Crackling in my headphones?

[Ryder]

Alright so this has been going on for awhile now. I have Sony headphones and over the last month I have started to hear crackling when I listen to audiobooks or music. I just finished making a new audiobook and tried it out because it's a book I never read or listened too. I started hearing the crackling. And now I'm listening to music and I'm not hearing it. While on my iPod I am hearing the crackling with everything I listen too whether it be music or audiobook. It's only in the left headphone and not in both thank god. In some audiobooks it's worse then in others. In others I can kinda get used to the sound but it'll give me an earache in a keep it in for long. I'm talking audiobooks right now. So here is what me and my dad came up with. It's one of three things. The headphones, my iPod or the file. I am starting to think it's both the file and my headphones since I am currently listening to music with no crackle, but the audiobook has the crackle. I do fall asleep listening to books a lot and I wake up laying on them. Could it be I just damaged my headphones or could it be a lot more serious?

 

[Kyle B]

Are these expensive headphones? If not, I'd just buy new ones. I get the cheap ones for a few dollars and they usually last a while until the crackling/static noise starts.

 

[Ryder]

I don't think they are expensive. I'm not sure really. My dad got these headphones for me.

 

[Francis]

By what you describe it sound like it may be a sound format issue more than anything else.

However, one never knows.. But are a few tricks to see if it's the software or hardware that are the problem to start with.

Songs are typically always transferred in iPods in MP3 format..

E-Books have many standards ( file formats ) and since you did not say what EBook you were using I can't tell if you are even making this in .wav format..

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_formats#eBooks_Formats

Typically your headphones should have the same problem for all types of audio out put but the microphone may be picking up distortion when you are making EBooks..

Do you have anyway to hook up the iPod to Bluetooth or another set of headphones to test out if they are the cause of the issue ?

If the Microphone if the problem it maybe happening when you are recording and that is why you only hear it on E-Books..

My one thought to get you started..

 

[Zorak]

I don't agree with Francis at all.
It's almost certainly a problem with the headphone wiring from what you say. I'd just get a new pair.

 

[Alien Allen]

Take the Ipod to a store and see if it does the same thing on their demo speakers

That will rule in or out if the headphones are the problem

 

[pjbleek]

thinking it maybe the voices in your head trying to get into your ears.....

 

[Tuffdisc]

Probably a dry joint in the wiring, but then again with today's tech it is probably highly unlikely to be the cause

 

[teh_fuzz]

Easy way to find out...

play the same file at your PC with and without the headphones
copy and transfer the file to your iPod and listen to said file again with and without the headphones

a couple of good possibilities

bad file quality - the lower quality you set a file, the shittier sound you will have
bad headphones - I would vote for this as the likely culprit. Most headphones, unless you paid good money for them are made with lower quality parts and if the wiring is done half-ass the cracking is always the first thing to happen.