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

[Lauras89]

Is there any update on this?! 

[RyanO]

Do we have any updates? Only played music for a short while on my Nest Speaker today and it was still popping with every song it was playing.

[marcolopes]

No updates. Still popping!

[MaunaKeaMama]

Hi - I’ve submitted my feedback through my mini as instructed, but also sharing here for another data point. I purchased 2 minis during the Black Friday sale and set them up (including all software updates) yesterday 12/10/23. They immediately started making popping noises. So far I’ve only noticed the popping noise when playing Spotify audio. 

[marcolopes]

Welcome to the club 😕

I been living with this for more than 1 month now... still have no real explanation for this.

[seanwoodward33]

Hey Muddi,

Just to bump this really, still an issue in December 2023. I'll follow our advice though and give the feedback.

Many thanks,

[vicdamone]

Same here... Evertime I switch tracks on Spotify my nest audio makes a loud popping sound... 😔

[marcolopes]

Only when u switch tracks?

Maybe the problem is slightly different on Nest Audio...

On the Nest Mini the problem happens "everywhere"... it's random... not when / only when u skip tracks...

[vicdamone]

Yup, so far only when I manually skip forward to the next track in Spotify. 

[marcolopes]

That's strange! They usually pop "all the time" (randomly)

[knowing_fm]

I found the problem - the reason this is happening is due to ultrasound sensing being turned on. To turn this off, click on your speaker in the Google Home app, then click the Settings icon in the top right, then Recognition and sharing, then turn off the option called Ultrasound Sensing. 

[apton77]

Hey folks, I did find the above tip to work. I know you said it did not work for you, @marcolopes , but I have been "pop" free for over an hour now.

I do hope that the bug actually gets fixed, but this workaround is saving my sanity.

___
To turn this off, open the Google Home app, go to the device in question, then click the Settings gear icon in the top right, then Recognition & sharing, then turn off the option called Ultrasound sensing. 

[pluri]

I tried this is the past but the issue was still present ...

[Chromolume]

This is 100% not a solution. It will still pop eventually, as everyone who has tried this will tell you. 😄

[marcolopes]

On the Google Nest Mini??

Wait for it! It will be back ASAP!

BTW, what's your device firmware?

[Originaltroi]

My ultrasound is off for a couple of months, and the issue is still there...as loads of people already mentioned. But thanks for the suggestion.

[Endoresudark]

感謝，這暫時解決了我的問題，從關閉超音波感應到現在，已經兩天沒有發生爆裂聲，希望能持續下去

我的設備是

Nest mini 2nd

系統韌體 375114

Cast韌體 2.57.375114

[Dap99]

What is the solution?

[marcolopes]

NONE! ZERO!

Basically, all the Google Nest devices should be sold with a warning!

"This device is not intended for streaming music. Adverse POPPING noises can randomly show up that can intefere or disupt your music listening pleasure"

[Dap99]

It's ridiculous. 

[marcolopes]

I'll say! 

Many months / years of this popping problem... we should not expect a solution. 

Personally, at a certain point, I will return all the devices (under 3 year warranty) and switch to another brand...

[pluri]

I have two Nest Mini 2nd gen for more than two years now. I would say that in the first year or so I noticed no issues, then at a certain point in time, I started to have a random pop noise issue on both the Nest Minis when using them for music streaming.

First I noticed the issue on one of the Nest Mini (the one that I use more frequently), at that time I thought it had an hardware failure ... later on I paid more attention and noticed the same issue also on the the second one.

The issue is the same on different streaming source: Spotify, YouTube Music, TuneIn ...

I also noticed this: I had one of my Nest Mini paired to an external third party stereo speaker via Bluetooth and I was listening to music (TuneIn in my case). In such a way, the sound is coming only from the external third party stereo speaker while the speaker of the Mini is silent.

The playback on the third party stereo speaker was flawless while I heard the random popping from the Nest Mini internal speaker.

[Justigar]

Happens on other speakers such as the larger Nest Audio. I've had 4 speakers do it. "GHT3 speaker issues". Been through all the troubleshooting steps. People have suggested turning off the ultrasound sensor on the mini speakers, but this has mixed success and isn't applicable to the Nest Audio speaker which doesn't have such a feature.

As it stands, if that doesn't fix it, nothing will. At least from everything I've seen and done. Suggest sending feedback from the device with "GHT3 audio popping issue" or something to that effect to try and draw more attention to it.

Unless a Googler wants to weigh in and drop any info on if an upcoming firmware fix will be released that does fix it?

[marcolopes]

Well, there is a NEW firmware! And even that is a complete MESS!!!

Check this post i did: https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/Google-Nest-Mini-firmware-384934/m-p/57...

I have ONE stereo pair that has OLD firmware in one channel and NEW "UNLISTED firmware" in the other channel!

I tried to unpair... both devices are configured to auto-update, etc, etc... EXACT same configurations, yet, ONE device does not update to the "mysterious NEW firmware that is NOT listed anywhere!!

[pluri]

Because this thread is marked in green by Muddy to have been answered, I opened a new one ... but it was merged back to this  by Juni.

So even the idea to report the issue in a new thread is not effective.

[Hmm_8888]

@Juni Sir/madam/they,

To all the mods, if you going to start merging threads, effectively burying them would you have the decency to remove the green check mark "has answer" which is false for this thread.

Or must we contact the site admin(s) and have them intervene?

@David_K  

@olavrb 

@RXShorty 

@Ashepherdson 

@Juzdu 

@PatrickP_Viking 

@MplsCustomer 

@Cathal_S 

@JillG 

[Hmm_8888]

It's a cover-up. No other way to describe it. Next, they'll start deleting threads. 

[pluri]

Thanks, indeed I tried disabling the ultrasound but it did not solve the issue.

[marcolopes]

Won't fix anything! Many users tried it many times.

[pluri]

This answer is not providing help, please remove the green flag !

Thanks.

[Hmm_8888]

@pluri I appreciate you standing-up to let the mods know the green answer button is misleading/disinformation. 

@marcolopes 

[marcolopes]

Yes, I totally agree!

A response saying google is looking into it is NOT an acceptable answer because it solves absolutely NOTHING!!!

[marcolopes]

Beware of repeating posts...

I was banned for spam just because I EDITED one post a few times to make corrections!!!

Very sensible spam filter they have...

Then I had to reach for a moderator several times and even open a topic about the issue!

[Hmm_8888]

Thanks for the tip. I created multiple posts only to tag the "mods" because the maximum number of tags is 10. No other way to bring this to the attention to them who have the ability to remove the misleading green check marked as "answered"  @olavrb @Alex_S @Juni @Muddi 

I suggest everyone tag the "popular" mods with each reply. To do so just start typing @

[marcolopes]

@olavrb @Alex_S @Juni @Muddi 

Nice idea... but a lot of work!

[olavrb]

I'm not a mod, I don't work for Google. I'm helping people with Nest Wifi on my free time. So not sure why you're tagging me, I can't do anything about this.

[Hmm_8888]

@olavrb My apologies then. We all are desperate here. I assumed as a "Product Expert" you (and others who achieved this ranking) might be. You also seem very active in the forums, even if you don't actually "work" for Google. 

Would you have any insight to share on how to get the wheels in motion to have Google get back to us with an update?

[olavrb]

I understand your frustration.

I have problems with my own Nest Wifi products (bought myself) that I can't get resolved either, going years back in time. We have no added powers or benefits being a "product expert", we're customers just like you.

Here's more info on what being a product expert means:

• https://productexperts.withgoogle.com/what-it-is

It's really just a badge for helping other Google customers for free.

[marcolopes]

Maybe you "know" an active MOD that can REMOVE the answered tag on this topic?

[olavrb]

No, sorry. I have no power or influence over what Google choose to do.