My Music Sounds Distorted Or 'Crackly'

Modified on Sun, 7 May, 2023 at 1:42 AM

What to do if you're hearing crackling or distortion when using your Ambie player.


There are a few reasons why certain songs you're listening to may sound distorted or 'crackly', especially if the volume on your sound system is turned up high. 


For context, Ambie's Standard Player provides audio in MP3 format at 192 kbt/s. The audio output from the player is via a 3.5mm jack and there is no dedicated DAC on the device. 


If you want a more premium sound, you can upgrade to Ambie HiFi where you'll get a dedicated Texas Instruments DAC, RAC outputs and music delivered in 320 kbt/s. Please email [email protected] to find out more or speak to your customer success manager. 


To reduce the distortion and improve playback, there are two actions that we usually suggest and, in the majority of cases, seem to have a positive impact:


  1. Adjust the player volume. All Ambie players are by default set to 100% and when the amplifier is also at a high volume, this can produce a distorted sound.
    RESOLUTION: Reduce the volume on the player to 50 or 75% using the Dashboard or Remote and then, if needed, turn up the volume on your amplifier or speaker system.
  2. Check the cabling. Sometimes the audio cable is loose or the audio jack is broken (either on the player or on the amplifier/speaker). This can cause crackling and distortion.
    RESOLUTION: You may need a new cable or worst case a new player if the audio 3.5mm jack is damaged. Please contact [email protected] who will be able to action this for. 


If you're still having issues, and these resolutions don't seem to work, contact Ambie's 24/7 support team by emailing [email protected] or calling +44203-282-7187. You can also contact support on live chat via your Dashboard and Remote. 

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