Strange popping sound in my nest mini

[limuremu]

Hello, I’ve just got my best mini about a month ago, and it’s been great so far. That being said, in the past week I’ve been hearing this sort or popping or cracking sound, similar to what you would hear if you had dust on a vinyl record and tried to play it. I haven’t heard it happen when the assistant is responding to me, but they don’t happen on a schedule or anything, more randomly. I’ve unplugged it and plugged it back in, rebooted it through the Home app, and tried plugging it into a different outlet. I’m pretty sure it’s not my wifi, and I’d like to avoid a factory reset if possible but I’m running out of options. Any help?

[Juni · Accepted solution]

Hi folks,

Our team is already aware of this and currently investigating this issue. Since this is the same discussion, we'll move this conversation to the main thread and we'll continue to update it as soon as we have some news to share.

Please note that once done this thread will be locked.

Regards,

Juni

[tsengf]

I run Logitech Media Server which allows me to use the Mini as a playback device for local media. I hear pops using LMS as well in addition to content streamed from the internet.

[marcolopes]

There you go! It's not a BUG related to Spotify streaming (only)

[marcolopes]

What do you say to this?

2 YEARS ago!! https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/nz2qtc/nest_audio_audio_crackling/

3 YEARS ago!! https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/l02opq/google_nest_recently_makes_an_intermittent/

It seems an OLD issue... why is it NEW to some users?

Very confused now.

Only explanation is... it was a bug that got fixed and reintroduced...

[Hmm_8888]

@marcolopes 

Why is this a new issue to some? That's a good question. For me, I only listen to Spotify and YouTube Music. 

Without the particulars (what they're listening to and when it happens) I can't really make an "educated" guess.

But the conspiracy theorist in me suggests it (maybe) affects the competition like Spotify and Deezer type streaming services? 

[marcolopes]

it would be a shot in the foot, because the Spotify market is HUGE (i will "never" trade Spotify for Youtube Music!!! No way!! Spotify is one of the humanity's wonders!)

And this seems to be related to more than Spotify streaming...

[marcolopes]

I'm more confused now...

2 YEARS ago!! https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/nz2qtc/nest_audio_audio_crackling/

3 YEARS ago!! https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/l02opq/google_nest_recently_makes_an_intermittent/

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/ks4mn6/google_nest_audio_makes_crackling_noise/

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/l02opq/google_nest_recently_makes_an_intermittent/

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/up4eb6/nest_audio_mini_crackling_noises_while_playing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/evv9e4/solution_found_for_google_home_hub_popping_sound...

[marcolopes]

Well, i don't believe this will ever be fixed! Been around for 3 YEARS al least, and google gives the same old answers: https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Nest-Audio-Crackling/m-p/1136

Our team would want to check on this further. Please send feedback on your Nest Audio by using the keywords "GHT3 Nest Audio Crackling and Popping".

[marcolopes]

To everyone that is told to "deactivate the PROXIMITY SENSOR" functionality (again, we SHOULD not be deprived of useful functions to resolve "bugs"), please check this out!!! https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Let-s-Discuss-Using-Google-Assistant-an...

PROXIMITY SENSOR is a very important functionality on the google home ecosystem and should never be turned off!

[Hmm_8888]

As a suggestion. I think we need a new thread linking to this one explaining why a new thread was created. If nothing more, it will attract the attention of the forum admins. But the fact this thread is listed as "resolved" is very misleading and wrong.

[Mr_Pop]

Mine's doing it too version 375114

Google just doesn't care

[marcolopes]

Well, they care a bit.

I contacted the support team and they asked for all the device information (also a video that i will try to make latter). They say they are aware, the tech team is aware, and trying to fix (but they didn't give me an explanation as to WHY is this being reported for over 3 YEARS! Is it recurring? Was it FIXED and reintroduced? This fact is NOT a good sign... As a customer, i want to know WHY this problem has been around for 3 YEARS)

Anyway, here is a video i found that show the EXACT problem! https://packaged-media.redd.it/g4lkqvqbwbz81/pb/m2-res_720p.mp4?m=DASHPlaylist.mpd&v=1&e=1698595200&...

(taken from this reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/up4eb6/nest_audio_mini_crackling_noises_while_playing)

[Pmendu]

What’s the update Google?

[marcolopes]

4:59:22 AM Ralph: we haven't heard anything from our internal team but we are aware of it
5:00:32 AM Marco Lopes: What puzzles me is, if this is being reported since 3 years ago, and some users on that topic only noticed it since the last firmware updates, was this problem resolved and reintroduced??
5:02:12 AM Ralph: we are figuring out if the issue came back or is this another sets of issue. We are accumulating as much information we can so our internal team can narrow down the best option that we can do.
5:02:50 AM Ralph: but as of now we haven't heard anything from them yet
5:03:17 AM Ralph: once we have, we will send emails to our customers as well

I ask ALL of you to open support tickets (talk to an assistant and give this POST URL as reference) https://support.google.com/googlenest/gethelp

[Hmm_8888]

Did you ask what emails will be mailed and which customers? How do they know our emails?

Anyway, it sounds to me (from experience) Ralphy boy just wants you to stop complaining, telling you what you want to hear. Hoping you'll drop the issue.

A new thread with no "answer" is what's needed now.

[marcolopes]

They asked for it...

Device SERIAL number, where it was purchased, etc.

[Hmm_8888]

It sounds like they're not going to do anything with that info. They know there's an issue and they either don't have a fix or won't work on a fix. 

[marcolopes]

I ask ALL of you to open support tickets: https://support.google.com/googlenest/gethelp

(talk to an assistant and give this POST URL as reference)

[tsengf]

The easiest way I was able to reach the correct support team is following Muddi's instructions. Someone from the speaker team reached out to me.

To help the team to further look into this, please send feedback on your device by saying, "Hey Google, send feedback," followed by the keywords: GHT3 popping sound on Nest Mini.

[marcolopes]

How long did it take for the support team reach out to you after you sent the report through a VOICE command on the device?

[tsengf]

I had initially reached out to support but the agent was not very useful as he was a tier one agent. My conversation was difficult with the agent and I decided to call again to get another agent. I had independently followed Muddi's instructions which triggered someone from the speaker team to reach out. It took a couple of days and completely took me by surprise as I didn't expect a response. I have an active email thread with the agent.

[Hmm_8888]

It seems complicated. I'm quite tech savvy and Google isn't making it easy. Besides, no option for hardware issues for the Mini.

[marcolopes]

Use the GOGOLE HOME product family...

And yes, it's not straightforward... i had to open 2 tickets.

[Hmm_8888]

Intentional. So people give up. Love that kind of mindset. It's all too common these days.

[marcolopes]

I spend the whole day listening to music on Spotify.

- Sometimes the popping / crackling sounds happened few times on almost every song! (sometimes more pronounced than others), sometimes they didn't show up at all!

- Tried playing around with the tracks (to test the "buffering" of the device), starting the songs in few different points... with no conclusion.

Problems that are NOT consistent are the hardest to debug, i know it.

[Hmm_8888]

Not exactly. I don't listen to the the Mini often. It's usually turned off now. And when I do, within 30 minutes the issue pops up (pun-intended) when playing Spotify. If I can replicate it so can Team Google. Debugging is the easy part, replicating the issue may not be. However, that's not the case here.

[Joandev]

Same issue for me. It's been going on for months. Happens whenever I'm playing music on a stereo paired group. I've tried the so-called solutions - turned off ultrasound and did a full reboot but nothing has changed. Very annoying! System firmware 375114.

[marcolopes]

Just found this post on a TP-LINK forum: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/175010

All seems related to a "cast" problem within the network.

In my case, i have the MINI connected directly to my ISP router in the 5Ghz WiFi (no WiFi extenders, etc). Straight and simple setup.

[Hmm_8888]

Which network? Your home network, Google's network? I think you might want to edit your post. Google might use it to gaslight and blame our network. 

[marcolopes]

I'm just stating what i found on the TP-Link forum about a similar problem with JBL speakers... (that did not affect google products at the time... yet, no references to the latest devices such as the Google Mini 2nd gen). Either way, previous generations are not plagued with this problem!

Until Google comes up with a justifiable explanation for this, it's all on them.

[Hmm_8888]

I had a feeling this would be the case, but you should be well aware of how Google and its cheerleaders often distort or manipulate people's words and writings. That's why it's crucial for everyone to express themselves with absolute clarity. This issue isn't confined to just Google's proponents; it extends to others as well.

Today, I attempted to create a post on Apple's official community help forum, inquiring about a missing feature in their operating system—a straightforward query. However, my posts kept being removed. Despite my efforts to craft the language and tone to be impeccably polite and more, the Apple bot consistently flagged and removed them, warning me that if I continued to post in violation of their community guidelines (which it wasn't), I would face a ban.

Alternatively, one could say that it's apparently permissible to post on social media that the Earth is flat (disseminating false information misinformation or disinformation), share graphic violence and cruelty, and engage in online harassment which includes bullying and trolling—all of which are deemed acceptable. We are living in a very dysfunctional and unhinged time.

[Tamas]

Still not solved. Google is really lacking lately. Maybe it's time to try Alexa with the upcoming sales. 

[Hmm_8888]

I'd think twice. As I have posted previously (hard to follow the way Google has this forum set up) these casting devices have lost their popularity. While deals can be had (Black Friday) it seems support and R&D is now lacking. 

@MTeliska 

[marcolopes]

Since this problem is being on for at least 3 YEARS without an official GOOGLE explanation, i just reported it (in detailed form) to all the MAJOR AUDIO publications for analysis and public feedback!...

More to follow... until GOOGLE gives us customers a CLEAR answer / resolution.

[MTeliska]

I bought my first Amazon echoes to start replacing my Google Home minis this is never going to end so it's time to change. 

[WhyWhy99]

I too have decided that probably late next year I will also switch all my devices out. At that point I will be able to rationalize the switchover.  GOOGLE has shown time and time again, the only customer service they offer is a bot regurgitating canned scripted responses. So the sad experiment of GOOGLE home can come to a justified undignified end. Everyone here needs to trash these products in every review you can.

[Hmm_8888]

I had a series of mixed experiences with Google products until last year, and most of them were less than ok. My last Google product was the Nexus 2013 Tablet made by Asus, which performed reasonably well. I also owned the previous version, which was quite disappointing.

Taking a significant chance on the 2013 version given the stellar reviews it served me adequately for about 13 months (just after the warranty expired) before developing memory leak issues.

My usage of Nest speakers has been infrequent, but recently, whenever I do use them, I encounter an annoying popping sound like all of us.

Last year, I decided to purchase the Pixel 7 Pro phone, only to find it falling short of my expectations. It exhibited call quality and reception problems, subpar audio from the speakers, and an underwhelming user interface. I had assumed that opting for a pure Android experience would lead to a better outcome, but that wasn't the case. My Samsung Tablet, despite its One UI being somewhat bloated, proved to be far superior.

When it came time to request a refund for my Pixel, the process dragged on for over two months with Google, involving a frustrating back-and-forth, even though the courier service (I can't recall if it was UPS or FedEx) had confirmed delivery months prior. As a result of this experience, I've decided never to purchase anything from Google again.

[Hmm_8888]

Okay, so I've finally confirmed that this annoying popping issue also messes with YouTube Music. I tried asking my Google Nest Mini where the music was coming from, Spotify or YouTube Music, and this thing just couldn't get it. I tried rephrasing my question in different ways, even followed Bard's (not so great these days) advice, but no luck.

Honestly, it seems like these casting devices are just crap now. My Alexa alarm clock's speakers are too weak to be useful and I have to yell for it to hear me.

It doesn't seems Google has stopped trying.  So, I I'll have to put up with this annoyance because I don't have high hopes that Google will sort it out.

When this annoyance becomes too much to handle or these devices kick the bucket, I won't be going for these casting devices again which includes Alexa. And I'd say to others, I'd seriously think twice and avoid them too.

[marcolopes]

I tested the Ultrasonic Sensor OFF (same problem!)

I tested with a Bluetooth Speaker as the Audio Speaker... NO PROBLEMS!

- WiFi network -> Google Nest = POPPING RAMDOM NOISES!

- WiFi network -> Google Nest -> Bluetooth Speaker = NO problems!

So... Either there is a HARDWARE problem on every? nest mini, or there is a firmware bug that corrupts the data cast (and the blutooth CODEC corrects it so no noise is heard when a bluetooth speaker is selected as the AUDIO Speaker?)

Google needs to tell us if there is a HARDWARE problem!! (surely they will NEVER admit it!)

[Hmm_8888]

Without a doubt this is a firmware issue. It may have taken it's time to cause irreparable damage.

Google or anyone for that matter with rare exceptions will NOT acknowledge issues until a fix is imminent. Often, then won't. My Pixel 7 had camera lens cracking in cold climates. Google denies this is an issue!

Given how this issue has plagued some customers for many years now. I'm assuming it's restricted to the latest Mini, which suggests the problem may be slowly developing over time. If that's the case, then there is likely hardware damage to our speakers when streaming content (processor/codec issue).

If it's the latter, then there never will be a fix.

[marcolopes]

We don't even know what HARDWARE REVISION our Google Minis are!

It's not unusual that companies make revisions to the hardware (sadly, not always for the better, sometimes just to cut COSTS they change chips, downgrade components, etc). This can make a drastic difference, because firmware has to be adapted.

It's like in the HD industry... Some HD's have more buffer than others... then again, some are SLOWER than others, and do not CORRUPT data!!!...