Headphones & earbuds

Earbuds have a hissing sound specifically when noise cancelling is turned on

A faint hiss with ANC active is normal self-noise from the ANC circuitry in many earbuds, but a loud or worsening hiss can indicate a specific model issue or a firmware bug. Comparing hiss level to reviews of your specific model clarifies what's normal.

Difficulty
Easy
Time
10–15 minutes

Symptoms

  • Faint background hiss noticeable mainly in quiet environments with ANC on
  • Hiss disappears when ANC is turned off
  • Hiss is louder in one ear than the other
  • Hiss seems louder than when the earbuds were new

Likely causes

  • CommonInherent self-noise from the ANC microphones and processing circuitActive noise cancelling requires constant microphone monitoring and signal processing, which can produce a low-level hiss especially noticeable in silent rooms.
  • CommonANC strength/level set to maximum, amplifying the self-noiseSome earbuds let you adjust ANC intensity, and higher settings can increase perceptible hiss.
  • PossibleFirmware bug affecting ANC processing on a specific unitOccasionally a firmware issue causes ANC hiss levels higher than the model's normal spec.
  • PossibleManufacturing variance between unitsA small percentage of units may have a slightly noisier ANC circuit than the average for that model.
  • Less commonDamaged ANC microphone causing excess noiseA degraded or damaged microphone component can generate more noise than intended.

What to do

  1. Compare the hiss level to reviews or forum discussions for your exact earbud model, since some baseline hiss with ANC is normal and expected.
  2. Try reducing the ANC intensity level if your earbuds offer adjustable strength settings.
  3. Update the earbuds' firmware, since ANC processing improvements are sometimes included in updates.
  4. Test in a genuinely silent room versus normal environments, since hiss is far more noticeable without any ambient sound to mask it.
  5. Compare the hiss level between left and right earbuds individually to check for an asymmetric issue.
  6. If hiss seems unusually loud compared to when the earbuds were new or compared to typical reviews, consider a factory reset.

When to call a pro

If the hiss is clearly louder than typical for your model (as described in reviews) or is asymmetric between ears after a firmware update and reset, contact the manufacturer's support to check for a hardware defect.

Safety

Generally low risk

Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.

Related guides

Operator provides AI-generated troubleshooting information. It can be wrong. For safety-critical, electrical, gas, structural, medical, automotive safety, or other high-risk problems, consult a qualified professional.