Librem 14 - Annoying high-pitched electrical noise

Hardware
17

It might help other if someone could upload the sound file.

18

Here’s two files. The first contains the fan and the electrical noise. The second is just the electrical noise. Best heard with headphones and the volume turned almost all the way up. Audio was recorded with a phone.

1 Like
19

Soundcloud decided to delete the above since it wasn’t music. Reuploaded to audiomack:

Recording 1
Recording 2
Recording 3

2 Likes
20

I am having this issue as well.

21

Yep here as well.
Anyway the frequency seems to change with power consumption :smiley: e.g. keyboard backlight brightness.

22

Its easy, purism barely tested the product before rushing it out the door. They admitted to it during soldergate in this post:

1 Like
23

The latest firmware release (coreboot 4.14 / pureboot 18) do not alleviate this issue at all.

2 Likes
24

I have the same high pitched noise, but setting the keyboard backlight to maximum brightness helps, i.e. removes the noise :thinking:

4 Likes
25

I too seem to have this.

26

update tested the keyboard light thing
sadly for me it is immaterial

This means that basically my internal mic is useless which also basically means my camera is useless.

I will never purchase anything from this company ever again.

27

I have that high pitched noise issue as well in my headphones when plugged in. Turning the keyboard brightness up all the way does seem to alleviate the noise but is still noticeable if paying attention to it. Would like an update on purism if this is a common issue. Another note, if i use my fingers on the track pad, the noise seems to get louder as i move my fingers

1 Like
28

Same experience here, headphones, trackpad, and all.

I’ve noticed (or at least my perception is…) that leaving the laptop plugged in all of the time and with the keyboard backlight all the way up seems to reduce the electrical noise the most, but it is still there.

29

Dell XPS 9550 and up and Precisions 5520 and up all have coil whine too. Not sure if its hazardous though. I’d be concerned if it was.

30

Hate this. Can anyone pin point exactly which coils are noisy? Sometimes a bit of glue can solve the problem.

31

Just got my Lib14 and I hear what everyones talking about. The coil whine is very loud compared to my two Dell XPS. The pitch of the frequency varies depending on what you or the cpu is doing at the time. The high pitch frequency become unbearable at times. Sharp and cutting to the ear. Some frequency pitches aren’t healthy to the body. I really hope thats not the case here. I can reduce the sound by using my palm to cover the tab, caps lock, tic, 1, Q, A and esc buttons of the keyboard. Doesn’t solve the problem here. Not nearly enough. Any purposed solutions here?

32

I’ve been able to reduce “some” of the coil whine by plugging ALL the usb ports with usb thumb drives.

1 Like
33

On my L14 the noise does seem to be affected by the keyboard backlight, it seem to be more affected by the touchpad. If I put my fingers on it, the coil whining increases in volume/intensity.

1 Like
34

I’ve also noticed when I have my charger connected the coil whine dramatically becomes silent. And thats without the ubs drives as I tested previously…

1 Like
35

I have this high pitched noise, only in my headphones.
When the keyboard backlight is at highest level, the noise gets quieter, but still exists.

I hope there will be some fix or a workaround available…

36

Is this issue happening in recently received laptops?