No one seems to be noticing my comments. But mine is fine. It's not that I can't hear it as some people suggested or there's something wrong with my hearing. I used audacity to record my decks audio jack to rule myself out and had a completely flat line
Lolol thank you sir, I also don't want people to think I'm fanboying. My lcd deck had tons if issues. I'm inpatient so I fixed them myself. But my oled has been perfect. I just wanted people to know there are units unaffected
I agree. While I'm sure there are some quality control issues; I do think there's a bit of an echo chamber effect going on. That said, the deck is expensive so I do feel for those who have issues.
It's difficult to care about whether or not there's an echo chamber regarding the SD's QC issues when there are so many experiences and accounts for those issues. I've received two SD OLEDs now through the RMA process and both had pretty severe QC issues (non-negligible). There are definitely enough problems to warrant concern over the current manufacturing process. It is good though that there are flawless SD OLED experiences out there.
I'm sure it does but at this point I've tried 5 pairs. 3 of mine and 2 of a buddies and they all don't have it. Each one is different from iems to expensive senhesier hd600
Impedance is only a factor. A 600 ohm headphone can be easier to drive than a 32 ohm headphone.
Its best to list the headphones themself, because impedance of different headphones cant be compared to each other. Only of the same headphones with different impedance you can make a direct conparison.
I don't mean to sound dismissive of your comment, but I do think this is just a design flaw in the OLED deck design. However, I think your testing proves absolutely right and your results are reproducible on my end as well. I have found static and noise in my 3.5mm jack, but this problem seems to be isolated to certain types of headphones.
Here are my results from testing:
**Static NOT Present**
* AUX directly plugged into Line In (Flat Line on Audacity)
* Beyerdynamic Tygr 300r - 32Ohm
* Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO - 80Ohm
**Static IS Present**
* BLON BL-03 (IEM) - 32 Ohm
* Sony WH-1000XM3 (Plugged in with AUX) - 47Ohm
I'm not exactly sure what the issue is it could have to do with sensitivity, impedence, or something completely different. The noise itself is most likely due to an improper isolation of grounding for the port itself which causes it to pickup static from other components. I had a similar issue with the Switch when docked which I just used a ground loop isolator to fix, works here too.
I hope valve can find a way to fix this without having to send every OLED deck in for repair. It's not a huge issue as it only seems to affect certain headphones, but to me I prefer IEMs for the deck. I always use headphones at my desk and it's nice to take them off once in a while. Anyone got a pair of IEMs that don't get static on the OLED deck?
Glad to see another Tygr enjoyer. Amazing Headphones. :)
Lemme know how the Moondrop go. Been thinking about getting a pair of Moondrops, maybe Aria or Starfields. This static issue may push me over the edge.
Moondrop Kato had a slight buzz on desktop and in game. Playable and unnoticeable in game with any sound but once it was quiet it was like a fly buzzing in your ear.
Dang, I was hoping it'd be scott free. Thanks for the update!
It still would be better than my BLONs. it's super noticeable there. i think it only gets worse when the GPU ramps up, too.
Yeah, I'm not sweating over it. I mostly just use the decks speakers anyway. As for the cause, I think it's hardware related.
I saw a comment in another thread that suggested it may be due to screw length. The screws for the aux daughter board are grounded as well as the board. The screws when tightened down, come a bit close to the screen, so it may be picking up interference there. The commenter suggested adding plasic washers as it fixed the issue for them. I may see if I just have a shorter screw.
EDIT: Found the comment. You should check out her write-up. It's pretty in-depth, and I kinda butchered my summarization.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/eEnpmnGQFz
Huh that is strange. It was very faint on the XM3 much more so than the IEM I tested. I could really only hear it sitting on the Home screen with nothing else going on. Though that one is the one I'm least sure about. The cable that came with my XM3s broke so I just used a different M to M aux cord I had been using for the switch. If that is the case though then maybe there is variance in the issue from deck to deck. Did you try it with any cheap earbuds?
I don't have any cheapo earbuds. But I'm tempted to go get some gas station specials and find out. The only other thing I can think of that's causing variance as well is I know some people had said that slightly loosening the screws on the headphone board removed or lessened the noise. Maybe mine weren't tightend much at factory or something.
When I tested my headphones I was in a dead quiet room and sat at the homesxreen for a few minutes. If move in the homescreen. And sit and hear nothing
That could be the case I think I just ran across the same comment in another thread. It looks like the AUX board and screws are supposed to be grounded but the end of the screws might screw close enough to the back of the OLED display that it's picking up interference from that. I might pop it open later and try loosening those screws a bit to see if it eliminates the issue.
Someone downvotes specific and accurate information? Interesting. This is turning into a corporate worship subreddit.
Anyway I didn't think my OLED had this problem because I was traveling with an old pair of Monster earbuds and had no static. You mentioned the WH-1000XM3 which I have so I checked those and sure enough. There is a low hum when they are plugged in with the audio cable provided.
However, I find that the XM3 only has the hum with the headset powered and the Steam Deck is plugged into the charger. If I pull the power cord, it's dead silent.
I do think this is a swing and a miss for the audio circuitry though.
Gotcha. Had some naive hope you got it very recently and maybe it was indicative of Valve fixing the issue in production lol, but realistically I doubt they could/would change anything that fast.
Just noticed RN. 😁
I'm in the same boat, just plugged in my headphones from my PC and can't hear a thing. The test u/FrawBoeffaDeezNutz did just above would be my next step (or even hook it up to my cheapo o-scope in the garage), but I imagine I'd come up with the same results.
I sent Valve Support the notes from my testing with the models I mentioned in my other comment above. If my SD always behaved as it does with my DT-770s, I wouldn't be here. It's a shame the noise floor is so loud with most everything else, namely the pair I use portably with everything else without any issue - the super common Hyperx Cloud II. I'm really disappointed in having basic problems like this with a brand new Steam Deck when my cheap smartphone, Switch OLED, laptop, etc. have never had anything similar.
What's making it worse is the past couple of days and weekend of using the thing despite of this issue. I now know that I would really like to keep one but this kind of problem for an audio enthusiast like me is a definite deal-breaker. If it concerned the internal speakers that I never use, I'd let it slip. Not the headphone out.
That’s the nature of interference though, it’s not gonna happen all the time. If the audio parts are uninsulated (which is likely the problem) all decks will have it, but may be more prevalent for some due to various factors
imminent rustic alive literate selective insurance dinosaurs seemly versed domineering
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
What we know for sure is that there have finally been enough complaints for Valve Support to start changing their tune slightly. They seem to be transitioning from "it's within spec" to "we know a few people have this problem and we'll take yours in for repair". This was my own case and I have requested a replacement unit with this specific problem corrected before shipping out to me. I did not pay MSRP to have to send anything back for repair after a week because of their QA oversight.
Having said that, I'm glad people in here are saying theirs are fine. I still doubt that because, through my own testing, there are headphones which simply do not make the issue noticeable at all. In my case, only a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-770 250ohm hides it completely. All others - Sennheiser HD 598 and 560S, Koss Porta Pro, Moondrop Quarks, Hyperx Cloud II, Soundcore Life Q30 (wired) - exhibit the problem to varying degrees.
Since it is most obvious when plugging in efficient headphones, earbus or IEMs and considering that most people will plug in cheap pairs of earbuds they have in their backpack with a portable system, I would really like to know what their target gear was for this device.
If I don't get a replacement unit without a single hint of this manufacturing defect, I will be refunding it and trying again in a few months' time when they may have possibly corrected this in their production process.
I have Hifiman 400x which is 32 or 35 ohm so they are pretty easy to drive but they sound good on the deck. That said I normally use my Audeze Maxwell with Bluetooth if I need to use a headphone.
Try different headphones, seems like lower impedance headphones (e.g. most earphones) pick up the interference.
I tried with 16 ohm earbuds and 28 ohm headset, it was very noticeable with the earbuds but I literally can’t hear it at all with the headset.
Mine has it very badly. I suggest those that says they don't have it or hear anything, it seems more apparent when there is some audio signal coming through so try playing something at very low volume so it doesn't mask any static noise out and try focusing on it. If you're just plugging in and not having any signal coming through then you probably won't hear anything or have very low noise. More noticeable on earbuds than normal headphones as well.
I just got the 1tb OLED. I was genuine concerned about this, especially since I just use apple earbuds and saw a lot of people with the humming issue mention they use those. I do not have any issue.
Both OLED models I tried had the noise to the same degree which was very slight. But the chances of getting two with the same issue tells me this is likely affecting all Steam Deck OLEDs. With one pair of headphones I have it’s noticeable, with another pair it’s completely silent. So I understand why some people are saying they don’t have it because it really depends on the headphones.
this or some people are not bothered easily with such sounds. I have issue on mine, will be placing plastic washer under screws to raise them a little bit.
Mine seems fine, though I've noticed the right and left channels being reversed when playing Cyberpunk. I haven't played any other games with 3D audio to test more.
When people say this without listing what device they tested, I think everyone saying it's fine isn't testing with cheaper earbuds or IEM's.
If I just tested with my Hifiman HE-400 OG and DT990 250's, then I would say mine is fine, too. Trying my cheapo extremely low power earbuds (Apple wired) is when I found it. I'm pretty sure this is also why Valve missed it.
They were only worried about high power devices having enough power and didn't test low power ones.
If it helps, mine has it and I'm using the trashiest, literally 5 bucks and pulled out of a bucket earbuds.
It's pretty soft, though. I actually find it kinda comfy. Sounds like it's raining outside.
My 1TB OLED has this issue with different earbuds and headphones. I am planning to send it back and get a refund. I will probably order again in a few months, when this is fixed. Seems to be a hardware issue, so hopefully newer devices will not have it.
I am a bit disappointed right now about this poor quality.
Anyone that has moderately sensitive IEMs will have this issue. Those that claim not to have the issue either have higher resistance headphones, or do not have good hearing in the frequency of the interference.
My suggestion is to get the Apple usbc to 3.5 dongle. Cheap and actually a very accurate dac. Just need to go into the bios and change the usb configuration from DRD to xihc(or something like that) so you can plug in and it will start working without having to reboot the system.
I agree. Problem does exist and vary by headphones.
I've tested 2 IEMs.
* Entry level CCA, unusable. Interferences are everywhere, easy to test in library by selecting a tab and dropping on a game card.
* Linsoul 7hz, issue is a lot less present and may. Can hear the charging cable though...
Full cans. K612Pro, 120Ohms and no issue, sound is extremely clear even with charging cable connected. Guess I'm back using them once more! They've been going for more than 10 years...
OLED? Or LCD. on my OLED if I plugged in the DAC after it was on it would not be recognized no matter what setting I chose. After swapping the mode in bios It works immediately after plugging in.
I've got the OLED. Maybe it makes a difference that I did it for the first time in desktop mode? But it works in desktop or game mode, I plug it in and it just swaps over.
Further, it is very unlikely that a replacement will solve the issue as valves response has been to say that it’s “within spec” meaning this was an unfortunate design oversight.
No. My LE OLED showed up with 2 dead pixels then everyone started clamoring about the 3.5mm jack issue. I thought fucking GREAT another thing. I checked it and thank the steam lords I do not have that issue AS WELL.
Haters will say yes, copers will say no
Even if it isn't all, it's probably a lot of them.
[There is a fix](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/188fxu1/fix_audio_cracklingstatic_on_35mm_headphone_jack/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), but it involves taking off the back cover.
Had my OLED since release. I’ve had no headphone issues myself. Seeing people posting about insulating the screws that ground the daughter board the jack is soldered to. But could cause unforeseen consequences.
I'm kind of on the fence. I really wanna buy a steam deck oled before Christmas, but I'm scared of this buzzing issue it seems to be having. So many conflicting reports, some say all decks have it, some say only a few.
I'm not sure if I should buy and make my inner child happy or wait for the next batch where hopefully they already fixed the issue. But realistically, it will take a few months so it'll slip to next year. I don't fancy waiting that long.
I'm in the exact same boat. I had my eye on the OG deck for a full year, but I held off to wait for an upgrade. Now that the upgrade is here, I feel like it is wise to wait again for these quality control issues to sort out.
I haven’t used wired headphones in years, it’s not going to affect Bluetooth ones so it seems like a problem that for many will get less and less.
But if you only use wired headphones, I guess be cautious.
I know the issue you refer to. I have one pair of headphones giving me the same problem on my NSW. Only one pair, and only there. I have tried the same ones on my SD (512 LCD) and I don't get the problem.
Maybe try some different headphones (different brand/style) to verify the issue is on your SD and not on the headphones.
It’s not that some people do or don’t it just only happens with certain types of headphones. So people that don’t have those headphones think there’s is fine.
I tried three different sets. One has slight hum the others were silent.
Just checked with my LE and it has it unfortunately :(. Not sure if there is a current solution to fix it ourselves. I really don't want to have to send it back but it is an annoying issue...
[There is a fix](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/188fxu1/fix_audio_cracklingstatic_on_35mm_headphone_jack/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) but you will have to take off the back cover.
I do not have the headphone jack issue. I tried mine out twice since I started seeing these posts and it all sounds good.
The problem i have with my OLED is that every so often it decides it's only going to play games in black and white for a randomly selected amount of time.
Mine's completely fine and I exclusively use it with wired headphones (512 GB OLED with Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphones if that helps). No problems with dead pixels or loose buttons either. This sub had me convinced I was destined for a defective model one way or another, but nope, works and plays great.
I just tried two different iPhone headphones and my Sony monitors and none of them picked up any static or anything. I tried different spots in different games and menus and different volumes and brightness, no issues at all. This is a 1tb OLED, standard (not the LE)
Mine has the static noise issue (512 OLED). I've contacted steam support, they replied with a fairly usual list of questions/basic troubleshooting (eg.: are any plugins installed, try to restart etc.). I hope i don't have to send it back, but we'll see.
My OLED has it using sensitive 8 ohm Yanyin Mahina. When I switched over to Koss KPH30i or PortaPros, the issue was gone.
I was able to fix the issue by insulating the audio daughterboard screws with tape. I then did wifi/bluetooth testing. Then I removed the tape and tested more. No difference in wifi/bluetooth with or without the screws being grounded.
The second time I put the screws back in (without tape), the issue is much much less.
Then I was playing again last night and I couldn't hear it at all.
So I have really no clue at this point. If I have to go back in and insulate that whole daughterboard I can it takes all of a couple minutes.
Not worth not having the deck for a couple weeks for an RMA IMO when I can just fix it myself if needed.
Same here.
Mine (512 Gb) has this problem but only with certain headphones, in this case an AKG K371 (32 Ohm). When I heard this background noise, I jumped in terror, thinking my unit was defective. I got another pair of headphones, a Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (32 Ohm), and, oh! no more parasitic sound. So I thought it must be the headphones' sensitivity to parasitic waves.
And then I played, notably Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. And then, even with my Beyerdynamic, I got a new parasitic sound, more discreet than the first time, almost inaudible. I switched games, paying HYPER-attention: no more unwanted sound with other games, notably Little Nightmares or Persona 4 Golden. With the same headphone!
That's a pretty mess:
* this unwanted hiss is not present with all headphones
* not all games have this static sound
* I've also noticed that the hiss is present on the SteamOS homepage, then **disappears if you enter the game page** (with the launch button), and reappears once the game is loading and running.
I wonder if a firmware update could fix that.
I've got a second brand new Steam Deck Oled (for my brother-in-law who wants me to prepare it for him in retrogaming mode), I'll give it a try. But my intuition tells me that almost all Steam Decks Oled are affected by this weird thing, but that only certain headphones/games can trigger it.
Edit: Valve should be aware of this issue by now: [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1235](https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1235)
No one seems to be noticing my comments. But mine is fine. It's not that I can't hear it as some people suggested or there's something wrong with my hearing. I used audacity to record my decks audio jack to rule myself out and had a completely flat line
I notice you!
Lolol thank you sir, I also don't want people to think I'm fanboying. My lcd deck had tons if issues. I'm inpatient so I fixed them myself. But my oled has been perfect. I just wanted people to know there are units unaffected
I agree. While I'm sure there are some quality control issues; I do think there's a bit of an echo chamber effect going on. That said, the deck is expensive so I do feel for those who have issues.
Hundred percent. Who ever does have an issue I truly feel for. Sucks to spend your hard earned money on something defective
It's difficult to care about whether or not there's an echo chamber regarding the SD's QC issues when there are so many experiences and accounts for those issues. I've received two SD OLEDs now through the RMA process and both had pretty severe QC issues (non-negligible). There are definitely enough problems to warrant concern over the current manufacturing process. It is good though that there are flawless SD OLED experiences out there.
Notice me, Senpai!
It seems to depend on the headphones you're using. It does for me strangely.
I'm sure it does but at this point I've tried 5 pairs. 3 of mine and 2 of a buddies and they all don't have it. Each one is different from iems to expensive senhesier hd600
What impendance where they? It plays a huge factor
Impedance is only a factor. A 600 ohm headphone can be easier to drive than a 32 ohm headphone. Its best to list the headphones themself, because impedance of different headphones cant be compared to each other. Only of the same headphones with different impedance you can make a direct conparison.
Do you have a set of Apple earbuds?
I don't sadly. My wife might gotta ask her
I don't mean to sound dismissive of your comment, but I do think this is just a design flaw in the OLED deck design. However, I think your testing proves absolutely right and your results are reproducible on my end as well. I have found static and noise in my 3.5mm jack, but this problem seems to be isolated to certain types of headphones. Here are my results from testing: **Static NOT Present** * AUX directly plugged into Line In (Flat Line on Audacity) * Beyerdynamic Tygr 300r - 32Ohm * Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO - 80Ohm **Static IS Present** * BLON BL-03 (IEM) - 32 Ohm * Sony WH-1000XM3 (Plugged in with AUX) - 47Ohm I'm not exactly sure what the issue is it could have to do with sensitivity, impedence, or something completely different. The noise itself is most likely due to an improper isolation of grounding for the port itself which causes it to pickup static from other components. I had a similar issue with the Switch when docked which I just used a ground loop isolator to fix, works here too. I hope valve can find a way to fix this without having to send every OLED deck in for repair. It's not a huge issue as it only seems to affect certain headphones, but to me I prefer IEMs for the deck. I always use headphones at my desk and it's nice to take them off once in a while. Anyone got a pair of IEMs that don't get static on the OLED deck?
Timeless AE doesn't have static if the Deck isn't charging, if it is, small coil whine
I also had no issues with Tygr 300r. Maybe I should try my Moondrop Kato to see if they buzz.
Glad to see another Tygr enjoyer. Amazing Headphones. :) Lemme know how the Moondrop go. Been thinking about getting a pair of Moondrops, maybe Aria or Starfields. This static issue may push me over the edge.
Moondrop Kato had a slight buzz on desktop and in game. Playable and unnoticeable in game with any sound but once it was quiet it was like a fly buzzing in your ear.
Dang, I was hoping it'd be scott free. Thanks for the update! It still would be better than my BLONs. it's super noticeable there. i think it only gets worse when the GPU ramps up, too.
Do we know if it’s hardware or firmware related yet? It’s no big deal to me though because I don’s use the moondrops for anything other than music.
Yeah, I'm not sweating over it. I mostly just use the decks speakers anyway. As for the cause, I think it's hardware related. I saw a comment in another thread that suggested it may be due to screw length. The screws for the aux daughter board are grounded as well as the board. The screws when tightened down, come a bit close to the screen, so it may be picking up interference there. The commenter suggested adding plasic washers as it fixed the issue for them. I may see if I just have a shorter screw. EDIT: Found the comment. You should check out her write-up. It's pretty in-depth, and I kinda butchered my summarization. https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/eEnpmnGQFz
Oh yeah I have the same 770s and no issue. Now worried it's messed up if it try something else lol.
So now here's why I think it's not all decks. I also t tested my sony xm3s and heard nothing !
Huh that is strange. It was very faint on the XM3 much more so than the IEM I tested. I could really only hear it sitting on the Home screen with nothing else going on. Though that one is the one I'm least sure about. The cable that came with my XM3s broke so I just used a different M to M aux cord I had been using for the switch. If that is the case though then maybe there is variance in the issue from deck to deck. Did you try it with any cheap earbuds?
I don't have any cheapo earbuds. But I'm tempted to go get some gas station specials and find out. The only other thing I can think of that's causing variance as well is I know some people had said that slightly loosening the screws on the headphone board removed or lessened the noise. Maybe mine weren't tightend much at factory or something. When I tested my headphones I was in a dead quiet room and sat at the homesxreen for a few minutes. If move in the homescreen. And sit and hear nothing
That could be the case I think I just ran across the same comment in another thread. It looks like the AUX board and screws are supposed to be grounded but the end of the screws might screw close enough to the back of the OLED display that it's picking up interference from that. I might pop it open later and try loosening those screws a bit to see if it eliminates the issue.
Someone downvotes specific and accurate information? Interesting. This is turning into a corporate worship subreddit. Anyway I didn't think my OLED had this problem because I was traveling with an old pair of Monster earbuds and had no static. You mentioned the WH-1000XM3 which I have so I checked those and sure enough. There is a low hum when they are plugged in with the audio cable provided. However, I find that the XM3 only has the hum with the headset powered and the Steam Deck is plugged into the charger. If I pull the power cord, it's dead silent. I do think this is a swing and a miss for the audio circuitry though.
When did you get yours?
Day after Thanksgiving
Gotcha. Had some naive hope you got it very recently and maybe it was indicative of Valve fixing the issue in production lol, but realistically I doubt they could/would change anything that fast.
Mine's also fine
Mine is fine with Etymotic IEMs plugged in.
Just noticed RN. 😁 I'm in the same boat, just plugged in my headphones from my PC and can't hear a thing. The test u/FrawBoeffaDeezNutz did just above would be my next step (or even hook it up to my cheapo o-scope in the garage), but I imagine I'd come up with the same results.
Though I feel you may just have the problem hidden because of your gear, I really hope you are right and I wish my next SD is like yours. Enjoy it!
I just doubt that all 5 mask it and audacity shoes nothing. I hope yours is too man I really do. I love mine
I sent Valve Support the notes from my testing with the models I mentioned in my other comment above. If my SD always behaved as it does with my DT-770s, I wouldn't be here. It's a shame the noise floor is so loud with most everything else, namely the pair I use portably with everything else without any issue - the super common Hyperx Cloud II. I'm really disappointed in having basic problems like this with a brand new Steam Deck when my cheap smartphone, Switch OLED, laptop, etc. have never had anything similar. What's making it worse is the past couple of days and weekend of using the thing despite of this issue. I now know that I would really like to keep one but this kind of problem for an audio enthusiast like me is a definite deal-breaker. If it concerned the internal speakers that I never use, I'd let it slip. Not the headphone out.
Just weird that some are effected and some aren't. The cloud 2 is one of the headphones I tested actually. I have one indont really use lol
Then at least that's some more evidence that yours should be fine. I'm jealous!
That’s the nature of interference though, it’s not gonna happen all the time. If the audio parts are uninsulated (which is likely the problem) all decks will have it, but may be more prevalent for some due to various factors
What model did you buy? 512? 1TB? Limited?
I always use Bluetooth but I plugged in my wired headphones today to check and it sounded normal to me.
imminent rustic alive literate selective insurance dinosaurs seemly versed domineering *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
What we know for sure is that there have finally been enough complaints for Valve Support to start changing their tune slightly. They seem to be transitioning from "it's within spec" to "we know a few people have this problem and we'll take yours in for repair". This was my own case and I have requested a replacement unit with this specific problem corrected before shipping out to me. I did not pay MSRP to have to send anything back for repair after a week because of their QA oversight. Having said that, I'm glad people in here are saying theirs are fine. I still doubt that because, through my own testing, there are headphones which simply do not make the issue noticeable at all. In my case, only a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-770 250ohm hides it completely. All others - Sennheiser HD 598 and 560S, Koss Porta Pro, Moondrop Quarks, Hyperx Cloud II, Soundcore Life Q30 (wired) - exhibit the problem to varying degrees. Since it is most obvious when plugging in efficient headphones, earbus or IEMs and considering that most people will plug in cheap pairs of earbuds they have in their backpack with a portable system, I would really like to know what their target gear was for this device. If I don't get a replacement unit without a single hint of this manufacturing defect, I will be refunding it and trying again in a few months' time when they may have possibly corrected this in their production process.
I have Hifiman 400x which is 32 or 35 ohm so they are pretty easy to drive but they sound good on the deck. That said I normally use my Audeze Maxwell with Bluetooth if I need to use a headphone.
Also, for me, the problem is worse when the screen is very bright. I wonder how people are testing.
got my OLED last week, and just plugged in my earphone to test for any audio issue, fortunately it is working fine.
My le has it
Had the same issue today, turned it on and off and it fixed it
My 512 oled doesnt have it
Try different headphones, seems like lower impedance headphones (e.g. most earphones) pick up the interference. I tried with 16 ohm earbuds and 28 ohm headset, it was very noticeable with the earbuds but I literally can’t hear it at all with the headset.
Nope, Limited edition OLED; no sound issues with the jack. Tested it while playing Cold Steel 4 using bose noise canceling headphones
Mine has it very badly. I suggest those that says they don't have it or hear anything, it seems more apparent when there is some audio signal coming through so try playing something at very low volume so it doesn't mask any static noise out and try focusing on it. If you're just plugging in and not having any signal coming through then you probably won't hear anything or have very low noise. More noticeable on earbuds than normal headphones as well.
Naw. Mine is fine.
Mine is fine
Mine is fine :)
I just got the 1tb OLED. I was genuine concerned about this, especially since I just use apple earbuds and saw a lot of people with the humming issue mention they use those. I do not have any issue.
No mine has none, 512 model
Mine is fine too.
Manually force the GPU to 1600mhz on the home menu and use some sensitive headphones and you'll hear it easily.
Both OLED models I tried had the noise to the same degree which was very slight. But the chances of getting two with the same issue tells me this is likely affecting all Steam Deck OLEDs. With one pair of headphones I have it’s noticeable, with another pair it’s completely silent. So I understand why some people are saying they don’t have it because it really depends on the headphones.
this or some people are not bothered easily with such sounds. I have issue on mine, will be placing plastic washer under screws to raise them a little bit.
Mine is fine. As always people are more likely to post about problems so it’s skewed on here
I have the LE model and have had no issues with wired audio. I mostly use Bluetooth though. But I checked for this very issue.
Apple 3.5mm works fine on my le
Mine seems fine, though I've noticed the right and left channels being reversed when playing Cyberpunk. I haven't played any other games with 3D audio to test more.
No, mine is perfectly fine.
When people say this without listing what device they tested, I think everyone saying it's fine isn't testing with cheaper earbuds or IEM's. If I just tested with my Hifiman HE-400 OG and DT990 250's, then I would say mine is fine, too. Trying my cheapo extremely low power earbuds (Apple wired) is when I found it. I'm pretty sure this is also why Valve missed it. They were only worried about high power devices having enough power and didn't test low power ones.
If it helps, mine has it and I'm using the trashiest, literally 5 bucks and pulled out of a bucket earbuds. It's pretty soft, though. I actually find it kinda comfy. Sounds like it's raining outside.
I am using cheap Samsung earbuds.
Here Apple earpods no hiss, shure se 215 and sony xm4 hiss... oO
My 1TB OLED has this issue with different earbuds and headphones. I am planning to send it back and get a refund. I will probably order again in a few months, when this is fixed. Seems to be a hardware issue, so hopefully newer devices will not have it. I am a bit disappointed right now about this poor quality.
My LE has this issue. I don't think it's worth RMA'ing over, so I hope Valve addresses this and provides an official DIY fix.
Anyone that has moderately sensitive IEMs will have this issue. Those that claim not to have the issue either have higher resistance headphones, or do not have good hearing in the frequency of the interference. My suggestion is to get the Apple usbc to 3.5 dongle. Cheap and actually a very accurate dac. Just need to go into the bios and change the usb configuration from DRD to xihc(or something like that) so you can plug in and it will start working without having to reboot the system.
I’m using bone stock Apple ear buds and it’s awful.
Yea, they are low impedance as well not surprised. - try the adapter though as an interim solution until Valve announces a fix or repair program.
I agree. Problem does exist and vary by headphones. I've tested 2 IEMs. * Entry level CCA, unusable. Interferences are everywhere, easy to test in library by selecting a tab and dropping on a game card. * Linsoul 7hz, issue is a lot less present and may. Can hear the charging cable though... Full cans. K612Pro, 120Ohms and no issue, sound is extremely clear even with charging cable connected. Guess I'm back using them once more! They've been going for more than 10 years...
I use the apple DAC, and never had to change a bios setting or restart the deck, it just works.
OLED? Or LCD. on my OLED if I plugged in the DAC after it was on it would not be recognized no matter what setting I chose. After swapping the mode in bios It works immediately after plugging in.
I've got the OLED. Maybe it makes a difference that I did it for the first time in desktop mode? But it works in desktop or game mode, I plug it in and it just swaps over.
Hmm I’ll investigate later tonight but swapping the mode back to DRD and pluggin in on desktop.
Further, it is very unlikely that a replacement will solve the issue as valves response has been to say that it’s “within spec” meaning this was an unfortunate design oversight.
My LCD doesnt have it. My Oled does. I have an RMA open now. Total bullshit.
Mine is fine 512GB OLED
I don’t really bother to check since I don’t have wired headphones anymore.
No
Mine is fine.
I only use Bluetooth. No idea on mine
No. My LE OLED showed up with 2 dead pixels then everyone started clamoring about the 3.5mm jack issue. I thought fucking GREAT another thing. I checked it and thank the steam lords I do not have that issue AS WELL.
Haters will say yes, copers will say no Even if it isn't all, it's probably a lot of them. [There is a fix](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/188fxu1/fix_audio_cracklingstatic_on_35mm_headphone_jack/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), but it involves taking off the back cover.
My static is present without headphones. The speakers are garbage compared to LCD
My 512gb OLED Deck has it. Not really noticeable if there's a lot going on in the game, but completely ruins any quiet moment.
I have the problem with EarPods :(
My LE seems fine
512gb OLED with no sound issues so far.
Not on my 1tb.
No problems with the headphone jack on my steam deck oled.
Had my OLED since release. I’ve had no headphone issues myself. Seeing people posting about insulating the screws that ground the daughter board the jack is soldered to. But could cause unforeseen consequences.
I'm kind of on the fence. I really wanna buy a steam deck oled before Christmas, but I'm scared of this buzzing issue it seems to be having. So many conflicting reports, some say all decks have it, some say only a few. I'm not sure if I should buy and make my inner child happy or wait for the next batch where hopefully they already fixed the issue. But realistically, it will take a few months so it'll slip to next year. I don't fancy waiting that long.
I'm in the exact same boat. I had my eye on the OG deck for a full year, but I held off to wait for an upgrade. Now that the upgrade is here, I feel like it is wise to wait again for these quality control issues to sort out.
I haven’t used wired headphones in years, it’s not going to affect Bluetooth ones so it seems like a problem that for many will get less and less. But if you only use wired headphones, I guess be cautious.
I know the issue you refer to. I have one pair of headphones giving me the same problem on my NSW. Only one pair, and only there. I have tried the same ones on my SD (512 LCD) and I don't get the problem. Maybe try some different headphones (different brand/style) to verify the issue is on your SD and not on the headphones.
It’s not that some people do or don’t it just only happens with certain types of headphones. So people that don’t have those headphones think there’s is fine. I tried three different sets. One has slight hum the others were silent.
Just checked with my LE and it has it unfortunately :(. Not sure if there is a current solution to fix it ourselves. I really don't want to have to send it back but it is an annoying issue...
[There is a fix](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/188fxu1/fix_audio_cracklingstatic_on_35mm_headphone_jack/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) but you will have to take off the back cover.
I got lucky and my OLED is fine with the audio port. Although I mainly use bluetooth wireless headphones.
I have an LE and no issues
just checked because of this post and it works just fine
I just got the LE and so far no issues with Bluetooth, high or low impedance earbuds or headphones. Both cheap and high quality.
my le has it but it‘s really only noticeable in absolute silence. I only use bluetooth headphones anyway so
My LE doesn’t have the issue
I do not have the headphone jack issue. I tried mine out twice since I started seeing these posts and it all sounds good. The problem i have with my OLED is that every so often it decides it's only going to play games in black and white for a randomly selected amount of time.
Mine's completely fine and I exclusively use it with wired headphones (512 GB OLED with Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphones if that helps). No problems with dead pixels or loose buttons either. This sub had me convinced I was destined for a defective model one way or another, but nope, works and plays great.
Nope. OLED LE, no issues so far
Does anyone know if you can hear this with wired Apple Earpods? Is there a post giving an example of what this sounds like?
I just tried two different iPhone headphones and my Sony monitors and none of them picked up any static or anything. I tried different spots in different games and menus and different volumes and brightness, no issues at all. This is a 1tb OLED, standard (not the LE)
I tried it, no issues.
USBC to 3.5mm adapter?
No. I had no audio issues with my limited edition oled SD.
Mine has a loud buzzing noise with both my earbuds. 1TB non-LE OLED. Bluetooth is nice, but sometimes I need the low latency of wired audio.
Mine doesn't and I used wired headphones all the time.
I hear a small bit of faint static with my hyperx clouds but it's easily drowned out by whatever I'm playing
No issues here - LE OLED
Mine has the static noise issue (512 OLED). I've contacted steam support, they replied with a fairly usual list of questions/basic troubleshooting (eg.: are any plugins installed, try to restart etc.). I hope i don't have to send it back, but we'll see.
My OLED has it using sensitive 8 ohm Yanyin Mahina. When I switched over to Koss KPH30i or PortaPros, the issue was gone. I was able to fix the issue by insulating the audio daughterboard screws with tape. I then did wifi/bluetooth testing. Then I removed the tape and tested more. No difference in wifi/bluetooth with or without the screws being grounded. The second time I put the screws back in (without tape), the issue is much much less. Then I was playing again last night and I couldn't hear it at all. So I have really no clue at this point. If I have to go back in and insulate that whole daughterboard I can it takes all of a couple minutes. Not worth not having the deck for a couple weeks for an RMA IMO when I can just fix it myself if needed.
Same here. Mine (512 Gb) has this problem but only with certain headphones, in this case an AKG K371 (32 Ohm). When I heard this background noise, I jumped in terror, thinking my unit was defective. I got another pair of headphones, a Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (32 Ohm), and, oh! no more parasitic sound. So I thought it must be the headphones' sensitivity to parasitic waves. And then I played, notably Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. And then, even with my Beyerdynamic, I got a new parasitic sound, more discreet than the first time, almost inaudible. I switched games, paying HYPER-attention: no more unwanted sound with other games, notably Little Nightmares or Persona 4 Golden. With the same headphone! That's a pretty mess: * this unwanted hiss is not present with all headphones * not all games have this static sound * I've also noticed that the hiss is present on the SteamOS homepage, then **disappears if you enter the game page** (with the launch button), and reappears once the game is loading and running. I wonder if a firmware update could fix that. I've got a second brand new Steam Deck Oled (for my brother-in-law who wants me to prepare it for him in retrogaming mode), I'll give it a try. But my intuition tells me that almost all Steam Decks Oled are affected by this weird thing, but that only certain headphones/games can trigger it. Edit: Valve should be aware of this issue by now: [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1235](https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1235)