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'Pop' Between Tracks In New iPod
joesao writes "The new iPods released last week seem to have a problem that causes an audible 'electrostatic pop' between all tracks played on it. The effect is not imaginary, as it has been witnessed by many users over at the Apple discussion forums. Now, one user has actually published a sound sample recorded the iPod's playback and the verdict is in: it's real. I hope this is a firmware issue and that it's quickly fixed ..." I just ordered a new iPod. I wonder if I should cancel my order.
You ever think that Apple might do the right thing, fess up to the problem and fix it for free to anyone who's effected?
http://www.remix.net/
and mine doesn't have any pops. (15gb)
It is a very very solid upgrade to an already amazing product. Don't cancel your order.
Remember when the Mac cube had a "crack" in the plastic which Apple said was no big deal? But it was a big deal to the people who paid extra and demanded perfection. People don't buy Mac cubes and iPods because they want something that is just good enough or gets the job done. These items are priced much higher than roughly equivalent but less polished competitors, and people expect that extra Apple polish.
I haven't done any research about this, but i'm glad i've seen somone else has this problem. Its friggen terrible. I was listening to a signfeld stand up today at work, and its INCREDIBLY noticeable with that.
I really hope something is done about this.
Some of the older Compaq iPaq and HP Jornada Pocket PC PDAs had the same issue where you would here a pop right after a sound was played. Firmware fixes were released to reduce or eliminate the problem, which changed how the mini-amp for the built-in speaker (listening to sound via a headphone didn't have the same issue or was so minor that it couldn't be heard) was powered off.
The issue with the iPod might just be that the embedded OS is possibly powering down the mini-amp between songs or could be a glitch with the sound chip between the buffers. Probably a good chance that it can be eliminated or at least make it much more subtle by a firmware fix... or it may be problems with said mini-amp.
read in a few reviews of other mp3 players that
some seem to sound consicerably better than the
ipods (at least according to the reviewers).
{Am by no means saying that the old ones sounded
shite, only that there seems to be room for
improvement, that's all.}
So I was wondering if they improved on the sound
output quality in addition to hd capacity and form
factor and features...
just curious...
...I am simply astounded that a major corporation would just give out free sounds to the people. Microsoft could never unclench their evil moneygrubbing fists like that. I mean to be able to clearly distinguish between tracks is just the kind of brilliant useability detail that the Linux crowd fail to pay attention to but which has been the hallmark of Jobs' vision from the beginning. Just holding my ipod and thinking about it is causing a warm tingle in my pants.
ohgodohgod
yes! oh god YES!
aaaaah...
The Titanium PowerBook G4s also had a huge probelm with chiping. The band around the center of the unit as well as the screen hinges would chip (paint ?), and as a result the machine began looking very ugly. Apple originaly discounted this in much the same way as the cube. Eventually they gave in to overwhelming negative feedback from users and have been replacing them for many people (don't let them know you wear a watch). I think this, along with very poor airport signal strength, is one of the main factors that drove them to switch to the new aluminum case. So it will be interesting to see if they address, it ignore it, or ignore it then address it. -peel
People who have upgraded older iPods to 1.3 are reporting the same "electrostatic pop". This would seem to indicate that it's in the firmware and will at some point be fixed. It's not exactly a nightmarish bother; at least not to me.
Jeez, we post BitTorrents for stuff on AOL's unlimited-bandwidth servers, but let smaller sites get a massive bandwidth bill? At least post a BitTorrent for that 2.9MB audio file on the site; that's probably mostly what's making the site so slow.
... has released an official statement regarding this issue. It seems as if the digital output is in part constructed with rice krispies. When the Ipod is used in a humid area the rice krispies absorb the moisture from the air and produce a distinct possing sound. Apple has announced it intends to use Trix in future versions.
That's not a bug. it's a feature. the product was originally called the iPop. some dyslexic guy in the marketing department screwed it all up though.
I bought my 15 gig iPod Friday morning to make sure I could secure one, and then picked it up at 6pm. I have not had an issue with this 'popping' Audio is crystal clear and the iTunes music store rocks!
I've had a 15gb since friday, and have not heard any of this from it (even when listening specificly for it)
The new slim and trim iPod with smaller battery must have some very active power management to get the play times even close to the original iPod.
It probably can very rapidly power cycle the sound amplification circuitry in response to input/lack of. The electrical pop may be a blip from a momentary power cycle due to some defect in software or hardware. From what others have said you can only hear it intermittently and only when the music is quiet enough or pauses enough.
I hope Apple can fix it via a software update, or things may get messy with this one. They've already sold 100,000+ new iPods and a recall would be extremely... painful for them.
Your ipod(s) must be defective. I got a 15GB on Friday and have been using it nonstop ever since (two flights and while at work).
Smooth transitions, no pops at all.
"Electric Relaxation" - ATCQ
- Bwana
I ordered it yesterday. The Belkin car charger too. It should ship by Monday.
You're reading way too much into an offhand comment. If Pudge has any objectivity issues, it has to do with his idolatrous love all things Apple!
When I listened to that sample on the site, when the .mp3 finished, I also heard an almost identical click. The reason many people blame this on the iPod is that with most mp3's, they cut off without a pop, but poorly done ones, such as that test do. I don't know exactly what causes it, but i've seen that it's actually encoded into the mp3.
There's a couple ways to fix this. First, you could go into an mp3 editor and clip it off, or you could just be lazy. Most people won't hear it in iTunes because it fades from one song to the next, making the pop impossible to hear.
The other thing is that the Apple music store AAC's probably have this little pop at the end, and that's why they seem to have just started now.
I honestly don't know, that's just my crazy theory of the day.
Ooops, my bad.
Gread in ear style headphones by the way, for like $100, it is like a pair of poor man's Entymolic's (did I spell that right?). I had the Fontopia Sony In ear headphones (MDR-EX70LP) which had better bass and were easier to insert, but upon hearing the E2c's, I gave the Sonys to a friend. The Shure E2C's are a pretty darned good match for the iPod. Gread frequency response and really accurate & clean sound reproduction. The mids on the Sony were quite a bit less cleared and the highs more colored than the E2C's.
Then again, I also have lots of chronic high end hearing loss from going to too many live concerts, shooting, loud music in general, being around heilo's, etc.
DaveC
There are no stupid questions...just stupid people.
I've also been shocked by my 20GB touch-pad ipod (2nd gen I guess, assuming these new ones are 3rd gen?).
I thought it was due to the carpet or the floormat I have in my office. It did seem to die down once spring started.
I'm still dying to get a new iPod...
Maybe you're dying if you don't get a new iPod!
You know what?
Seems to me like you've screwed up your earbuds pretty good by crunching the plug like that. That probably explains the crackling (my Walkman headphones crackle occasionally when I fiddle with the [much-abused] plug).
As for the shocks...I HIGHLY doubt that there are any voltages >5 VDC inside the iPod. Certainly they wouldn't be necessary to power any of the circuitry AFAIK. I'm thinking you're being shocked by static electricity that's built up by the 'Pod bouncing around inside your pocket. Perhaps there's a connection between the metal back and some part of the earbuds. I've never had the opportunity to closely examine iPod buds--do they have any exposed metal? If not, maybe you've actually damaged the insulation going into them enough that an exposed wire is touching your ear--but even then I think only a static charge (not one from the iPod's battery) could be a high enough voltage to be noticeable.
Finally, the topic of this thread: In addition to what people have suggested about this being a result of power cycling the amp circuitry (which seems pretty likely), it's also possible that DC control signals are leaking into the audio outputs. I suppose you could say I'm a budding audio professional, and we've experienced a similar problem with a (MUCH more expensive than the iPod) piece of professional audio gear. Turned out that the control circuitry was not adequately shielded, and the cables connecting the automation section to the rest of the device were threaded around and through audio cables (and--like most similar products--the internal cables were generally unshielded IIRC). The manufacturer was very helpful and modified the automation assembly, but we finally decided that the product wasn't meeting our needs anyway (feature-wise). So we sold it and replaced it with a better (and even more expensive) product from the same company, which doesn't have the same problem, nor do two more products purchased from them since.
I don't know how applicable this is to the iPod--after all, all of its circuitry is on one PCB, unlike this product, which had over 50 fairly sizable ones and plenty of connections between them.
Just some food for thought.
WM
I've noticed the pop on my 15GB, and assume it's a firmware bug as there's no reason to turn off the dac between tracks. What's more bothersome is that the unit seems to randomly assign the left and right channels whenever it starts playing after seeking or starting a new song. This make rewinding in a track with lots of stereo separation somewhat disorienting.
might not be able to get Parachute installed, but I don't have no pops!
I hear pops at various times in iTunes. I believe it to be a RAM or processor issue. It might be possible that the pops heard on iPods is the result of issues involved when the files are transfered to the device. There are data files and it a bit might get dropped here or there when the files are moved via Firewire. But I could be wrong. Look at my first wife.
iPodPop.com...
Petitions, articles, and anecdotes demanding that Apple fix this clearly egregious aural violation!! Anything less than an immediate fix and a $100 rebate constitutes Steve Jobs' arrogant, utter contempt for the customer!
Oh, the humanity! How many people will have to suffer through this before Apple releases a fix?!?!?!
I have to throw in my two cents about the Shure E2c's. They're amazing! They sound better than any earbud I've ever tried and make my iPod sound twice as good. I've gotten so tired of wearing bulky headphones to get the best sound from my iPod, the Shure's did the trick!
seriouslyexcited.net
If you cancel your order, I will destroy you.
The new iPod is pure, 100%, unadulterated hot sex.
Apart from the fact that the Back, Menu, Play/Pause, and Forwards buttons will activate if you so much as glance in their direction (not an issue if you use the remote or actually have the capability to control where your hands go), this thing is the single most clever device Apple's created.
The Belkin add-ons look kinda tacky, though.
I am not gonna cancel it. I was just wondering if anyone thought I should. As to the car adapter ... well, it was the only one for the new iPods that I could find, and I need one, so whatever. If it sucks I'll return it.
Griffin makes one.
Then I need to either buy another dock connector cable, or detach the one from the dock to bring with me in the car. Ugh.
Does your car stereo have line in? If so, then get the Belkin. It probably fits your needs. If not, then get the Griffin and buy another dock connector cable for $20.
Just remember: Apple's inadequacies are "third-party opportunities," at least until Apple duplicates the functionality and gives the third-party the Cold Shoulder of Death.
I have a Sony cassette adapter. Close enough.
Yeah. So you're gonna have that extra wire hanging out going nowhere from the Belkin.
Dunno about your car, but mine's cluttered enough as it is.
female-to-female adapter, the Belkin cable will go into the casette adapter cable.
Well played, Trebek.
Now you only have to figure out what to do with that 18' mass of cable between your iPod and the tape deck.
Or just wait until Griffin gets its thumb out of its ass and releases the iTrip.
Snork.
Anyway, I am sticking the excess cable up behind the plastic of the dashboard. A nice thing about this is that it is one LESS cable connected to the iPod.
Again, I may dislike the Belkin and return it. We shall see.
I have a 1st Generation Grey AirPort and it stopped working about a year after I got it. I took it down to an Apple store and had them look at it. The guy confirmed that it wasn't working, checked the serial number against a list of affected units, and handed me a refurbished AirPort immediately. No questions asked. That AirPort has been working great ever since.
I've had excellent success with Apple and repairs. If they can do it for free at the Apple Store, they do (like one time when a CD got stuck in my TiBook because I dropped it. BTW, the TiBook took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. Yay Titanium!)
Another time the videocard on my G3 Pismo burned out for some reason. It was under warranty, so I put it in for repair on a Tuesday, and had the thing back in my hands on Thursday afternoon. Apple turned it around in one day with free overnight shipping on either side.
Look, computers break, software has bugs, and people do stupid things (like dropping their laptops). The thing is, how does your computer company handle it? I think Apple has got to be one of the best in the business.
So, I don't know if Apple fixed everyone's AirPort, but I'd bet that they were willing to, if you brought it down to an Apple Store or sent it in.
---------------
Sigaliscious.
The term "outside the box" is squarely within the box at this point.
You're a fucking retard. No testing necessary.
I also have this problem with my new 30GB iPod. It is very annoying.
One thing I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed. Sometimes when I'm listening to my playlist and it goes from one song to the next, I get the click/pop, then when the music comes back on I the balance between left/right ears changes. The volume level of the left ear seems to decrease significantly. It is totally random when this happens.
I noticed this happening because I listen to a lot of DJ mix tapes and in between track changes, when the balance shifts dramatically this is a big deal. I can get it to shift back by stopping the iPod (hold down play for 2 seconds until it shuts off), then restarting playback, but only sometimes. Sometimes I have to stop it several times before it will do it.
"When the president does it, that means it's not illegal." - Richard M. Nixon
You can barley notice it. To me their is really no pop at all. Ofcourse you'll boo and taunt me and call me the Iraqi Information Minister, but oh well.
So you'll play one of your songs then hear a short clip of brittney spears, then play another of your songs and hear a little Nsync? Noooooo!! ;-)
All I know is, I just got a new iPod too, and have no pops between tracks.
I bought a 30GB iPod on the rollout date at the local Apple Store. Some of the first things I put on the iPod was a Mahler symphony and a Beethoven string quartet. I didn't have one of the earlier generation iPods, so I loaded a variety of music on--rock, punk, classical, jazz, an opera--to see what worked best with the machine. I have a stupidly large CD collection, and even at 30GB I couldn't fit all of my CD's on the iPod, so I wanted to see first if any genre would be unsuitable to the pod.
I started noticing the pops between tracks right away. Also, the fact that the pod puts pauses between tracks makes it very inconvenience for classical music--on one the classical lists I'm on I mentioned this and others who had iPods agreed it is almost useless for classical. The reason is that many classical CDs have large movements broken up with track points. On the iPod all of these track points of course result in breaks in the music where no breaks were intended. There's no particular reason why the iPod should do this--certainly the machine has the capability to read ahead to the beginning of the next track and go seamlessly from one to the other. This also makes the iPod extremely annoying when listen to some jazz CDs--for example, Miles Ahead, a Miles Davis CD arranged by Gil Evans with transitional music that shifts the recording seemlessly from track to track. Of course, on the iPod there is not such thing--every track ends with POP-pause.
The POP-pause is particularly annoying with chamber music--since the dynamics are lower. At least between rock tracks I can get used to the pop, but it is loud enough that between tracks of a string quartet I've flinched from it.
However, the biggest problem I have had is that I have now gone through two dead on arrival or close to arrival units.
The first iPod worked for three days, and then would no longer mount to the desktop, would not sync, and would freezed up the iPod installer software when I attempted to do a restore. I took it back to the Apple Store, they did the same tests I did (for any of you WELL YEAH, YOU WERE TRYING TO GET TO WORK THE WRONG WAY dipshits) and very nicely and efficiently replaced the unit.
I was a very happy, satisfied customer when I got home last night with my new, replacement unit. I reinstalled my tracks, let the iPod charge overnight, and this morning tried to use it for the first time. Dead on arrival. It works fine when hooked up to my iBook or its power adapter, but will not play tracks when it is running off its own battery. Instead, you can go through the menu to the track you want played, hit play or select, and the iPod then tries to play the track. However, instead of playing the track the hard drive clicks a little and the iPod promptly reboots. Tried this on a dozen tracks, same result for all of them. Plug the iPod into the adapter and everything works fine. Plug it into my iBook, works fine. On its own, dead--reboots every time I try to play a track.
Back out to the Apple Store.
At this point I am quite discouraged about the iPod--one dead on arrival and one dead in three days. I am now wondering whether to bring the unit back for another replacement, or to say the hell with it and get a refund.
The iPod is adorable, and it looks and size is so obviously above competing units that they can't really be described as competing. At the same time, I'm looking at two thirds of CD collection (classical and opera) and realizing that even I have a functioning unit I am going to be limited in which CDs I transfer to the iPod. And the quality control issues now really concern me--I can handle one defective unit, but two DOA's in a row is not at all what you expect from $500 machines.
Now for the Slashdot faction that will no doubt answer that I am doing something wrong, that I'm making up the problem, that they don't have the problem, etc., all I can say is that I took back the first unit to Apple, they did all the same tests I did (and told me they were doing the same tests I did) and replaced the unit, so obviously I have some idea what I am doing.