Why Are Your Headphones Crackling? (Answered!)

Why Are Your Headphones Crackling? Because of that annoying crackling sound, have you changed your headphones more often? If you have, we have a few suggestions to help you get rid of that annoying crackling sound.

So, if your headphones are crackling on one side or making a popping noise, we'll help you get rid of them once and for all.

Headphones are a must-have accessory for anyone who works in an office or exercises; without them, life becomes slow and boring. However, they occasionally make a crackling noise that irritates me greatly. Have you ever wondered why your headphones make crackling noise? What could be the cause, and what could be the potential solution?

Watch this: Headphones Audio Crackling in Windows 10

5 POSSIBLE CAUSES OF CRACKLING HEADPHONES

Crackling in headphones can occur for a variety of reasons. The irritating sound can be caused by the headphone device, the headphone wire, or the audio source (smartphone, MP3 player, computer, laptop, or audio receiver). Audio material, which can become corrupted, can also be a problem at times. Let's go over each one individually.

1. WIRE PROBLEMS

The most common cause of headphones popping sound is frayed or broken wires. Any loose wire or cut section of wiring will most likely cause crackling. Headphone wires are mostly protected by plastic, and because these wires and plastic are soft, they can bend easily. There is a chance that various points on the wires will break or become loose.

The most common places for breaks and tears to occur are at the wire's end, the end that connects to the jack, and the end that connects to the earbuds. These are prone to bending and pulling, and these forces can cause wear and tear over time. If a headphone or earphone has in-line control (a small control switch that can be pressed to control volume or to pause, forward, and backward tunes), it is also susceptible to pulling and tearing.

2. PORT PROBLEMS

The auxiliary port is also referred to as the headphone jack or port. This is where you'll plug in your headphones. This port is notoriously prone to failure, especially if your device is several years old. When you need to turn or plug and unplug the jack to remove any cracking or loud noises, you know the AUX port is acting up.

Connect your headphones or earphones to another device that has an AUX port to see if there is a problem with the AUX port. If the headphones work properly and the crackling is gone, the issue is with the device.

3. EQUALIZER PROBLEMS

Incorrect or poor equalizer settings can also cause crackling when using headphones or listening to music through speakers. Typically, the cracking noise appears when music is played loudly or when the treble or bass settings are set to high. You can try turning down the volume on your headphones or speakers to see if the cracking goes away.

However, if the crackling sound persists even after you have reduced the volume, you may have a problem with your headphones.

4. AUDIO OR SOUND CARD DRIVER CONCERNS

If you are using headphones to listen to a movie, video clip, or audio clip from your laptop or computer, you may need to update your computer's sound drivers. Your sound card manufacturer may have a more recent or updated audio driver. To avoid headphones crackling when plugged into a computer, we recommend that you update your drivers on a regular basis. You should also schedule driver updates for your device.

5. OUTDATED HEADPHONE DRIVERS

Headphone drivers can also be damaged, especially if your device is old or worn out; they can also be damaged if you drop or step on your device. However, if your device is still new, it may still be covered by warranty, and you may be eligible for a replacement.

HOW TO FIX HEADPHONES CRACKLING

Headphones that make a crackling noise are extremely irritating. If you ignore crackling, you will end up with a completely distorted sound, which will affect how you enjoy and understand audio. Here are some solutions for crackling headphones.

FIX FRAYED, CUT, OR BROKEN WIRES

Locate and repair the frayed or broken wire section. Listen to music with your headphones plugged into your device and in your ear, and try to find the best position where the crackling sounds seem to disappear. The part you're holding most likely has some broken or fay parts.

Examine the area to see if there are any cuts. Apply a thick layer of electrical tape over the broken area. Apply tape to vulnerable areas as well, such as the jack, the inline control, and the headphone.

USE A DIFFERENT DEVICE OR AUDIO SOURCE

If the crackling is caused by a faulty source, try another device. Examine the audio file; corrupted files are more prone to crackling and popping.

UPDATE YOUR SOUND CARD DRIVER

When you connect your headphones to your computer or laptop, check to see if your sound card drivers have been updated, and if not, upgrade as needed.

If all else fails, it’s time to get another headphone set, but this time, consider the following when buying the best pair.

• If you prefer wired headphones, look for a pair with strong wires. The wires must not be too stiff; they must be flexible to avoid fraying and breaking prematurely.
• Select a headphone that has a secure jack, earbuds, and inline controls. These components must be extremely durable, secure, and not appear or feel flimsy.
• The headphones must be wearable and comfortable. There are various types of headphones, each with a specific purpose. There are headphones for working out, gaming, listening to music, and so on. Make certain to select the one that is best suited to your requirements.
• By going wireless, you can avoid headphone popping sounds. A wireless or Bluetooth headset is less likely to produce crackling and popping noises as a result of frayed or broken wires.

You can now troubleshoot your device now that you understand the causes and how to fix headphones crackling noises. Don't throw away your headphones because of a crackle; this is fixable and preventable. Instead of replacing your cracked headphones, save money by repairing them.

WHY HEADSETS MAKE CRACKLING NOISES?

#1- Loose wire 

Speaker wires carry electronic impulses. The thin rubber coating around headphone wires can bend, disconnecting impulses and generating crackling sounds. That could cause your headphones' crackling sounds or indicate that you need new ones.

#2- Defective headphone jack

The obvious cause of crackling headphones is a faulty headphone jack. The simplest and most reliable way to determine whether your headphone jack is working properly or not is to plug it into multiple ports on different devices. When plugging in, make sure the headphone jack is properly inserted into the port. Because of poor electrical signal transfer, any missing or partial plugin will result in crackling sound. This method will quickly tell you whether your headphone jack or device port needs to be repaired.

#3- Poor equalization

Headphone crackling can be caused by poor audio quality or a faulty EQ setting on the media player. If the settings are not properly set, such as the bass or treble settings being too high, or if the volume is increased beyond the recommended limit, it can cause crackling and bursting sound, which can harm both the ears and the headphone speakers. As a result, it is strongly advised not to listen at higher volumes, and this is the primary cause of sound crackling because headphone speakers are not designed to produce a sound louder than the set volume.

#4- Broken speakers

If the problem is not caused by all three of the aforementioned factors, the headphone speakers are most likely broken. The loss could be caused by listening to music at a high volume, poor handling, long-term wear and tear, or wire damage. If the warranty is still valid, you can expect replacement or repair under the terms and conditions stated; if not, it's time to buy some new headphones.

These are some of the root causes of crackling noises in headphones, which can force you to buy a new set or spend some money on its repair. But hold on! Before we spend any money, let's look at some possible fixes that can actually save you money.

HOW TO FIX HEADPHONES CRACKLING SOUND?

1) Reduce headphone static

If you're using Bluetooth headphones, disconnect and reconnect them to the device, or if you're using wired headphones, plug in and plug out because interference could be causing the problem. It is possible to test it by moving the device and headphones to a different location. As a result, if you discover that the problem is interference, you must either move the device that is causing the interference or reset your wireless headphones by changing the setting to default. It is the ideal solution for eliminating sound crackling and allowing you to listen to your music without interruption.

2) Disable the exclusive mode and change the format of sound

When the exclusive mode is enabled, a specific app has complete control over the device, and no other apps can play audio. This function interferes with the audio drivers, resulting in a crackling sound in the headphones. To resolve the issue, disable the exclusive mode. To disable the Exclusive mode, follow these steps:

• Search for and open the manage audio device application in Windows OS.
• A dialog box will appear with speaker and headphone options. Open the properties window by right-clicking on the speaker.
• Now select the advanced option. Untick the box (allow the application to take exclusive control of the device). Then, to save the changes, click on apply.
• By playing some music, you can determine whether or not the sound is free of noise. If this does not resolve the problem, proceed to the fifth step to change the audio format.
• Select the 16-bit 44100Hz (CD Quality) option once more in the advanced tab. To save the changes, click the apply button.
• If the problem persists, try another audio format as well.

3) Update the device drivers

A corrupted or uninstalled driver could be the source of the headphones crackling issue. However, determining which one is causing a problem is difficult, so we must update all of the drivers available to perform the function in order to resolve the issue. To resolve the issue, you can update the drivers in two ways.

• Update the driver manually: To resolve the issue, you can update the drivers one by one to determine which driver was at fault. First, go to the driver website and download the drivers that are compatible with your Windows variant. Then, after completing the installation process, download and update them.
• Update them automatically: Manually updating the driver is difficult and time-consuming. As a result, if you want to avoid the hassle of looking for the right driver, try Driver Easy. It will save you the trouble of figuring out what system your computer is running on, as well as mistakes like downloading the wrong driver.

CONCLUSION on Headphones Crackling and Popping

Yes, we are all aware of how important our headphones are to us, as well as the price we have paid to obtain the best available on the market. After that, encountering a problem such as a crackling headphone is not tolerated. So, putting some of the above-mentioned solutions to problems to use can really help you work quietly with headphones on.

FAQs About Headphones Crackling