Join now - be part of our community!

WH-1000XM4 - rustling sound on noise cancelling mode

profile.country.GB.title
Dillew
Explorer

WH-1000XM4 - rustling sound on noise cancelling mode

I have a pair of WH-1000XM4's and I have a rustling sound on noise cancelling mode from my right ear cup, this sometimes comes and goes when I turn them off and on, disconnect and reconnect. Does anyone have the same issue, or experienced a similar sound when in noise cancelling mode?

Tags (1)
14 REPLIES 14
profile.country.GB.title
Lord_viridis
Expert

Is there anything brushing up against the mic on that earcup?

profile.country.GB.title
Dillew
Explorer

No there's nothing brushing against it. I try flipping the headphones to hear it with my other ear and it sounds like muffled morse code. It's on the right side and only happens in noise cancelling mode. The sound is so annoying I can't bare it

profile.country.GB.title
dnicuk
Member

Hello, Have you updated the headphones to the latest bluetooth software update via the headphone connect app?

 

If you have done this, I would then suggest you contact the place where you purchased them from explaining the problem and request a replacement set of headphones.

 

David

Obss00
Explorer

I have the same issue. With noise cancelling mode on there is this strange jitter from the right ear cup during playback when Bluetooth is transmitting data. It is quite obvious when the volume is low or off entirely. It also always happens during connecting/disconnecting to my phone. I have the newest firmware installed, v. 2.0.6.

 

I found a way to reproduce my issue. When I go to the companion app and press rapidly the forward button with no music app open, I can hear low jitters that correspond to the frequency I am pressing the button in. The faster I click the more easier to spot the jitter is. It seems that there is an interference with NC when the phone sends data to the headphones via Bluetooth.

0xABFF
New

I've been having this issue for the past few days, got my earphones in September and did not notice anything like that before.

 

It's very likely a firmware issue related to Sony's noise cancelling algorithms, probably arisen after some recent update. After wearing my earphones for about an hour in a moderately quiet environment (or even a complete silence) they start making a rustling noise in the right ear. I've tried making artificial noises, touching the right mic or blowing into it, and this didn't help much, although I think I noticed some differences in the noice after those manipulations.

 

A workaround fix that I've found for this is turning off the earphones for a few minutes (less than a minute doesn't seem to help), which makes the noise go away for another hour or so. This is probably related to some internal spectral stats buffers accumulating parasitic signal and then being reset. Starting the noise cancelling optimizer doesn't seem to reset those stats however, which is weird.

 

Hope Sony will be able to fix this in upcoming firmware updates. However, it's important that the community support forwards these complaints to a relevant team so they're aware of the problem and are able to reproduce it.

profile.country.GB.title
tomisan
New

I got the same issue. Sony Australia wants to access my headphone so I have to send my headphone.

 

Tags (1)
profile.country.GB.title
Tin0Tin
New

Hi, any news yet from AUS Sony? Same drama's. Not sure if I should go for another pair or another brand.

profile.country.GB.title
Joe_Dohn
Specialist

Hey @Tin0Tin, do you have the same model and have you tried updating or resetting it?

profile.country.GB.title
Tin0Tin
New

@Joe_Dohn ,  model XM4. Updated and resetting done. Sometimes better, sometimes most annoying. Item has been sent to Sony by the retailer under warranty.