Poor sound quality from connected source

Applies to:

Poor sound, such as distortion, static, humming, buzzing and crackling, can be caused by different audio sources and device settings.

To resolve this issue, try the following:

Check the EQ settings on the connected audio device. If the connected device is an MP3 player, its EQ settings may affect the audio performance. The EQ settings should be set to "off" or "flat". If you need to adjust the EQ setting, refer to the user's guide for your connected device or contact the device manufacturer for instructions

Music played back through iTunes Radio will be 8–9 dB quieter than other music played back through the device. This is present on all versions of iOS 7

Power cycle or reboot the device. The device may have malfunctioned and might need to be reset

Try connecting to a different device

Try streaming a different audio source. Some types of media produce lower quality sound

Unpair and re-pair the headset from your Bluetooth device

Make sure the device's A2DP Bluetooth protocol is enabled. When pairing/connecting the device, the A2DP stereo audio needs to be active to assure high-quality audio is sent to the headset. If the signal is sent to the headset using the headset profile (hsp) or hands-free profile (hfp), sound quality will be low and/or poor

For information on which profile your phone supports, refer to the device manufacturer.