iPhone ear buds - thumping noise when speaking

[AleisterCrowley]

I've just got a new set of iPhone earbuds for my ancient iPhone 4S to replace the cheapo fakes I've been using (one earpiece is intermittent)
They are allegedly genuine, from a UK based retailer.
The sound quality is good when listening, but when I do a voice recording there's a loud, fast thudding in the background - what we used to call 'motorboating'
I've tried recording on the phone, and on my Lenovo laptop, and the problem is identical- but oddly less noticeable when recording to a Fire tablet
Recording from old fake earbuds is fine
Any ideas?

[AleisterCrowley]

Update- just done a test Teams call with colleague and audio was OK apparently

[servodude]

not had experience with buds directly but I've had to crush a few motor boats

do you have any control over the sampling rate? you might want to try a lower one?
you can get motorboating from rate mismatch, or aliasing, or for these possibly buffer under running; as the audio is packetized to go over Bluetooth (the quality of the link can be affected by what else is around)

I also think buds of these type try and do noise cancellation on the input signal
- this could be a source of motorboating (variations in background inducing beats at the addition post phase reversal - think tuning a guitar string)
- can you tell it to disable this (use a single bud as the mic?)

good luck
- sd

[AleisterCrowley]

They are entirely passive with no noise cancellation, and no potential feedback path. The comments from Teams call earlier were 'poor audio' so they're going back

[servodude]

They are entirely passive with no noise cancellation, and no potential feedback path. The comments from Teams call earlier were 'poor audio' so they're going back

Ah I thought you meant the fancy little white things that sit in your ear and appear to come with a sense that it's OK to leave them in permanently when talking to someone - I think they're called AirPods

It does sound like you got a duff pair

I can recommend the Xiaomi headphones if you don't mind in-ear and want something a bit better than el cheapo (both my kids use the Mi Pro Hybrids from www.gearbest.com)

- sd

[AF62]

They are allegedly genuine, from a UK based retailer.

Unless it is a large high street retailer I doubt they are genuine, and given how Apple controls the price of its products then if you paid less than £29 then they will be fake - https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/M ... phone-plug

Ah I thought you meant the fancy little white things that sit in your ear and appear to come with a sense that it's OK to leave them in permanently when talking to someone - I think they're called AirPods

With AirPods if you take one out the music automatically stops, but non-Airpod users don't realise that so think you are still listening to the music with the one still in your ear whilst trying to listen to them.

You can also pause the music when using AirPods by just touching one of them briefly (or even asking Siri to pause the music), but again non-Airpod users don't realise that so think you are still listening to the music whilst trying to listen to them.

[AleisterCrowley]

Problem solved I think- I contacted the supplier and they sent replacements (without asking for return of the originals) which work fine! Must have been a microphone issue. I'm wary of 'Apple' stuff sold online as it's usually fake but these actually look genuine - they have the fine mesh in the ports (not cloth) and the microscopic 'Designed in California..." on the cable.

[servodude]

non-Airpod users don't realise that so think you are still listening

Naw we do realise it; it just makes it feel like you're talking to a minicab driver if someone's got a bit if plastic hanging out their lug
Must admit though they ARE impressive bits of kit; but I can't give up my SE535s

-sd

[AF62]

I'm wary of 'Apple' stuff sold online as it's usually fake but these actually look genuine - they have the fine mesh in the ports (not cloth) and the microscopic 'Designed in California..." on the cable.

I have a pair of £10 'AirPods' from China via Ali Express and a pair of £125 Airpods designed in California.

Visually there is virtually no difference, even down to the packaging, and the £10 'AirPods' report themselves as AirPods when you connect them.

non-Airpod users don't realise that so think you are still listening

Naw we do realise it; it just makes it feel like you're talking to a minicab driver if someone's got a bit if plastic hanging out their lug
Must admit though they ARE impressive bits of kit; but I can't give up my SE535s

-sd

Yes I was doubtful, but the AirPods are pretty damn good (and work fine for Teams calls by the way). Not sure I would spend the £250 on the AirPod Pros though, mind you I doubt you would blink at that price if you use SE535s.

If you want a ridiculously cheap pair of earbuds (no microphone though) that keep out noise by the fit, then you can't go far wrong than these at £5.50 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1 Wonderfully comfortable, sound reasonable, and at that price, disposable.