Crackling Bluetooth

[Sharpyyy]

Car: MY15 RS with tech pack (Canton speakers)

I am getting crackling through the speakers when audio streaming via Bluetooth, however none when going through USB/MDI cable. Radio is also fine. I have tried updating the Bluetooth software, reset head unit and phone update (iPhone with latest ios). Also used varying phones, however still crackles. Has anyone had a similar issue and a fix?

Skoda service have looked at it and are unsure. They have sent off the "info" to Skoda Australia. They did request to remove all door cards and check the speaker wiring which I have refused as it is ONLY with Bluetooth audio.

Simple fix is to use the MDI however Spotify does not cooperate with pushing next track on the head unit or steering wheel controls and reverts to playing iTunes music or freezes.

[Mardu]

Seems to be an iPhone issue. Internet forums are full of these posts, problem exists with every car manufacturer. Did you only test with Apples or did you try any other manufacturer's phone too?

Edited 29 October, 2016 by Mardu

[PetrolDave]

Does it still happen with iOS10.1?

[Sharpyyy]

Unfortunately is happening with 2 different android based phones that we also tested.

 

Just updated to 10.1, will test it out. Not holding my breath though...

[PetrolDave]

Unfortunately is happening with 2 different android based phones that we also tested.

 

Just updated to 10.1, will test it out. Not holding my breath though...

If it's happening with Android phones as well then it's almost certainly not an iOS 10.x software issue, as iOS and Android don't use the same Bluetooth stack.

 

You've isolated it to being a Bluetooth related problem, so I'm wondering if you have a faulty Bluetooth antenna in the car which is causing intermittent signal strength and hence intermittent audio breakup?

[Sharpyyy]

If it's happening with Android phones as well then it's almost certainly not an iOS 10.x software issue, as iOS and Android don't use the same Bluetooth stack.

 

You've isolated it to being a Bluetooth related problem, so I'm wondering if you have a faulty Bluetooth antenna in the car which is causing intermittent signal strength and hence intermittent audio breakup?

 

Can confirm is also happening with iOS 10.1

 

It is rather consistent throughout all songs, being more audible at the start/end of a song when there is blank noise or low tones.

 

My thoughts are the same with a receiver issue.

[Mardu]

If it's not the iPhone issue that lots of people are talking about (it certainly isn't if Android phones do the same), then there is something wrong with your Bluetooth module or antenna. Certainly not the speakers because otherwise it would sound the same regardless of connection type.

[GainfulShrimp]

I had very similar behaviour with my iPhone 6+ and my silly-expensive Bose bluetooth headphones.  Certain low-mid frequencies would 'scratch' - a bit like a blown speaker sound and completely infuriating... basically made everything sound terrible.

 

Using a cabled connection, the problem would go away.  Also, the same phone (with iOS 9 at the time I bought the headphones) used to be fine with the same headphones.

 

Eventually I followed some advice in an Apple forum somewhere and did all this:

 

- Removed *all* existing bluetooth pairings from the phone (many I still use, but some were leftovers from previous hire cars and that sort of thing)

- Rebooted the phone

- Turned with phone volume to max with bluetooth disconnected

- Re-paired the headphones

- When confirmed working, I gradually re-paired everything else I actually use frequently (car, Fitbit, wife's car, etc)

 

I'm not sure which combination of steps above does the trick, but it worked for me.  Rebooting the phone alone did nothing, as did unpairing and repairing just the headphones.  Very weird!

 

I'm putting it down to a bug in iOS 10 (dunno about 10.1 as I'd worked around it by then).

 

The OP problem could be different, as you say Android devices do the same, but thought I'd mention the above in case it helped somebody else with Apple/bluetooth troubles.

[Sharpyyy]

Thanks, I'll give it a try later today.

Still awaiting Skoda reply on not dismantling all speakers to check the wiring.

I had very similar behaviour with my iPhone 6+ and my silly-expensive Bose bluetooth headphones.  Certain low-mid frequencies would 'scratch' - a bit like a blown speaker sound and completely infuriating... basically made everything sound terrible.

 

Using a cabled connection, the problem would go away.  Also, the same phone (with iOS 9 at the time I bought the headphones) used to be fine with the same headphones.

 

Eventually I followed some advice in an Apple forum somewhere and did all this:

 

- Removed *all* existing bluetooth pairings from the phone (many I still use, but some were leftovers from previous hire cars and that sort of thing)

- Rebooted the phone

- Turned with phone volume to max with bluetooth disconnected

- Re-paired the headphones

- When confirmed working, I gradually re-paired everything else I actually use frequently (car, Fitbit, wife's car, etc)

 

I'm not sure which combination of steps above does the trick, but it worked for me.  Rebooting the phone alone did nothing, as did unpairing and repairing just the headphones.  Very weird!

 

I'm putting it down to a bug in iOS 10 (dunno about 10.1 as I'd worked around it by then).

 

The OP problem could be different, as you say Android devices do the same, but thought I'd mention the above in case it helped somebody else with Apple/bluetooth troubles.

[Gabbo]

If you check the Skoda update site (where you usually find navigation map updates) there is sometimes a "Bluetooth" update offered.

You don't say which version of headunit you have but if you have a Columbus it might be worth to try to update this.

I've done this update twice on my Columbus (MIB1), its a 2-3mb download so quick to try via USB-stick.

 

I would definatley refuse them taking the door cards off to check the speakers as its clear not a loose wire causing the problem.

 

 

An easy check to see if its a problem with your car or your phone(s) is to pair your phone to another car at the dealership & see if there is a crackling problem.

[Sharpyyy]

Trialed the reboot/removal of all paired bluetooth connections. No success.

 

I have updated the bluetooth firmware previously with no success.

 

I did have them check on the other RS in stock and in an ambiguous reply they stated it was "fine".

 

And sorry, yes it is a Colombus HU.

 

Very frustrating to say the least.

 

 

If you check the Skoda update site (where you usually find navigation map updates) there is sometimes a "Bluetooth" update offered.

You don't say which version of headunit you have but if you have a Columbus it might be worth to try to update this.

I've done this update twice on my Columbus (MIB1), its a 2-3mb download so quick to try via USB-stick.

 

I would definatley refuse them taking the door cards off to check the speakers as its clear not a loose wire causing the problem.

 

 

An easy check to see if its a problem with your car or your phone(s) is to pair your phone to another car at the dealership & see if there is a crackling problem.

[Wiivern]

Have the exact same problem with Canton speakers, but I never thought it could be an iPhone problem  :|

 

As my warranty arrives at its end, I went to the dealer, where he told me it was a known problem and he booked my car for a day (My front doors speakers also tremble a lot with bassy sounds and I asked him to have a look at that).

 

I will try to pair an Android phone to check if the problem is still there or if it effectively only happens with the iPhone...

 

Just a trick for you, if you want to change to the next track on Spotify with the steering wheel or the head unit when connected via USB, just push on the "last track" button two times... And it'll play the next track... Not the best solution but at least it works 

[Sharpyyy]

Thanks Wiivern, let me know how the dealer/service team go with the issue and if they find a fix!

[GainfulShrimp]

My iPhone (6+, running iOS 10.1.1 I think) has started to misbehave with my Bose headphones again the other day: crackling/scratching almost like a blown speaker sound, especially during certain bass-mid freqs. :(

It's bloody annoying, but I know it's a Bluetooth thing because it sounds great when I use a cable. And I know it's the iPhone/iOS not the headphones at fault, because when I first bought them and the phone was running a previous OS, they worked fine.

That's the trouble with Apple: it's fantastic when it "just works" but absolutely infuriating when it "just doesn't work"...

Just thought I'd mention it as there's no point blaming the car if you haven't replicated the fault with another Bluetooth audio source first.

[PetrolDave]

Just thought I'd mention it as there's no point blaming the car if you haven't replicated the fault with another Bluetooth audio source first.

 

Unfortunately is happening with 2 different android based phones that we also tested.

[Exeterj]

I am getting crackling through the speakers when audio streaming via Bluetooth, however none when going through USB/MDI cable. 

 

 

My 14 plate VRS with canton does exactly the same with my iPhone 6 -thought the tweeters were blown originally as it was a 3000 mile ex demo. If i turn the phone volume back when on bluetooth it does seem to resolve it, almost like the 'line in' volume is too great in analogue terms - some kind of digital transfer issue. The USB cable is fine, as is HDD and radio.

 

My main issue now is i seem to keep blowing the mid/bass front speakers, had NS one replaced under warranty last year and now OS is at it on bass and piano type stuff

 

Wife has a 15 plate scout non canton though so will try my phone in there and see if it does anything similar.

Edited 11 November, 2016 by Exeterj

[GainfulShrimp]

It may not help the OP if he's getting the same trouble with Android devices, but just in case it helps anybody else finding this, my iPhone bluetooth crackling/buzzing/distortion issues seem to have been resolved by disabling the SoundCheck feature (Settings > Music > SoundCheck - deselect it).  

 

I'm sure that I'd previously disabled this setting, so I can only assume that a subsequently update to iOS quietly enabled it again...

 

Apparently the feature attempts to dynamically adjust the volume of tracks in your music collection, so that they all sound roughly the same volume.  Nice in theory, I suppose - so you don't suddenly get deafened by a very loud track on shuffle if you've turned up the volume to listen to a quiet recording - but the implementation seems to be badly flawed.  In my case it caused many of my favourite tracks to distort very badly.  Oddly though, the same tracks worked OK on the same headphones, when connected through the headphone socket on the phone... it was only Bluetooth connections which suffered.  Bit odd and feels like an iOS bug to me. 

[Sharpyyy]

No result as yet. Skoda have requested they now want to re test the system on all equaliser settings and ensure the static/crackling is through all speakers.

Patience wearing thin. This is the third time they have had the car.

[Sharpyyy]

Just an update to the bluetooth saga. They have now requested the car for a further 2 days to test the MVB data from the ECU.

 

Took them 6 weeks to come back with this...

[Ferdinand01]

Since ios 10.2 update I don't have problem anymore.

[Sharpyyy]

Yet again Skoda service assessed the Bluetooth and found that this is a common problem with the MY15 with similar build date. Skoda technical replied with "this operation is normal, there will be a lower quality of sound via Bluetooth, normal as compared with similar vehicle build year and equipment". They went of to say the "newer" modules/builds do not have crackling. 

 

Skoda tech summed up with there is no action they can take at this stage. Perplexing how crackling Bluetooth which is only on a certain module, is defined as normal, yet various other models/build dates, newer and older do not have this fault. 

 

Seems to to me it is an issue with the modules, not a "normal" operation one would expect out of Bluetooth audio streaming. 

Edited 15 February, 2017 by Sharpyyy

[SWBoy]

2 hours ago, Sharpyyy said:

Skoda technical replied with "this operation is normal...".

 

They went on to say the "newer" modules/builds do not have crackling. 

How can it be "normal" when newer modules don't crackle? At the very least it's unacceptable and faulty.

 

What they have said sounds to me like a tacit admission that the version of module you have is faulty, and hence should be replaced under warranty?

Edited 15 February, 2017 by SWBoy

[Wiivern]

Sorry I didn't keep you updated.

 

Well after having my car booked for 2 days in december one of the two issues I had with the Canton sound system has been resolved 

 

They didn't find anything for the Bluetooth issue, as the problem wasn't the most disturbing for me, I didn't bother.

 

They however resolved the trembling speakers issue by isolating the door panels, which was the main problem to me, so I'm still pretty satisfied.

 

What you say regarding MY15 cars is interesting as I have a MY15 car too, so it might be the reason for this crackling issue...

[Jonae]

I have a MY14 with a similar issue. Like others, originally thought it was tweeters. I have tested with multiple phones and a crackle still exists.

 

Further to this, the crackle exists via Bluetooth, usb stick, and SD card. However, the same songs via auxiliary are crystal clear. I am currently going through the dealership but expect the issue to be the head unit. 

 

I hope others have been able to have this resolved..i cringe every time I hear it crackle.

 

From my experience it is worse with songs with a greater range such as classical..

 

Will keep you all posted. I

[dasoundman]

Hello! I have the same problem. Has anyone found a solution?