Audio Popping via Headphone Jack?

[wynand32]

So, my SP3 is experiencing audio popping when using headphones. Typically occurs when switching from one audio app to another, or when audio is enabled within an app (for example, using the Win 8 Stumbleupon app and hitting a site with a YouTube video).

Anybody else experiencing this, or will mine be making a trip back to the Microsoft Store to get swapped out?

 

[benjitek]

I read somewhere of issues when listen to audio via stereo Bluetooth headphones on a SP3 -- are you cabled or wireless?

 

[Feoen]

I have this issue too, OP. When using wired headphones (I do not have any Bluetooth headphones to try) I get popping when there is no sound. When I play music or a video, the popping goes away, and starts up again approximately 30 seconds after there is no more sound being output.

 

[wynand32]

I read somewhere of issues when listen to audio via stereo Bluetooth headphones on a SP3 -- are you cabled or wireless?

Wired, and I've tried a few sets of headphones. Happens with all of them...

 

[wynand32]

I have this issue too, OP. When using wired headphones (I do not have any Bluetooth headphones to try) I get popping when there is no sound. When I play music or a video, the popping goes away, and starts up again approximately 30 seconds after there is no more sound being output.

I'd say that's pretty much what I experience as well. I don't know that with mine it's so consistent as every 30 seconds after sound stops, but it could be.

Anyways, sounds close enough that it tells me mine isn't the only machine. I'm wondering if it's a problem with our machines, or something that others haven't noticed and can be fixed with a driver update...

 

[wynand32]

So, either folks aren't noticing the popping (yet), or it's only happening on a few units. So, I'm going to go ahead and swap out my SP3. Better safe than sorry (and understanding that I could always get a unit with worse problems).

Spending way too much on this thing to accept any possible faults...

 

[wynand32]

As an update, I swapped out my SP3 for a new one today, and this unit has no audio popping so far. So, unless it starts up at some point, I'm going to assume that there's a potential problem with audio on some units...

 

[YKinase]

I have a SP3 256/8MB and the same audio popping but only discernible with the headphone jack plugged in. I'm using wired headphones. It's more like a low frequency pulse every quarter second or so. When I play music, it disappears. When I pause or quit a program with audio, it returns within a few seconds.

I'm tempted to swap the unit that otherwise has nothing wrong with it. wynand32, after installing all your apps, has the problem re-appeared?

 

[wynand32]

I have a SP3 256/8MB and the same audio popping but only discernible with the headphone jack plugged in. I'm using wired headphones. It's more like a low frequency pulse every quarter second or so. When I play music, it disappears. When I pause or quit a program with audio, it returns within a few seconds.

I'm tempted to swap the unit that otherwise has nothing wrong with it. wynand32, after installing all your apps, has the problem re-appeared?

So far, with my new SP3 restored to the same config as my old one, I've not experienced a single problem. Audio is perfect, and yes, this is via wired headphones.

 

[Feoen]

Hmm, while I had the popping the other day (as I posted) reading these posts about people exchanging the units got me concerned. I just put in my earbuds and I am no longer experiencing the popping. However, I am also running on battery power (and cannot test it running from AC power at this moment).

I will update later to see if the popping only occurs when the SP3 is running on AC Power.

 

[wynand32]

Hmm, while I had the popping the other day (as I posted) reading these posts about people exchanging the units got me concerned. I just put in my earbuds and I am no longer experiencing the popping. However, I am also running on battery power (and cannot test it running from AC power at this moment).

I will update later to see if the popping only occurs when the SP3 is running on AC Power.

I've done some testing on AC, and I've not noticed any difference. I'm not getting the popping with this machine, which is a bit of a relief.

 

[Feoen]

So I tried it again with AC and it turns out I still have popping, but this time it was so unbelievably quiet I really had to listen for it. It is possible that on my first test I was not listening carefully enough.

This is a drastic difference compared to when I first noticed it, so I'm not worried.