Pulsing noise over headphone jack

[TauPan]

On my new Astro, I've noticed pulsing noise over my headphone jack. It gets worse (louder) when I listen to music.

I didn't notice this yesterday when streaming via wifi (see https://github.com/shymega/planet-devices/issues/1#issuecomment-1350763061 ) without the sim card.

I put in the sim card (in slot 1) yesterday evening and immediately noticed the pulsing noises.

(When I put the sim card into slot 2, it only works intermittently and is too unreliable to use.)

(Maybe I need a new sim card. If that fixes the issue, I'll close it. I'll also try the new sim card in slot 2.)

[TauPan]

I just removed the sim card and hear the same pulsing noises. :(

It's a 3/4 time with about 120 bpm (like a vienna waltz) of soft hisses, which get louder if I have a music player running (such as Spotify).

[TauPan]

Sorry for the noise (haha) I just noticed a 1:1 correlation.

If I unlock the screen the pulsing noise appears and whenever there's foreground activity (i.e. I'm browsing music, I'm starting apps, pick any (!) setting in settings) it gets louder and gets softer after a while.

If I lock the screen it's off.

When I turn on the display and display just the lock screen (without unlocking the device) it's off as well.

[SailorDoc78]

I’ve also found this issue, but only on wired headphones, bot bluetooth

[TauPan]

It's an intersting observation that I hear the noise only over headphones. I've just plugged in the Astro to the stereo via the headphone jack and I only hear that noise very very faintly, if at all. So it might be some frequency that is picked up by the cable. (The cable connected to my stereo is a coiled extendable one.)

However I've had this with two very different headphones. (In-ears and large regular ones.)

[papavictor]

Same issue for me. Noticed it when trying to use the built-in FM Radio app.

[ZimbiX]

Daniel W posted some excellent annotated audio recordings on OESF, demonstrating the true severity of the issue

[sobukus]

This is really rendering the analog audio useless on the Astro. I have various types of noises. An idle device with switched-off stream is relatively silent, but if I am playing some stream, with the SoC doing work, there is a mix of noise sources.

This looks like trivial mistakes in routing of the analog audio path along sources of disturbance without proper shielding or differential singalling. This is atrocious. The stereo speakers, with all the huge space they can occupy, are exceptionally weak compared to other current smartphones with a smaller form factor. This is really unfortunate. The built-in speakers are too weak, connecting an amplifier/hifi set via line out or just plugging in headphones is of no use due to the bad layout. Bluetooth or USB connection is besides the point. There is an analog audio jack. That should work.

I wonder if this is an issue that all Astros have or only some. If the latter, we have a chance to find the bad soldering spot that omits the shielding, for example. Anyone opened one yet and traced the audio?

[ZimbiX]

zevv on OESF posted a seemingly-knowledgeable tidbit:

The problem is that androids audioflinger is not properly switching down the analogue output stage of the codec, leasing to residual noise on the headphone output. In the early days of the gemini someone made a fix for this, but I don't know where to find this. This should theoretically also be possible for the astro, given that we have the proper android sources around somewhere.

I'd be keen to see the Gemini fix. It's been so long since I used mine that I don't recall if I faced audio issues there, but it's a constant frustration on the Cosmo, and it'd be good to see if it can be applied there. Related: https://github.com/shymega/planet-devices/issues/9, https://github.com/shymega/planet-devices/issues/22

If not that, then I agree with @sobukus that a hardware mod should be investigated. If it's a hardware issue, Planet need to fix it in a new board revision before manufacturing continues.

[sobukus]

The noise I am talking about is constantly present, depending on device activity. Especially also when actually producing sound. I think the 'residual' noise zevv is talking about is something else, or at least a less severe form of noise that is not as loud as what the Astro produces.

I wonder about USB-C headphones that people use as remedy: I gather there are types with internal DAC, but also simpler types that get the analog signal via the USB-C connector. Is the latter type helping? Then the analog audio would be fine up to there. Or is this a separate output device and path entirely for the Astro's internal DAC?

[ZimbiX]

At least on the Cosmo:

• Analogue pass-thru USB-C to 3.5mm adapters do not work. Plugged into the left side, nothing happens; plugged into the right side, nothing happens but also a loud high-pitched squealing is present.
• DAC USB-C to 3.5mm adapters do work. Only when plugged into the left side. The buzz noise when the phone vibrates from pressing the nav buttons is avoided. I have three different brands and they all function the same.

iirc, with the Gemini, the audio would stutter when I tried a DAC adapter.

I couldn't test charging it at the same time, sadly. I bought two different DAC USB-C to USB-C + 3.5mm adapters on eBay at the start of 2019 (Kolpop and XIIVIO), but former is broken, and the latter I can't for the life of me find (the HTC U11 I needed it for died six months ago). The XIIVIO is a lot chunkier, but unlike the Kolpop, is able to detect earphones being unplugged and pause my music. I can't find a listing for the exact Kolpop I have (perhaps for the best). And from memory, my XIIVIO's the same as this (in appearance at least).

I think I'll look around at the current DAC+charging options and order one in preparation for my Astro arriving.

Edit: Found my XIIVIO!

[Daz-Mataz]

Plugging a usb device into the Astro that itself has a headphone port on i.e Stadia controller via USB type C to type C lead completely reroutes all Astro sounds to the port on the controller with no hiss/low level buzz/dot dot dashing.

[TauPan]

Daniel W posted some excellent annotated audio recordings on OESF, demonstrating the true severity of the issue

I just finally checked the recordings and those noises in both recordings are exactly identical to the ones I hear, including the timing and rhythm! (Daniel's recording has a slight bit more bass than my in-ears, which is the only difference I can hear.)

[TauPan]

Daniel W posted some excellent annotated audio recordings on OESF, demonstrating the true severity of the issue

I just finally checked the recordings and those noises in both recordings are exactly identical to the ones I hear, including the timing and rhythm! (Daniel's recording has a slight bit more bass than my in-ears, which is the only difference I can hear.)

(I just gave in and ordered a bluetooth headset from amazon. I didn't want to go down that route again with a device with an audio jack, but this audio jack is almost useless, unfortunately.)

[Daz-Mataz]

I've ordered a USB C to 3.5mm with built in DAC cable, similar to what Daniel W posted but something from Amazon.

I'll report back how it goes. I hope its a temporary workaround until this issue is fixed.

[Daz-Mataz]

So I ordered the following: USB C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter,USB Type C to 3.5mm Aux Audio Dongle Cable,Built-in DAC Chip,Compatible with Google,Samsung, Huawei One Plus (Red) https://amzn.eu/d/5E3LPM8

Its working very nicely, for my wired headsets and wired headphones, no pulsing noise.

[sobukus]

Apart from this being an annoying additional dongle to carry around, I wonder how much additional power draw this causes, if any (if the internal DAC sleeps).

[Daz-Mataz]

Apart from this being an annoying additional dongle to carry around, I wonder how much additional power draw this causes, if any (if the internal DAC sleeps).

I shall do some investigations over the next couple of days.

[ZimbiX]

I wonder how much additional power draw this causes

On my HTC U11 which I had a HTC DAC adapter for, it originally popped up a warning that the adapter draws power when not in use, so best to unplug. So it's probably enough to warrant a warning message!

[Daz-Mataz]

I wonder how much additional power draw this causes

On my HTC U11 which I had a HTC DAC adapter for, it originally popped up a warning that the adapter draws power when not in use, so best to unplug. So it's probably enough to warrant a warning message!

My initial tests have determined an average 30Mhz minimum speed increase on the processor load when the adapter is plugged in, when I have no additional apps or sounds running.

More investigations to follow

[Daz-Mataz]

So I haven't been able to find the time to test the USB adapter against voltage related apps, however I might have found a non-hardware work around to the popping noise.

Drum roll please....toggling on and off the inbuilt invert colours and Dark Mode option that's available from the pull down notification menu stops the pulsing on wired headphones.

I have just discovered this and thought the need to share it. The workaround remains even after removing headphones and plugging different ones in.

A side note, there appears to be bug with the Dark Mode itself intermittently , as when activated the phone can automatically lock and put the screen off the phone regardless as to whether or not you're using the phone, within around 5 seconds of unlocking the screen (this makes it a mission to switch off the dark mode should you use this option to temporarily fix the pulse).

There is still a little fuzz over the headphone when playing media but its a very low level constant white noise tone which stops a second or so after content does. This low level static appears to be affected by switching off and on the WiFi and Bluetooth.

[Daz-Mataz]

After a number of restarts and full shutdowns my audio pulsing has gone entirely.

[shymega]

This is excellent to hear. The next step is to find out if this is deterministic to Dark Mode or radios, and to try and reduce the effects without turning off Dark Mode/radios.

[oricgn]

toggling on and off the inbuilt invert colours and Dark Mode option that's available from the pull down notification menu stops the pulsing on wired headphones.

I can't confirm. I still have the same noise. I don't even have the Dark Mode bug.

[Daz-Mataz]

toggling on and off the inbuilt invert colours and Dark Mode option that's available from the pull down notification menu stops the pulsing on wired headphones.

I can't confirm. I still have the same noise. I don't even have the Dark Mode bug.

Thank you for this information, the Dark Mode bug occurs for me when the screen set to its lowest brightness and this mode is on. Which might be an additional step to the fix? having the dark mode, nightlight, bedtime mode and screen brightness at its lowest, having a pair of headphones in at the time, playing some media at the time and then clicking the invert colours option a couple of times.

From memory this is most likely the widest possible situation to what I was doing at the time of the buzz disappearing. Just before it disappeared there was an audible buzz different to the pulse that I heard on the headphones and then the pulse was gone.

[Daz-Mataz]

I'm on the fence as to whether I restore factory settings to see this restores the pulse on wired headphones.

The more I think about it, the more I suspect there is a component between the screen and the headphone port physically that holds a charge of some sort which might have been flushed out to the headphone when I was messing with the screen brightness and low light options.

[sobukus]

I also see this annoying behaviour with low brighness and night mode, where the screen goes off intermittendly … but also: I twice managed to get the noise to disappear for a while, but then it came back.

It's clear that the noise is gone when the display is off. But also: The noise is gone when the lock screen is active, even in full brightness. I have a browser video playing int he background, listening to the audio only. With the screen off, I got clear sound. With the lock screen active, I got clear sound.

But once I unlock, I get ticking noise right away, in varying loudnessl, perhaps.

Is this related to the differing CPU cores being active? Some software that pauses work when locked? The browser continues to play from Wifi, so the device is far from idle.

What is the longest time someone here managed to use the device without the noise, in unlocked active usage?

While this seems to be triggered by software in some sort, I do wonder if the real fix would be physical re-routing of analog audio wiring. But a proper software workaround might be possible.

[sobukus]

I just bootet freshly, and the ticking reappeared after unlocking. I also saw a new notification with a mail icon and the name OMACP. When I dismissed that notification (what is it for?), the ticking stuttered for a while and then resumed its usual pace. This stuttering/rapid fire occured briefly just again. This is interesting as normal usage of the device with varying CPU load only seems to change loudness of the noise, not the pattern.

[ralphbk]

This issue is still present after updating to the latest V07 firmware.

[ZimbiX]

A solution from Summer_Moon in a new thread on OESF:

I have read lots of posts that there are audio issues with the Astro Slide. Mine also has the noise (there are two different noises a soft hiss/crackle and then a much louder popping that is repeated). For the popping noise, people had noticed that it stops if you turn off the screen or if you just have it on the lock screen. I think I have found the culprit behind the popping noise - the NFC.

I turned off NFC and the noise is gone, even while using the phone and having audio playing in the background. If I turn NFC on, the popping comes right back. For the Hissing noise I have not figured out what that is about, but it is much quieter than the popping which was driving me insane.

My response:

Good find! I've just tested it myself, and you're right - disabling NFC eliminates almost all of the noise! The remaining noise is almost tolerable. And putting the phone in airplane mode and sleep avoids most of what remains.

I'm used to using my DAC adapter now, so I think I'll stick to that. But this workaround is very interesting. Thanks for the tip.

[ralphbk]

Confirmed. Turning off NFC stops the audio pulses. Thanks for the info.