Your Bluetooth headphones are making weird buzzing, crackling, or humming sounds. The music plays fine, but there's something thumping in the background that definitely isn't part of the track. Sound familiar? Don't worry – your headphones probably aren't broken. The culprit is usually closer than you'd think.
Where does the interference come from?
Bluetooth operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency. So do WiFi routers, microwave ovens, other Bluetooth devices, and basically half the electronics in your home. It's a crowded neighbourhood.
The most common culprit, though, is a power supply. Your phone's fast charger, laptop adapter, or desktop PSU radiates electromagnetic interference that your headphones' electronics pick up. This is especially likely in two situations:
- Your headphones are connected via AUX cable to a device that's plugged into mains power. The cable acts as an antenna and carries the interference straight into your headphones.
- With active noise cancelling (ANC), because ANC microphones also amplify electromagnetic noise.
So if your headphones are wired to a laptop that's charging and ANC is on, you've essentially built yourself a little interference antenna. Creative, but not exactly desirable.
How to get rid of the interference
1. Distance from power sources
- Move your headphones at least one metre away from chargers, adapters, and power supplies. This alone is often enough.
- Don't keep your headphones on the charging dock while you're listening.
2. Try without the AUX cable
- If you're listening wired, try switching to Bluetooth. The interference almost always disappears because the cable is no longer acting as an antenna.
- If you need to use a cable (airplane, mixer, old stereo amp), unplug the device from mains power if possible.
3. Turn ANC off as a test
- Switch off noise cancelling for a moment. If the interference disappears, it's caused by electromagnetic noise picked up by the ANC microphones. This isn't a defect – it's physics.
4. Change your WiFi channel
- If the interference is more like dropouts than buzzing, your WiFi router might be messing with the Bluetooth connection. Switch your router to the 5 GHz band in its settings, freeing up the 2.4 GHz band for Bluetooth.
5. Remove unnecessary Bluetooth pairings
- Your headphones might be trying to connect to another device while you're listening. Turn off Bluetooth on devices you're not using, or delete old pairings from your headphones' memory.
6. Try a different charger
- A cheap or faulty charger radiates more interference than a quality one. Try swapping the charger – the difference might surprise you.
If nothing helps
If the interference is constant, happens everywhere, and there's no power source anywhere nearby, it could be an actual fault. Drop us a message at info@valco.fi. Please include:
- Your order number or headphone model
- A brief description of the situation (when the interference occurs, with what settings)
- A photo or video if possible
Our service team in Kajaani will sort it out. We fix things here – we don't chuck them in the bin.
Electromagnetic interference is a bit like the neighbour's dog – annoying, but rarely dangerous, and usually all you need to do is move far enough away.
