Sudden and Random Extreme Loud Buzz

[griff]

Recently I was listening to music and totally out of the blue my phone or Poweramp started making a very loud static-like buzz. It wouldn't stop until I stopped the music playback in Poweramp. And when I resume playback, the evil sound is all I hear. The only way I know to fix this is rebooting the phone.

And this "SOUND FROM HELL" happens totally at random. In the past it has started into a few albums worth of playback, and once It's happened as soon as two songs worth of playback. The very first time it happened I was cutting grass with my electric whipper-snipper and I was so shocked I thought I was being electrocuted!

I don't know for certain if Poweramp is to blame or if it's my phone's custom ROM. I've been using Poweramp for years and never had anything like this. And VERY shortly before this "SOUND FROM HELL" first happened I had updated my custom ROM to a newer version. The ROM is called CM-REMIX, and the latest version is 2.9.9. That's the version I have now. Prior to this "SOUND FROM HELL" happening, I was on 2.9.0 and all was fine. I updated it to 2.9.7 and then BAM, the evil sound was randomly happening. So I updated to 2.9.8, still got the evil sound, and then updated again to 2.9.9 and I'm still getting it.

I thought maybe my SD card was corrupted, so I formatted it, put music back on it, but I still got the evil sound. So I tried a totally different SD card, still got it.

I've posted on the CM-REMIX thread over at the XDA Forums (link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=54069213) and someone else has replied saying they have experienced this too with Poweramp. I'm going to test playback using Play Music to see if it's all music playback and I will report my findings here.

In the meantime, has anyone experienced anything like this? With CM-REMIX or any other ROMs? I don't want to stop using Poweramp, and I don't want to force myself to use an out of date version of this ROM either... I'm hoping there's a simple setting in Poweramp that can fix this.

[griff]

Hi again all. I want to quickly say that I've never had much luck posting in the Poweramp forums. In terms of getting much of a response, and I would greatly appreciate someone, anyone acknowledging this issue. 

 

On one hand, the ROM looks like the culprit. On the other, Poweramp. Other music players work fine, but I am still getting this horrid screeching / buzzing noise every now and then ONLY when playing music with Poweramp. I think at the end of the day, Poweramp and this custom ROM, CM-REMIX, just don't shake hands very well. 

 

I finally had the chance to record this horrid noise. Here's the video: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p291/darksoulseed/2014-07-1518-48-09808_zps91e50a66.mp4

 

UGH, you may have to right-click, and Save As to see the video... Sorry.

[doomed151]

Would disabling Direct Volume Control help?

Settings > Audio > Advanced Tweaks > Direct Volume Control

[jonlad1]

I've also had this horrible issue twice in the past two days. On completely random tracks.

 

It sounds like its gonna break my headphones!

 

Running full version 2.0.9 build 561

[jonlad1]

3 times now - please can this be investigated?

[andrewilley]

Have you also reported this via the app's Get Support function? That is often a quicker way to get the dev's attention.

Andre

[ash359]

I have the same thing happen often and skipping to the next track seems to make it stop.

 

I emailed the developer who suggested increasing the audio thread priority. Of course this didn't help as it seems to be the developer's suggestion for fixing anything.

 

Another issue I have is that it skips ahead to the next track every time the screen orientation changes but that I will start a new thread for.

[jonlad1]

This happened again last night and almost blew out my eardrums.

 

I have emailed the dev using the Get Support option through the app - no reply

 

Any input from the dev?

 

I am uninstalling and using something else until they acknowledge and fix the problem.

[renatotec]

unfortunately this is happen with a lot of people since Kitkat... I really like this would fixed. I've tried everything, change kernel, change roms, with no luck

[jonlad1]

I hate to do it but I think I'll request a refund as the app is quite obviously faulty (may even damage your headphones and ears!) and there has been zero support for this issue and no response to emails.

[griff]

Hi guys. I'm posting in this thread again because the "evil buzz" noise is back. It's been over a year since I first posted about this issue, and since then I am on a new phone, new version of Android and new ROM.

 

My specs now are: 

 

Phone: LG G3 (rooted)

Android version: 6.0 (Marshmallow)

ROM: CyanogenMod 13.0

Kernel: 3.4.0-CM-g4be61ee

 

Poweramp version: 2.0.10-build-582-play (Full Version)

 

I don't recall how I "escaped" the buzz on my old phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE), but that doesn't really matter now. The new buzz only started happening a few days ago when I changed ROMs. I was using Bliss Pop ROM with no cases of the buzz, but I'm now using CyanogenMod. I fear it is only a matter of time until I get "hit" by this buzz with headphones on. I'm also concerned this might be damaging to the phone, mSD card, my headphones or even my eardrums. 

 

To me, it's obvious that it's a combination of the ROM and Poweramp. Previous experiences and tests with other ROMs and other music players proved this. I've ruled out other music players in the past, all played perfectly. I've made notes on different compression of the music played in the past also. The buzz has occurred on MP3s ripped at 160KBps, 190KBps and 320KBps. 

 

As doomed151 suggested abive, I've disabled Direct Volume Control. I will report back if this helps or fixes. 

Regarding the Audio Thread Priority, as ash359 brought up above, I have had it on +2 and still get the buzz. In the past (old phone) I've had it on Highest and still got the buzz. I'm putting it on Highest with current phone now to test and will report back if it helps or fixes. 

I've had the buzz with Audio Buffer Size on Auto. I'm putting it up to +750ms, and will report back if this helps or fixes. 

 

Andrewilley, I hadn't thought of submitting this via the in-built app Get Support function... I will do that now. 

EDIT: Andre, I'm not sure if this Get Support function is of any use? I go into it, and there's two options for knowledge base articles (FAQs and Unlocker issues), and then a link to these Forums. If I go into the FAQ, then Skips, Hiccups, Stutters, I get this error message: "Binary XML file line #29: Binary XML file line #29: Error inflating class <unknown>"

[andrewilley]

Press Menu and select Get Support, then press Menu for a second time (not exactly obvious I know) and you'll see a "Contact Us" link.

Andre

[griff]

Thanks Andre. Got it, it is now sent.  

 

Also, I can report that adjusting Audio Buffer Size, Thread Priority and Direct Volume Control did not change a thing. 

 

I have uninstalled Poweramp, the unlocker and the skin I was using, then reinstalled Poweramp Trial, followed by the Unlocker, and I'm skipping the skin for now. I've just started playing an album from track 1, and the buzz happened twice around the 3 minute mark.