MBP picking up radio transmissions post-repair?

[0004838]

I recently had my 2011 MBP repaired at an Apple Store.

Tonight, as I was watching a movie in iTunes on headphones I started hearing odd, loud beeps and what sounded like someone blowing into a mic. It came and went several times, regardless of whether or not the movie was playing, with one occasion sounding reminiscent of the "robot" ringtone on the iPhone.

Is it possible I was picking up RF transmissions from nearby? I do live in a relatively densely-populated district. If so, is this expected behaviour with certain types of transmission or is it likely that the recent repair was botched somehow, perhaps disabling some RF-rejecting component(s)? Or is it the headphones?

Very interested to get advice on this.

 

[Schranke]

sounds weird, have you tried with another headset?
if the sounds continue i will bring it back in, since it would seams like they botched the repair

 

[Brandon0448]

I think your mac may be picking up interference deflected from your tin foil hat.

All joking aside it sounds like your headphones are just picking up some static electricity. I have a pair of headphones with a soft rubber coating on the wire that if it rubs across my clothing it will make popping and static noises similar to the sound of someone blowing on a mic.

It is very much environmentally dependent, during the winter months where I live it is extremely dry and my headphones can be reeeaally annoying as just walking around with them will drive you crazy with all the static noise they generate. But during the summer when it is humid they work perfectly fine. If this is an unusual occurrence perhaps you had the headphone wire laying across a particularly static prone blanket or something to that effect.

Edit: Grammar

 

[leman]

I also think that the issue most likely lies with the headphones rather than with the laptop...

 

[0004838]

I think your mac may be picking up interference deflected from your tin foil hat.

But I modded mine in April to prevent such things after a friend discovered they could make you prone to lightning strikes caused by low-flying ultrasonic UFOs…

All joking aside it sounds like your headphones are just picking up some static electricity. I have a pair of headphones with a soft rubber coating on the wire that if it rubs across my clothing it will make popping and static noises similar to the sound of someone blowing on a mic.

Very interesting. My new headphones do have a particularly soft rubber coating compared to the shiny PVC-esque sheath on precious devices.

It is very much environmentally dependent, during the winter months where I live it is extremely dry and my headphones can be reeeaally annoying as just walking around with them will drive you crazy with all the static noise they generate. But during the summer when it is humid they work perfectly fine.

There was a thunderstorm in our area when this occurred, and very humid. I'm not sure this tallies, but perhaps.

If this is an unusual occurrence perhaps you had the headphone wire laying across a particularly static prone blanket or something to that effect.

Hmm, possibly. This may be the answer. Not a blanket, but some static-prone clothing I was wearing (when I take it off at night in a dark room, I can actually see blue flashes as the fabric rubs up against itself).

I suppose I'm 50/50. The sounds definitely seemed human-caused, but then so do some rock formations.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Brandon0448]

Very interesting. My new headphones do have a particularly soft rubber coating compared to the shiny PVC-esque sheath on precious devices.

There was a thunderstorm in our area when this occurred, and very humid. I'm not sure this tallies, but perhaps.

Hmm, possibly. This may be the answer. Not a blanket, but some static-prone clothing I was wearing (when I take it off at night in a dark room, I can actually see blue flashes as the fabric rubs up against itself).

With the soft rubber coating and the static prone clothing I can almost guarantee that you were just hearing static through your headphones. Even when it is humid my headphones will still make noise if they touch anything that picks up a lot of static electricity, it is just much much worse in the winter time when it is very dry.

It is pretty easy to test to see if static is causing the noise. Just try using them again and make sure to keep still and don't have the wire laying across anything that could pick up a bit of static electricity. Or do the opposite and expose the wire to a good dose of static electricity and see if you get the noise.

I suppose I'm 50/50. The sounds definitely seemed human-caused, but then so do some rock formations.

The human mind has an amazing tendency to anthropomorphize things we experience.

 

[0004838]

The human mind has an amazing tendency to anthropomorphize things we experience.

Better a universe with life, than without…