the ellipses (…) that appear after selecting ‘Equalizer.’ This brings up the Equalizer tab. Adjust the sliders till the sound of your headphones improves.
Change the default audio format.
Like watching a film in 144p versus 1080p provides a significantly different experience, your audio format influences sound quality.
Here’s how to alter the default audio format:
- Navigate to your Sound Control Panel, right-click on your current device, and select ‘Properties.’
- Go to the Properties tab, then to “Advanced,” and select a new audio format.
Disable exclusive mode
The term’ exclusive mode’ refers to a function that allows a music-playing program on your PC (such as Spotify) to have complete control (thus the name) of the system’s sound drivers. However, it may cause issues while switching audio apps.
Here’s how to turn off this feature:
- Select “Sound” from the “Control Panel” menu.
- Choose your device, then “Properties.”
- Uncheck the item “Allow programs to take exclusive control” under “Advanced.”
Tweak the processor state
To save electricity, your computer may use a low processing speed to extend battery life. However, running on such a low processing speed may impact your sound quality. Here’s how to change your CPU settings to avoid this issue:
- Go to “Power & Sleep Settings.”
- Choose your electricity plan under “Additional Settings,” then click “Change plan settings.”
- Click on “Processor power management” and “Minimum processor state” under “Advanced options.” Increase the numbers to 100.
Update the sound drivers
The sound drivers on your computer ensure that your operating system and audio equipment can interact correctly. Another source of poor sound quality, including crackling or microphone popping when too loud, might be that your computer utilizes outdated sound drivers. Here’s how to update your Windows PC’s sound drivers:
- Navigate to “Device Manager.”
- Choose “Audio Inputs and Outputs” from the dropdown menu.
- Right-click on the devices you’re using and select Properties.
- “Scan for hardware changes” or “Update driver” are the options.
Hardware
Replace blown-out drivers
Unfortunately, blown-out drivers cannot be repaired and must be replaced. If you’re ready to tackle the chore of upgrading your headphone drivers, follow these steps:
- Remove the earpad (you can usually do this with your fingers)
- Take off the screws that are keeping the speaker in place.
- To loosen and remove the damaged speaker, cut around the edges.
- Solder the wires together with a soldering iron.
- Replace with the new speaker and solder the wires back together.
If it doesn’t cure your problem, you can look at some other headphone remedies that could.
Straighten your headphone plug
If your headphone jack is clean, but you still don’t hear a pleasing click when you plug in your headphones, it might be due to a bent headphone plug. You may straighten your headphone plug yourself as a do-it-yourself remedy.
- Headphone plugs are delicate and easily breakable. Use caution when attempting to straighten them, as they are easily damaged!
- Hold the tip with a narrow pair of pliers and the base with another set of pliers.
- Bend the jack gently and slowly until it is straight.
If this does not resolve your issue, you may require a more complex headphone jack repair (like replacing the entire jack).
Fix your headphone wire
If the wire is the problem, it is generally due to one of two things: frayed wires or short circuits. Repairing frayed headphone cables is a simpler (and less risky) task. You need one ordinary home item to solve this problem: electrical tape.
- Cut the electrical tape to the length you want.
- Wrap the tape as firmly as possible around the wire, and you’re done!
If the problem is internal, it will take more skill to resolve. Short circuits are more complicated and may need cutting into the wires themselves, so they are best left to the pros. If you want to give it a shot, check out this instruction on how to mend short circuits.
Clean your headphone jack
Popping noises might be caused by a loose connection between your headphones and the audio connector. Dust or dirt can accumulate inside the jack, preventing the headphones from fully clicking in bluetooth headphones and remaining in place.
Fortunately, there is an easy technique to clean your headphone jack:
- Tape one end of a toothpick with double-sided tape.
- Insert the sticky end into the headphone jack, pushing it around and against the edges to capture any accumulated dirt.
If you don’t have a toothpick, you may substitute a paperclip or a 1/16-inch drill bit (not linked to the drill). If this does not resolve your loose connection problem, see our in-depth post on how to fix a loose headphone jack for other alternatives.
Reset your Bluetooth connection
As previously stated, if your Bluetooth headphones are crackling, the source of the problem might be Bluetooth interference. You might try to switch off any gadgets generating interference, or you can walk closer to the audio source.
Another option is to restart your Bluetooth device to remove the cache. Depending on the brand and model of your headphones, there are several ways to accomplish this. However, the most prevalent are:
- Turn on your headphones by pressing the power button.
- Hold for around ten seconds, or until the light flashes.
- Reconnect your headphones to your audio source.
Read Also:
- How To Fix Headphone Jack Not Working
- How To Stop Bluetooth Headphones From Beeping
FAQs
Why Does My Bluetooth Sound Scratchy?
If you’re experiencing crackling or poor sound quality when using a Bluetooth connection, you can do a few things to improve it. First, make sure that you’re using a high-quality audio source. Try increasing the bitrate if you’re using a streaming service like Spotify. You can also try moving the Bluetooth device closer to the speaker or headphones.
Is there anything I can do to prevent my headphone from cracking?
If you Sony wf-1000xm3 crackling or static when you plug your headphones into your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, make sure you have the latest version of iOS. If you still hear crackling, static, or other noise from your AirPods crackling noise windows 10 or Beats earphones, contact Apple Support.
How do I know if my headphones are damaged?
If you’re wondering how I know if my headphone is damaged, there are a few things you can look for:
- Check for physical damage to the headphone itself, such as cracks or breaks.
- Listen for any sound quality issues, such as static or steelseries arctis 7 crackling and disconnecting.
- If your headphones are not working, that’s a sure sign that they’re damaged.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this article. The crackling sound in your Bluetooth headphones is most likely caused by interference from another device. If you’re using your headphones with a phone, try turning off other nearby devices like TVs or microwaves. If that doesn’t work, you may need a new pair of headphones.