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iPhone 5 - Aux Audio Jack getting interference
- Thread starter finkle00
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There are a couple of potential issues mentioned in this thread. One is that 3.5 mm jacks aren't very sturdy and can easily end up with crackling, etc. I suggest getting line out from the dock/lightning connector instead. Other issue is interference. If you're using the 850 MHz band there's probably not much you can do about the interference.
I have ip5 AT&T and when I have LTE on, I also get a lot of static when I use the aux jack. I have several different aux cables but I don't think any are griffin. Also happens with apples new ear pods/ buds.
When I turn LTE off it is 99.9% gone. The type of crackling changes to something that is very brief compared to the LTE crackle, more of a pop sound now and it's less annoying.
What is annoying however is that anytime I want to use the aux Port I have to switch off LTE.
I'm just waiting to make a apple store appointment because everything else on the phone is so perfect compared to all the other 'horror stories' that are posted here.
Brad
When I turn LTE off it is 99.9% gone. The type of crackling changes to something that is very brief compared to the LTE crackle, more of a pop sound now and it's less annoying.
What is annoying however is that anytime I want to use the aux Port I have to switch off LTE.
I'm just waiting to make a apple store appointment because everything else on the phone is so perfect compared to all the other 'horror stories' that are posted here.
Brad
No, not enough people have sent Apple feedback for them to address this issue.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
My first iPhone 5 as I previously stated had this issue since the day I got it in October. I had my iPhone replaced over the weekend with a new ip5 (for lodged dust under camera lens affecting the pictures with a large black blob) and that phone had the same problem as well.
The 2nd phone had the same static issue. I was like whatever, I can take pictures now so I was happy. However I soon learned when I got home this unit had 1/2 the wifi range of my prior phone. Upgraded to 6.0.2, same issue. So back she went into the genius group.
Replaced again with a new unit. This time I brought up the issues that I'm having with LTE static on both phones. He said if it happens on this third phone, restore as new iPhone and just re download all the apps I want one by one. Fair enough, worth a shot. Did so and on my way home this phone also had LTE static when the 3.5 jack was in use. I turned off LTE, immediately gone and didn't return the rest of the day.
This third phone has since been restored on a iCloud back up so back to normal with apps and data and such.
But still, the issue seems to be pretty consistent here. Could it be a local LTE thing? The apple employee said it was especially strange because the frequency LTE operates on is supposed to be above other appliances and have no interference.
How may people (who are still reading) have LTE and use the 3.5 jack for 1/2 hour at a time or more and notice NO interference noises? It's not consistent, sometimes it happens every other minute for about 4-5 seconds per occurrence. Other times it will only happen once or twice that I notice on my half hour drive to/fro work.
The 2nd phone had the same static issue. I was like whatever, I can take pictures now so I was happy. However I soon learned when I got home this unit had 1/2 the wifi range of my prior phone. Upgraded to 6.0.2, same issue. So back she went into the genius group.
Replaced again with a new unit. This time I brought up the issues that I'm having with LTE static on both phones. He said if it happens on this third phone, restore as new iPhone and just re download all the apps I want one by one. Fair enough, worth a shot. Did so and on my way home this phone also had LTE static when the 3.5 jack was in use. I turned off LTE, immediately gone and didn't return the rest of the day.
This third phone has since been restored on a iCloud back up so back to normal with apps and data and such.
But still, the issue seems to be pretty consistent here. Could it be a local LTE thing? The apple employee said it was especially strange because the frequency LTE operates on is supposed to be above other appliances and have no interference.
How may people (who are still reading) have LTE and use the 3.5 jack for 1/2 hour at a time or more and notice NO interference noises? It's not consistent, sometimes it happens every other minute for about 4-5 seconds per occurrence. Other times it will only happen once or twice that I notice on my half hour drive to/fro work.
I'm having similar issues although mine doesn't seem to be LTE related. I get "crackling" and cutting out when listening to iTunes through the aux jack. It's really only noticeable when the iPhone 5 volume is near or all the way up. Its doesn't matter that I have the car or home stereo volume turned down. If the phone is maxed out it's pretty bad. Now I can compensate by turning the phone volume down and the receiving end up and it works fine. Still, it bothers me that this is even an issue. Moving/Spinning the cord in the jack seems to have very little effect.
OKAY GUYS, here's what's going on.
Your car/stereo/whatever has a "ground" (in electrical terms), and when your phone is charging, the charger, or your phone's battery, or whatever, also has a "ground". Usually, ground is supposed to be the same, but in truth, it isn't always, and that causes a ground loop (see wikipedia if you care) -- what this means is that if you have your phone output to the car, then there are two electrical "grounds" which are supposed to be the same (and if it was the same voltage, it'd be silent and not cause buzz). But instead, when it's plugged into the car, there is a ground loop, which then makes electricity flow, which makes the static buzz. A ground loop isolator will solve this and remove the buzz, so I'd really recommend that.
YOUR PHONE IS NOT DEFECTIVE, this buzz is totally normal with GSM/EDGE/LTE, but shouldn't happen with 3G/HSPA/CMDA because of the technology. The cell radio turns on and off at ~800Hz, which is audible. It is not because of the cell phone frequency (which is 700-1900 MHz, which is wayyyyy too high frequency to hear). A shielded cable won't fix the issue and there's nothing wrong with your car, or the phone, or anything else.
TL;DR
In short, get a ground loop isolator, or the kensington noise reducing cable like this on amazon. It'll remove the buzz, but might slightly reduce the quality of your sound.
Your car/stereo/whatever has a "ground" (in electrical terms), and when your phone is charging, the charger, or your phone's battery, or whatever, also has a "ground". Usually, ground is supposed to be the same, but in truth, it isn't always, and that causes a ground loop (see wikipedia if you care) -- what this means is that if you have your phone output to the car, then there are two electrical "grounds" which are supposed to be the same (and if it was the same voltage, it'd be silent and not cause buzz). But instead, when it's plugged into the car, there is a ground loop, which then makes electricity flow, which makes the static buzz. A ground loop isolator will solve this and remove the buzz, so I'd really recommend that.
YOUR PHONE IS NOT DEFECTIVE, this buzz is totally normal with GSM/EDGE/LTE, but shouldn't happen with 3G/HSPA/CMDA because of the technology. The cell radio turns on and off at ~800Hz, which is audible. It is not because of the cell phone frequency (which is 700-1900 MHz, which is wayyyyy too high frequency to hear). A shielded cable won't fix the issue and there's nothing wrong with your car, or the phone, or anything else.
TL;DR
In short, get a ground loop isolator, or the kensington noise reducing cable like this on amazon. It'll remove the buzz, but might slightly reduce the quality of your sound.
Same problem when charging in car and connected to Cars aux Jack. Don't even have to have anything playing. This is a major problem. I must assume that I have to choose to listen to what I want or charge, but not both. HUGE problem.
Your problem is different than the OP
Try this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EAQTRI
This worked perfectly for me when I play music and charge my phone in the car simultaneously.
iPhone 5C 16GB Interference Problem - SOLUTION
I have noticed that my iPhone 5C causes interference on my Toshiba DK280 at work anytime I receive an email, text, surf the web... anytime my phone is accessing the LTE network, the Toshiba phone's speaker feeds back. This also happens at home when the phone is plugged into external speakers.
Solution:Go into settings, cellular, turn off LTE and the feedback problem goes away.
I have noticed that my iPhone 5C causes interference on my Toshiba DK280 at work anytime I receive an email, text, surf the web... anytime my phone is accessing the LTE network, the Toshiba phone's speaker feeds back. This also happens at home when the phone is plugged into external speakers.
Solution:Go into settings, cellular, turn off LTE and the feedback problem goes away.
Old thread but still relevant. So many different issues too!
I have a noisy headphone jack on my new 5s. I'm going to see if it gets better with use and take it in if it does not. I usually do what I can to prevent the issue such as wiping the plug before inserting it. Dirt and oils usually cause the issue.
The "issue" with the cell radio interfering with poorly shielded electronics is not new. In fact it used to be a lot worse when phones had more powerful radios. This is not a defect in the phone but instead with the adjacent device.
I have a noisy headphone jack on my new 5s. I'm going to see if it gets better with use and take it in if it does not. I usually do what I can to prevent the issue such as wiping the plug before inserting it. Dirt and oils usually cause the issue.
The "issue" with the cell radio interfering with poorly shielded electronics is not new. In fact it used to be a lot worse when phones had more powerful radios. This is not a defect in the phone but instead with the adjacent device.
Made the problem go away
I experience noise periodically when my 5S is plugged into the auxiliary input in my truck. The solution is to turn off LTE in the cellular settings.
Despite being inconvenient, the problem does go away. Siri can't turn off LTE but she can "go to cellular settings" to save you a few taps.
I experience noise periodically when my 5S is plugged into the auxiliary input in my truck. The solution is to turn off LTE in the cellular settings.
Despite being inconvenient, the problem does go away. Siri can't turn off LTE but she can "go to cellular settings" to save you a few taps.
Problem solved
I did not read all the responses, so hopefully someone else did not already reply with the answer/explanation.
Put you iPhone 5 in Airplane Mode when using the audio jack on the bottom left-hand side (TRRS [Tip,Ring,Ring,Sleeve] 3.5 / 3.5mm 4-pole / 1/8" 4-pole [actually fraction is 27559/200000" which would be 1/7.2571573714576 of an inch, hence the plug fits into the jack and works being that it is only 3.125% smaller in girth]).
In Airplane Mode the RF TX energy of the cellphone (the cell phone system intermittently polls the phone [and it responds back, hence RF energy] regardless if you are actually using the phone or not to update the traffic load across the cell system most efficiently) will be terminated. In responding to the system poll, your phone will use whatever output level it deems necessary to make the data connection in response; sometimes that is high, sometimes low. Ergo, sometimes you will get RF energy bleed into audio trace, and sometimes not (although a great product, it is not a $10,000 laboratory instrument).
When done using the jack, turn the Airplane Mode off so you can resume taking phone calls or allow other cell phone system services (like location) to resume.
If you use your phone in a fairly low use cell site, this may not even be necessary (polling is algorithm driven based on previous cell site traffic parameters).
If your problem still exists (which it shouldn't), then there is a hardware issue (bad cable or jack/plug).
Enjoy.
I did not read all the responses, so hopefully someone else did not already reply with the answer/explanation.
Put you iPhone 5 in Airplane Mode when using the audio jack on the bottom left-hand side (TRRS [Tip,Ring,Ring,Sleeve] 3.5 / 3.5mm 4-pole / 1/8" 4-pole [actually fraction is 27559/200000" which would be 1/7.2571573714576 of an inch, hence the plug fits into the jack and works being that it is only 3.125% smaller in girth]).
In Airplane Mode the RF TX energy of the cellphone (the cell phone system intermittently polls the phone [and it responds back, hence RF energy] regardless if you are actually using the phone or not to update the traffic load across the cell system most efficiently) will be terminated. In responding to the system poll, your phone will use whatever output level it deems necessary to make the data connection in response; sometimes that is high, sometimes low. Ergo, sometimes you will get RF energy bleed into audio trace, and sometimes not (although a great product, it is not a $10,000 laboratory instrument).
When done using the jack, turn the Airplane Mode off so you can resume taking phone calls or allow other cell phone system services (like location) to resume.
If you use your phone in a fairly low use cell site, this may not even be necessary (polling is algorithm driven based on previous cell site traffic parameters).
If your problem still exists (which it shouldn't), then there is a hardware issue (bad cable or jack/plug).
Enjoy.
I had an iPhone 4 that I used in my Subaru Outback 2001 to listen to recorded books. I connected via a cable to the Aux port on the my car stereo. It worked fine.
I got an iPhone 5s two weeks ago. Same car, same cable. At first, no problem. But starting yesterday, I get very noisy static/crashes. It is louder than the audio itself but erratic. I may get 30 quiet seconds, or only 5. It happens even with the ignition key in accessory mode, i.e., motor not running. Flexing & turning the cable doesn't change the static.
Even if I were willing to do long trips listening to books but having no cell reception, it wouldn't help. Airplane mode is just as static-y. I have no data plan by the way. Just AT&T Gophone. So data is turned off.
As I reread this post, it occurred to me that I should try the iPhone 4 now to see if it is still quiet. I'll do that tomorrow.
I got an iPhone 5s two weeks ago. Same car, same cable. At first, no problem. But starting yesterday, I get very noisy static/crashes. It is louder than the audio itself but erratic. I may get 30 quiet seconds, or only 5. It happens even with the ignition key in accessory mode, i.e., motor not running. Flexing & turning the cable doesn't change the static.
Even if I were willing to do long trips listening to books but having no cell reception, it wouldn't help. Airplane mode is just as static-y. I have no data plan by the way. Just AT&T Gophone. So data is turned off.
As I reread this post, it occurred to me that I should try the iPhone 4 now to see if it is still quiet. I'll do that tomorrow.
You are incorrect on how the electrical system of car audio works. If you have an aftermarket head-unit/amplifier with a faulty/crappy ground, yes, you will get feedback. This causes the ground loop like you were discussing. This issue has nothing to do with the ground loop though. You can use a filter inline to (attempt to) cut out the static's frequencies. Unfortunately you will be sacrificing a lot of other FQwhen you do this, as well as losing a few dB off the top. While there are AUX filters for 3.5mm plugs, usually they're used in aftermarket set-ups. Factory setups do not have a large enough current demand to cause this issue.
Static or buzz?
In my case, I now know it is static from overheard powerlines. I know this because it always occurs on certain road sections but not on most others. It doesn't matter whether I'm in airplane mode or not.
For some reason, having a cable connection to the aux jack on my car stereo (aftermarket, not original) results in the problem. I get no static if I just put the iPhone on my shoulder and listen to its speakers without connecting to the car stereo.
In my case, I now know it is static from overheard powerlines. I know this because it always occurs on certain road sections but not on most others. It doesn't matter whether I'm in airplane mode or not.
For some reason, having a cable connection to the aux jack on my car stereo (aftermarket, not original) results in the problem. I get no static if I just put the iPhone on my shoulder and listen to its speakers without connecting to the car stereo.