Static noise on player to be expected?

[JRA]

So I picked up the new NW-A608. Been looking forward to it for weeks, part of the reason I found my way to this place Very nice, sleek, heavy some might say, sturdy say I.

Anyways, I noticed static noise on it, not deafening but still there and audible whenever the volume isn't too high. In fact, if I turn down the volume to zero I can hear when the player is 'playing' or not due to the static. This goes for both mp3 and radio mode.

Now, this is my first mp3 player ever. Correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't I be able to expect absence of of static noise on a digital player, especially at this price range?

I went back to the store where it was bought but the salesman there said (after some convincing it was even there) that it was to be expected wether it was a player a third of the price or double what I paid. Let's just say that my faith for salespeople at electronics chains are so-and-so. Like I said, he didn't find anything wrong with it and offered to buy it back, so be it.

Now, is it true what he said? Can I expect the noise on any player? Am I just gifted/cursed with "exceptional hearing" and/or just a whiny git?

I went on a bit further than expected but hope there are still ppl reading and would take their time to answer.

Have a good one!

/Eric.

[Guest Stuge]

I never hear any noise coming out of my NW-E505...

[Christopher]

Welcome. What kind of headphones do you employ?

[Tetsugaku-San]

Badly shilded 'phones can pick up static. Just for the record my NW-A3000 has no static at all using the MDR-EX71 'phones.

[JRA]

Thanks kurisu.

I use the ones included in the package.

Stuge, what headphones you use?

I called Sony support here in Sweden and the guy there said that he had tried the A1000 and heard no noise.

I have an order pending on a pair ofShure e2c but am unsure if I shouldget them if the static might still be there, problably even louder with the in-ear model...

[Christopher]

I would definitely recommend anything over those stock headphones. Is there any other headphones you could use with your A1000 to see if the problem still exists?

[Guest Stuge]

I use "Bose TriPort Headphones"when i`m at home but when i`m out i use "MDR-E805"either "MDR- E809".....

Edit#2

Using "noise cancelling headphones may solve your problem but they will cost a bomb

Edited December 6, 2005 by Stuge

[JRA]

kurisu: will have to rumble around for a pair to check.

Stuge: kinda doubt it since the noise is from the player itself. Besides, a player at that price and brand shouldn't require extra equipment to come to it's rights.

I'll get back to you on what turns up.

[Valbowski]

I have the NW-E507 and the background noise is pretty high. Many online reviews noted that. I use MDR-EX81 as headphones and that hiss is pretty clear. Not happy about it because i have to raise the volume.

When i use my Sennheiser PX100, i don't hear it but they don't isolate from outside noise...

I really like my player but this is annoying

[JRA]

So, sinice I already decided it's time to treat myself to an mp3 player anyhow, I went ahead and got the Shure e2c in-ear headphones.

Tried them with my, what I suspect, faulty player and to my disappointment the hissing sound was still there. Will be returning the unit and probably be buying the same model elsewhere since the salesman I talked to there gave me a doubting, oh-great-another-whiny-bastard look. If the hissing is still there in another unit then sorry sony, two strikes make an out here.

Other thoughts on the a608. Very nice design, knob very pratical, the other two buttons somewhat small. Comes in a very nice package, square black box, you'd almost think it was some form of jewelery inside. Interface easy to understand, haven't used the instruction manual much more than looking up a few things, the rest pretty explains itself. Radio reception is not that great but then again, maybe part of the problem with my specific unit. One small annoying 'feature' is that the radio stations order themselves up according to the frequency. Not that big a deal perhaps but still, I can't have the stations I listen to the most next to eachother.

Just a few observations from my one week owning the nw-a608.

/Eric.

[OCedHrt]

I have static using my NW-E507 and the earphones that came with my MD-N1(? forgot already ) These sound infinitely better than the stock with the NW-E507, but I can't say how'd they compare to other high quality ones. I can hear static if the volume is around 5 or below, and in a quiet environment. Nothing that really bothers me, but it could as well just be the earphones..

Oh, it's a N10, I have it listed in my profile haha.

Edited December 10, 2005 by OCedHrt

[lamewing]

I have static using my NW-E507 and the earphones that came with my MD-N1(? forgot already ) These sound infinitely better than the stock with the NW-E507, but I can't say how'd they compare to other high quality ones. I can hear static if the volume is around 5 or below, and in a quiet environment. Nothing that really bothers me, but it could as well just be the earphones..

Oh, it's a N10, I have it listed in my profile haha.

←

I have used three sets of earbuds and one earphones and my E507s provide static in all of them. It is going back as well. /sigh

[Ascariss]

Hmm, how is this possible that some of you guys have static, while others (stuge) doesn't?

I've listened to a demo E500 series at the sony store and even though it was brief, I didn't hear any static noise, will check the player out again later this week though.

I would have though that this issue would have been solved for the A600 vs the other E series models. I hear no static in either the A1000 or the A3000, using all 3 of these headphones:

1. mdr-ex71

2. mdr-e931

3. mdr-e808

With number 3 being the cheapest I bought, $19.99 locally. How bad is this static noise though? so noticable that it interferes with the ability to listen to music?

If there is a problem, perhaps you guys should contact sony and inform them of this problem. Better yet, go down to your local sony store and ask to listen to either an E500 or the new A600 and see if there is static.

[Guest Stuge]

In some songs I do hear hiss but it because of the sound quality of files were not good.Hiss was also there in original CDs as well .So i presume that there was some recording problem by the recording company it self

[lamewing]

I have tried multiple songs, from classical to jpop, with atrac and mp3. The hiss is not loud, but in a quiet environment I can clearly hear it. I never heard this static on my old Pocket Vaio, nor do I hear it on my Cowon A2 or my iAudio X5L.

I have no clue why Stuge doesn't hear it, but others do. Nonetheless, the hiss is there and it is enough of a problem for me to take it back.

Sorry, I don't have a Sony store in Fort Worth and my E607 was purchased at Best Buy.

At this point, I just don't care anymore. Sony has not provided a date for the new equipment even thought it is available in the U.K., Japan, and Canada. It seems that Sony has decided that the U.S. market is not worth supporting. Maybe it is for the best that I return this flash player and just find a different brand anyway.

[JRA]

How bad is this static noise though? so noticable that it interferes with the ability to listen to music?

←

With normal listening volume, or a bit louder if there's everyday noise around, I hardly notice it. Though when using it in quiet environment e.g doing dishes, doing repair work in tool shed etc it is very clear to me and very annoying that it's there at all considering the price and brand. That just don't cut it.

/Eric.

[Guest Stuge]

Eric,

Have you exhanged or returned the player?

As everyone telling me that they hear hiss.So I will go to Doctor(ENT).....I think my ear needs a check...

[JRA]

Stuge,

I returned the player as the salesman there didn't see it as a fault or problem with the player. I am currently still doing research on if the noise is to be expected on it as I really do want it and have been waiting for months for the a608 to come out.

[Yoni45]

i can hear a hiss when the volume is off, not static, but a low hiss is definitely audible... that hiss is gone as soon as volume is above 2 (maybe even at 1, didnt really do much extensive testing) so I dont find it a serious issue, perhaps the hiss ur hearing is more audible and is infact a defect with the unit...

[OCedHrt]

Yeah, the hiss, or static, or whatever it is , is not much of an issue for me. It is there though, but unless I'm listening to it in near complete silence, I don't hear it. Trying to play some music when going to sleep really brings out the hiss though. At that point it's very annoying.

[imagine_]

I heard the hiss too when i first got it, and it is audible at very low volumes in a very quiet environment. I was very frustrated with it at first, then I listened to other players and realized that this is a characteristic of any player, there will always be some noise produced because of technical reasons. Once you realize this, it will stop bothering you, like it stopped bothering me .

[Guest Stuge]

Doc says everthing is fine with my ears....

But have you tried this ...Just listen a song at 14 volume for two-three minutes ..then take out the earphone plug from the player(Don`t take out the headphones or earphones from your earS)..then you will still hear a low hissss..

what`s that ????(ITS NOT YOUR PLAYER)

NOTE:DO THIS IN A CLAM (Noiseless) environment

[imagine_]

Doc says everthing is fine with my ears....

But have  you tried this ...Just listen a song at 14 volume for two-three minutes ..then take out the earphone plug from the player(Don`t take out the headphones or earphones from your earS)..then you will still hear a low hissss..

what`s that ????(ITS NOT YOUR PLAYER)

NOTE:DO THIS IN A CLAM (Noiseless) environment

←

Yup noticed that too, even with the player turned off and unattached and the earphones in your ear, there is the hissing sound. I guess it is just the air pressure that causes the vibration of the cone?

[lamewing]

Doc says everthing is fine with my ears....

But have  you tried this ...Just listen a song at 14 volume for two-three minutes ..then take out the earphone plug from the player(Don`t take out the headphones or earphones from your earS)..then you will still hear a low hissss..

what`s that ????(ITS NOT YOUR PLAYER)

NOTE:DO THIS IN A CLAM (Noiseless) environment

←

I tried checking my Cowon players and there is no hiss at all. I have constant ringing of the ears (tentinitus - sp?), but the hiss on the E507 is not from my ears or from the earbuds in my ear canals, it comes from the player. I can put the player on play with the volume all the way down and it is still there. It IS the player. Why is this so hard to accept?

[Guest Stuge]

I tried checking my Cowon players and there is no hiss at all. I have constant ringing of the ears (tentinitus - sp?), but the hiss on the E507 is not from my ears or from the earbuds in my ear canals, it comes from the player. I can put the player on play with the volume all the way down and it is still there. It IS the player. Why is this so hard to accept?

←

Ok ! There might some hiss on the player which i don`t` hear but you can hear ..

.I know it`s a never ending topic ..& I`m` might not agree with you all ..

So Byee for now

[hp1975]

Sorry to drag this one up again! I got my player about 2 weeks ago and straight away noticed the hiss in quiet environements, i assumed it was a fault and sent it back receiving a replacement from Amazon withn 24 hours (nice one amazon), guess what....2nd player also has hiss, of course i'm using IEM headphones which will almost certainly exaggerate the hiss but its still annoying when listening to a quiet piece of classical in a quiet environment. Its frustrating after the beautiful silence of my old HIMD player (

HP

[grover]

I can also confirm that there is static present. I listened on both my a608 and my mom's a605 and the static is definately noticable if I'm using 'in ear' headphones (quite less significant if I'm using non 'in ear' like the Sony MDR G74SL or the sennheiser HD555).

[MZ-1]

Probably a headphone sensitivity/impedence mismatch. I use the PX100 and EX70 with the NW-E507 and have no/minimal noise. Many of the *expensive* in-ear-monitors have insane sensitivity specs. While the sensitivity might make the earphone much louder in low-powered devices, it will also make apparent the noise inherent in the amplifier.

Personally, I find a sensitivity spec of 100db plenty for a 5mw player. Anything higher than that is probably going to reveal hiss at low volumes.

Paul

[Jon]

Hy all!

I had a NW-A608 since two days. And the noise is very disgusting compared the high price of the player. I had before 3 type of flash player (philips, panasonic, samsung), but these model are very silent (of course, if it is standby mode or between two tracks). I very like the earplug earphones, but in this case, these earphones are "noise amplifiers".

Edited March 21, 2006 by Jon