Slight audio crackling/static

[Stanley]

Happens with anything. Headphones, the speakers and earbuds. (Just to be clear this got fixed after like a few days after because of an update)

[JulesWayne]

Same issue, new OLED 512, very audible since the main menu loads. Tried 3.5.5, 3.5.7 beta and restarting but keeps happening.

Hope it's not an isolation issue, but definitely sounds like it, which would be bad since many OLED users seem affected.

[Spacejaws]

Hissing OLED 512GB here too. If I just sit on the main menu for a minute it almost stops (just before it would normally dim) and if I move my cursor it picks right back up again. This sucks as I play with headphones a ton. Had no issues with this on my 512GB LCD.

[preacha]

I have the same Problem with my 1 TB Oled Steam Deck. Setting gpu to 200mhz fixes the crackling sounds.

[bit-bLt]

Just chiming in; have it on 512gb OLED.

[Kage Goomba]

Not tried headphone jack - prob won't as I'm using Bluetooth Headphones - Audio is clean on both the SteamDeck itself and my Headphones...hmmm

[JulesWayne]

Just opened a ticket for an otherwise perfectly good unit. Will try with a USB C to minijack DAC and report back. I assume it would sound clean that way but that headphone jack should be isolated.

Can confirm it's totally related to GPU frequency and setting it to 200 will make it quieter and stable but still there.

[Nuanulla]

Originally posted by Kage Goomba:

Not tried headphone jack - prob won't as I'm using Bluetooth Headphones - Audio is clean on both the SteamDeck itself and my Headphones...hmmm

Audio is clean with bluetooth headphones and Steam Deck speakers. Audio is also clean when using wired headphones when ANC is on. Audio isn't clean when using headphones wired and unpowered.

Originally posted by JulesWayne:

Just opened a ticket for an otherwise perfectly good unit. Will try with a USB C to minijack DAC and report back. I assume it would sound clean that way but that headphone jack should be isolated.

Can confirm it's totally related to GPU frequency and setting it to 200 will make it quieter and stable but still there.

You can also set TDP Limit to anything less than 6. This also reduced the hiss on my end, but obviously not a good solution.

[ProRedPanda]

I sure hope this is not a hardware issue on the OLED. This would be a serious frick-up on Valve's part and would warrant a re-call :|

[nephalim]

This happened to me, I switched headphones and it went away. I don't think it is a hardware issue.

[rené descartes]

Same, pretty noticeable with my IEMs. Still present ingame although it gets drowned out if the game is loud enough. Subscribing to the discussion, hopefully steam support follows up on the issue if it really is as widespread as it looks to be.

[Kage Goomba]

Static/Crackling is not software.
Software while it can mitigate - isn't a solution.

Static/Crackling is due to one of two things.

1: Power induced interference (My TV does this - I have to install a isolator box to prevent the noise on my mixer.

2: The headphones/port/jack/cable has a problem.

So yeah - like it or not - hardware is a suspect here.

Software may eliminate it - but it won't kill it outright.

[Nuanulla]

The fact that the same pair of headphones, and the same cable, plugged into my LED Steam Deck exhibits no issue at all means that the issue comes not out of anything external but rather something internal to the Steam Deck.

I feel confident that the OLED Steam Deck isn't revealing a flaw in my headphones, in that rare case, given that I was able to isolate this issue across other electronic devices to the OLED Steam Deck specifically. Couple this with the apparent prevalence of the issue, and it doesn't do to even suggest that "The headphones/port/jack/cable has a problem" as a potentiality.

I would not go so far as to point at either a software or hardware issue. It's too premature given how much has changed in the Deck internally.

[Kage Goomba]

Originally posted by Nuanulla:

The fact that the same pair of headphones, and the same cable, plugged into my LED Steam Deck exhibits no issue at all means that the issue comes not out of anything external but rather something internal to the Steam Deck.

I feel confident that the OLED Steam Deck isn't revealing a flaw in my headphones, in that rare case, given that I was able to isolate this issue across other electronic devices to the OLED Steam Deck specifically. Couple this with the apparent prevalence of the issue, and it doesn't do to even suggest that "The headphones/port/jack/cable has a problem" as a potentiality.

I would not go so far as to point at either a software or hardware issue. It's too premature given how much has changed in the Deck internally.

Which means its likely a power induced problem.
Either way - its a sucky situation.

My thing is - a firmware push is very unlikely going to fix that.
Been around my Dad too much (Electrical Engineer who is wise to things such as RFI/EMI)

[Feral Walrus]

Exact same issue on my 512 OLED. Headphones sound pristine over a USB C DAC. Except for that one thing it’s close to a perfect device. It amazes me it got through QA.

[Val Verdian]

I'm getting a low static through the wired headphones regardless of output volume, changes on GPU clock (tested putting it down to 200mhz and it disappeared). Just got my OLED yesterday and it's otherwise perfect. Very disappointed