LG OLED GX & GX Soundbar - Wireless Subwoofer Noise/Interference

infaddict

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Hi,

I've just bought a 65" LG OLED GX TV and matching GX Soundbar. The subwoofer is wireless. On any input source (Sky, Netflix, Xbox) the woofer does a low "grumble". The best description I can give is a bit like the noise you computer hard-drive makes when it is working inside your computer. I have recordings/videos I can share where you can hear it. It is very noticeable on quiet scenes.

I have moved the woofer to within a few feet of the soundbar and the problem still exists. The router is in another room and no other devices close to the woofer. I've forced my 5ghz channel to be 36 (lowest one) to try and avoid any interference but it didn't help.

I guess I could turn off the router completely and try playing something as another test (will do that later when family won't shout!).

I am connected from ARC/e-ARC HDMI port 2 from TV to the Soundbar.

Any help or guidance much appreciated. Its very frustrating and makes this very expensive setup annoying to use.

Cheers.
 
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I've now powered off my router and the same problem persists, so I don't think its interference from the router. I've logged this with LG and sent them videos of the problem one of which can be viewed here:

Have a listen, its the film "Fury" and a quiet scene inside a tank. The loud bangs and metal clangs are real and from the scene. The constant rumbling/noise is not from the scene and is the problem I am talking about.

Note this happens on multiple sources (Sky, Netflix, Xbox) but does NOT happen thru TV speakers.
 
What happens if you power off everything except the sub-woofer? If you get noise then, then you know that that's the issue. If not, start back-tracking. Try a different TV, HDMI cables, etc.
 
There is no noise when just the sub-woofer is powered on. The noise is only when its playing a channel/source. I don't own any other TV with ARC to try the exact same setup sadly. The sound-bar has an optical connection, so I suppose I could buy a cable and try that - do you think thats worth it? I do have other HDMI cables so will definitely try them.

Richer Sounds have offered me to take home their sub-woofer to try for a comparison, that might at least rule out a faulty unit.
 
Try HDMI to see if that sorts it.You’re better off using HDMI anyway, as optical doesn’t support the newer audio codecs.
 
Ok so I have now done the following:

1) Bought a 8k (48 gbps) HDMI cable to use between TV and soundbar (instead of the one provided by LG with the sounder). Sadly this made no difference and the problem is still there.

2) Bought an optical cable to use between TV and soundbar (not for long term due to limitations but an interesting test). Sadly the problem is still there with this cable.

I am going to log all my test permutations and sources so I don't forget them. What is interesting is that I can definitely hear it clear as day on anything from Sky (via set-top box) and anything on Netflix (Smart TV app). But on Amazon Prime it is less noticeable and I need more time to find a title where I can hear it clearly.

My testing includes stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Vision titles to try and prove if its related to the audio type, but so far nothing stands out.

I can't find a way for the TV to tell me the audio type such as type (5.1, DV) or bitrate or anything. That would be useful in my testing.
 
So my testing so far tells me its either

1) A faulty subwoofer or soundbar. Sadly due to new COVID restrictions I now can't take up Richer Sounds on their offer to try their subwoofer.

2) An inherit flaw in this product

3) Something else!

I wonder if another brand of subwoofer would connect wirelessly to the LG GX soundbar for comparison??
 
The fault could be with the TV, not the bar, or a combination of both. Unless you have another TV to try, or a device such as a BR player to connect to the bar, you can’t be sure either way.

If you can’t use any other devices to test then your only option is to swap out either the TV or bar. The bar would be easier, of course. If it were a design fault then there would be more ‘noise’ about it. It’s stupid, IMO, to use wireless connectivity this way. I presume that you can’t use a cabled connection instead? Yamaha kit does provide that option. However, if you like the LG setup then replacing something is your only option.

One other thought. Is this just a case of the sub volume set too high, or something like that? Can you hear any noises from the bar if the sub is powered off? Do you still hear the noise if, for example, you pick a Freeview channel that’s currently off air as a source?
 
I also have the gx sound bar and TV. I don't get this problem. I also bought the rear speakers too
 
Hi,

I've just bought a 65" LG OLED GX TV and matching GX Soundbar. The subwoofer is wireless. On any input source (Sky, Netflix, Xbox) the woofer does a low "grumble". The best description I can give is a bit like the noise you computer hard-drive makes when it is working inside your computer. I have recordings/videos I can share where you can hear it. It is very noticeable on quiet scenes.

I have moved the woofer to within a few feet of the soundbar and the problem still exists. The router is in another room and no other devices close to the woofer. I've forced my 5ghz channel to be 36 (lowest one) to try and avoid any interference but it didn't help.

I guess I could turn off the router completely and try playing something as another test (will do that later when family won't shout!).

I am connected from ARC/e-ARC HDMI port 2 from TV to the Soundbar.

Any help or guidance much appreciated. Its very frustrating and makes this very expensive setup annoying to use.

Cheers.
So glad you described this issue so well. I call the LG GX sub woofer noise the "coffee percolator". It haunts quiet scenes. Did anyone get to the bottom of this, or have I simply made an expensive error by buying a sound system from an oled image pioneer, rather than from an audio specialist?
 
@infaddict @Wilson101

I have the GX TV and soundbar combination, and I get no such noise on mine.

So it isn’t a design fault, though it may be a manufacturing one.

You can eliminate (or otherwise!) the TV by running something like a BluRay player into the soundbar, and when the grunting starts, disconnect the soundbar from the TV, and switch the TV off.

Also try, as an experiment, putting the sub as close as possible to the soundbar, and also, as far away on the other side of the soundbar as it is from it now. Do either or both of these placements stop the grunting?

From the video above, I might also suspect the cone in the sub is binding; this can only be checked by replacing it with another unit.

Though this can be done either way round; if RS can’t bring you a sub to try, can they collect yours, and try that in their store?
 
Hi,

I've just bought a 65" LG OLED GX TV and matching GX Soundbar. The subwoofer is wireless. On any input source (Sky, Netflix, Xbox) the woofer does a low "grumble". The best description I can give is a bit like the noise you computer hard-drive makes when it is working inside your computer. I have recordings/videos I can share where you can hear it. It is very noticeable on quiet scenes.

I have moved the woofer to within a few feet of the soundbar and the problem still exists. The router is in another room and no other devices close to the woofer. I've forced my 5ghz channel to be 36 (lowest one) to try and avoid any interference but it didn't help.

I guess I could turn off the router completely and try playing something as another test (will do that later when family won't shout!).

I am connected from ARC/e-ARC HDMI port 2 from TV to the Soundbar.

Any help or guidance much appreciated. Its very frustrating and makes this very expensive setup annoying to use.

Cheers.
I am getting the same from my GC sub esp. noticeable in quiet scenes. Does indeed sound like a hard disc searching for lost data and really annoying in what is otherwise a really impressive 5.1 set-up.
Did you find a solution - was it a faulty sub in the end that you managed to swap out?
 
I’m about to send my GX soundbar back. Did anyone find a fix for the interference?
 
Hi All, Just to confirm I have the same issue. I received the GX soundbar as a promotion on a LG OLED from RS. I will contact RS and LG to see if they can offer help.
 
Ok I feel I’ve made a breakthrough with this issue. RS replaced the whole GX package, but the problem has persisted.

I am using this with the LG OLEDG26 TV.
I noticed that when pressing the "i" button on the soundbar remote, the soundbar display was showing PCM.
This means I am not even getting a Atmos signal.
On the LG TV I went to all settings>sound>advanced settings. At the bottom of the menu, I noticed "Digital sound output was set to "PCM" and "eARC Support" wasn’t even turned on. I changed "Digital Sound Output" to "auto" and turned on "eARC Support".
My devices are plugged directly into TV to benefit from VRR/ALLM/120Hz and other such features. eARC is handling the sound output to the LG GX soundbar.
The underlying noise in quiet scenes has near enough gone. (a lot quieter) and "Dolby Atmos" now shows.
I hope this also works for you all.
 
Ok I feel I’ve made a breakthrough with this issue. RS replaced the whole GX package, but the problem has persisted.

I am using this with the LG OLEDG26 TV.
I noticed that when pressing the "i" button on the soundbar remote, the soundbar display was showing PCM.
This means I am not even getting a Atmos signal.
On the LG TV I went to all settings>sound>advanced settings. At the bottom of the menu, I noticed "Digital sound output was set to "PCM" and "eARC Support" wasn’t even turned on. I changed "Digital Sound Output" to "auto" and turned on "eARC Support".
My devices are plugged directly into TV to benefit from VRR/ALLM/120Hz and other such features. eARC is handling the sound output to the LG GX soundbar.
The underlying noise in quiet scenes has near enough gone. (a lot quieter) and "Dolby Atmos" now shows.
I hope this also works for you

Did this work, I have a new LG GX sound bar installed before Xmas, hearing the same as described. Tried the settings suggested but still hearing the noise.
 
Did this work, I have a new LG GX sound bar installed before Xmas, hearing the same as described. Tried the settings suggested but still hearing the noise.
I am having the exact same issue as well and can’t resolve
 
Hi All, got the GX free with the G3. Same issue. Changed control channel to 64 on 5Ghz and disabled DFS and issue has gone away. Any other channel and doing a speed test on my iPhone would cause the sub to completely cut out!! Hope this helps someone as the interference and pops etc were a pain.
 
Hi All, got the GX free with the G3. Same issue. Changed control channel to 64 on 5Ghz and disabled DFS and issue has gone away. Any other channel and doing a speed test on my iPhone would cause the sub to completely cut out!! Hope this helps someone as the interference and pops etc were a pain.
I had similar with my Woofer on the GX, it was disconnecting and reconnecting or a constant popping sound or a rumble type muffled noise during quiet scenes. I've just done the same as DFOLT12 suggests, disabled DFS and set my 5ghz channel to 64 and it worked! My router is an Asus TUF AX5400 if that helps.

Thanks DFOLT12, it's very much appreciated.
 
I had similar with my Woofer on the GX, it was disconnecting and reconnecting or a constant popping sound or a rumble type muffled noise during quiet scenes. I've just done the same as DFOLT12 suggests, disabled DFS and set my 5ghz channel to 64 and it worked! My router is an Asus TUF AX5400 if that helps.

Thanks DFOLT12, it's very much appreciated.
Hey there, i am having the same issue can you tell me how you went about fixing this please..
 

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