Buzzing About Samsung LED TV Noise
This past summer, after studying favorable reviews of the Samsung LED TV series 7000 and 8000, I decided to get one. I ordered the 8000 Series unit (UN55B8000) with 240Hz refresh rate. It arrived in perfect physical condition and worked great. I was thrilled with the picture quality.
But then, things went terribly wrong …
A Terrible Buzz
Within a day of installation it started to emit a noticeable buzzing sound — not like a normal hum you hear when you put your ear really close to some electronics. That would be fine. No, the distracting din can be easily heard from across the room and competes with the sound from TV programs and movies.
The buzzing is intermittent. Sometimes I’ll turn on the set and it’ll be perfectly quiet. When the unit is working right, it emits no ambient noise at all. But then it will start buzzing for hours before it settles down (or I get exasperated and switch it off). There is no repeatable pattern, and it doesn’t appear to be heat-triggered.
At times, it sounds like a pack of crickets chirping madly behind the unit, and it wavers in intensity for no reason. Sometimes (but not always) it becomes louder as the brightness of the picture increases. It’s at a headache-inducing frequency that just makes you wonder if watching the TV is worth the pain. But something about having just parted with three G’s makes me feel obligated to suffer with it.
The Service Calls (Yes, Plural)
As soon as the problem started, I searched the Internet to see if anyone was reporting any problems. But back in August, the 8000 series was newly released so I could not find anything.
I suspected a bad power supply as the noise wasn’t coming from the speakers. (In fact, later I proved this by disconnecting them completely.) So I called 800-SAMSUNG and opened a trouble ticket. After a couple of weeks and finally getting a regional service center to respond, a tech rolled up and replaced all the circuit boards except for the timecode board, which is part of the panel element. We fired up the set and it was perfectly quiet the way it should be.
The tech left, and I went to start reconfiguring the networking on the unit. But within an hour, it started buzzing again!
The gorey guts of the TV splayed out across my living room.
I called the service center back and they said the only thing it could be is the panel itself. So they ordered a new panel. A week or so later, the panel shows up and once again all the circuit boards are pulled off the old panel and installed on the new panel. Only this time when the power was applied, it was buzzing right away.
The service tech postulated that the first panel was bad and was blowing out the power supply boards, which is where the buzzing originates. (Specifically, it’s near two relays close to where the power cord connects to the board). So we ordered another power board and again waited for that part to arrive.
As before, the unit was opened up and the power boards were swapped again. But no difference and I’m not even surprised at this point. Keep in mind, this Frankensteinian result is essentially a completely new unit — new circuit boards, new LED-backlit LCD panel, new everything. Same old buzz.
Let’s Replace The Entire Unit
After three visits and changing out all the guts, the tech conceded and said I should call Samsung and put in a claim for a replacement unit. Now after nearly four months of messing around, a new UN55B8000 will be shipping within the first half of November.
As I contemplated two more weeks of buzzing, I expressed my concern over getting another bad unit. My Samsung Executive Claims representative assured me, “I don’t see that happening because it was manufactured at a different time than the previous unit.”
We’ll see. I’ll update this post when the new unit arrives.
Not Alone Anymore
While waiting, I searched again for trouble reports on the Internet. Only this time I started to find several people reporting very similar experiences. Many indicate going on their second, third, and even fourth replacement units! This has left customers feeling frustrated and hoping that Samsung is aware of the problem.
I am putting this entry into my blog as a magnet in hopes that others will document their problems here. With enough supporting evidence, perhaps Samsung will address the issue and provide a true fix.
If nothing else, I hope these experiences serve as a warning for those considering a Samsung LED TV. You should wait until this problem has been resolved before purchasing one.
The New Unit Arrives
A couple of weeks before the new unit arrived, the old one stopped buzzing and seemed to have cured itself. I was tempted to contact Samsung and cancel the order, but the shipment had already started and due to the intermittent nature of the buzzing, I was not confident that the old unit would stay fixed. But it made me wonder if these TVs need a burn-in period for the electronics to settle in, or something. Another problem I had with the old unit was that it was having trouble recognizing valid AVI files on an external USB drive. So I figured it was best to let the replacement happen.
The new unit arrived on November 17. Just like the older unit, it was perfectly quiet upon startup. And so far, almost two weeks later, it is still quiet. Plus, it can see and play the AVI files on the same USB drive that the older unit couldn’t (both units had the latest firmware updates, in case you were wondering).
At this point, the new unit appears to be just fine.
Update: December 8, 2009 – For one day last week, the new unit started to buzz, just like the previous units. I decided to leave the TV on overnight. The next morning, the buzzing had stopped. I haven’t heard it since.
What About Your Experience?
If you have a Samsung LED TV (series 7000 or newer, including models of any screen size) and are experiencing these problems, let us know here. Be sure to indicate your model number. If you have found a remedy or can confirm that newer models, such as the 8500, do not have this problem, shout it out.
Comments
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Stefan on 11.27.2009
Hi,
Have you solved the buzzing issue for your TV. I have got PS50B650 for two days and the buzzing is not tolerable. I thought I will return plasma tv and will take led tv instead but just found your blog when googling. I found reports of this problem around the world, is it a common problem for bigger screens, as I found reports on other marks as well: panasonic, pioneer. I am from Slovakia and on one Poland forum I found quite a lot of users of PS50B650 reporting the same buzz issues.
Best regards
Stefan
Morgan Davis on 11.27.2009
@Stefan, I updated this article (see the heading “The New Unit Arrives”) which should answer your question. I’m generally happy with the LED TV itself, especially now that I seem to have a properly working unit.
My own observations lead me to conclude that these TV marvels are still in their infancy given the high degree of defective units across all types (plasma, LCD, LED) and manufacturers. It’s unknown if these are design flaws that are corrected as a model evolves, or some quality assurance problem with the manufacturing process or inferior parts.
Your best bet is probably to find the make and model you like the most, study the reports of others before buying, and exercise your warranty options if necessary to get a properly working unit.
Jeff on 12.06.2009
I just began having the same problem with my UN40B6000.
RayRay on 12.08.2009
Carrefour Belgium is having the super promo on the PS50B650 for 999Euro and was set on buying one tomorrow, but after reading this blog and others on the BUZZING issue, I may change my mind. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Markus on 12.13.2009
I have the UN40B6000 LED also and am having the same issue. There is this odd noise that comes from the back top part and it’s not obnoxious – it’s noticeable. It is dependent on the amount of light being displayed on the tv. I.E. if its just credits running against a dark background the sound is low as opposed to a bright scene and the sound increases. I bought it at Best Buy, and it started 2 days after I got it – went back and returned it – got another and exactly 2 days later its doing it again. I am going to let it run for a day or two non-stop and see if maybe something does have to “burn” in as mentioned. I LOVE THIS TV and the picture is amazing! But for the price you shouldn’t have an issue like this. If anyone knows anything let me know! I want a solution to this!!!
Pat on 12.15.2009
My LED 55UN6000 has exact same problem, and after 3 service appointments, Samsung decided to replace my unit with a new one.
Markus on 12.15.2009
So did it stop after you got this new one? I am still under my 30 days at Best Buy – Hell it hasn’t even been a full week! But this is my second new one. Don’t know what I would get or try after this. Series 7 or just go LCD…different brand? UGH!
Markus on 12.17.2009
So I gave up – the second tv made the same noise – and i brought it back for an Sony lcd 40″ xbr9! Wish I could kill the sony light always being on at the bottom but hell – no noice – great pic – 240hz – no complaints and the tv speakers are MUCH better the the Samsung…
Morgan Davis on 12.17.2009
@Pat, let us know if your replacement unit solves the problem.
@Markus, that’s one way to fix it!
Update: After a month, my replacement unit only exhibited the buzzing once. Satisfied that it’s probably OK now, I’m calling Samsung to request extending my original warranty from the date of the replacement unit installation. Also, a tip, a customer care rep said that if you register your TV online, they’ll add another 90 days to your warranty. I haven’t confirmed this but given the nature of these sets, I would urge everyone to do it.
Markus on 12.19.2009
I have to admit – though this Sony is a great TV, and it makes a great picture – the Samsung I feel made a much more crisper picture – which I attribute to the LED. So when Sony gets them reasonably priced, my nephew will get this one and I’ll get a one of those
Happy Holidays!
Pedro on 12.28.2009
PN58B860
Buzzes LOUD right out of the box. Samsung will not honor the warrantee, so far I have had no response. Tech came to house and agreed the buzz is there and loud and gets worse with altitude. There is no fix and from what I can tell, they are not taking them back. a class action law suit is really needed to stop this nonsense. The buzz is a design flaw and unacceptable. I have been trying for 5 weeks to resolve this, but Samsung has not given me any indication of resolution. DO NOT BUY A SAMSUNG PLASMA!!!! too bad, great picture, but nasty loud buzzing. At least above 5000 feet from what I have read, they just don’t work right.
Laurence Power on 12.29.2009
I have a Samsung UN40B7000 purchased on 7/4/09 with a date code of April. I have this intermitent loud buzzing noise also. I also have a probelm with the for corners of the display being a little dark. I am going to have it
looked at. When I called Samsung to report the problems I asked if anyone else had them. I was told they were unaware of these problems.
Chuck Patrick on 01.05.2010
I purchased a UN40B6000 (LED) and it worked flawlessly for over a year. Just recently thought the sound became distorted, almost like a speaker was blown, but it comes and goes (an hour at a time).
It appears to be related to a certain sound frequency (e.g. it happens more with women speaking than men), and when it happens it is difficult to understand dialog at all.
It does seem to be emanating from the left rear of the set, so I started to wonder if there was a vibration occurring triggered by a certain resonant frequency.
Haven’t called Samsung yet — I’m dreading the runaround, tech visits, and ultimate shoulder shrug I know is out there for me…but it looks like that may be the only option.
Morgan Davis on 01.05.2010
@Chuck, this sounds like a speaker problem. Can you switch to “External” on the audio output settings and see if the sound goes away? If so, then it’s probably just a loose speaker and not the same buzzing this article covers. If you’re handy with a screwdriver and don’t mind possibly voiding your warranty, you can probably tighten the speaker yourself. These units are very easy to service. Just keep track of which screws hold the top corners of the back-panel in place. They’re slightly shorter.
Alex Ivory on 01.06.2010
I purchased last week a UE32B6000VW and after 2 days of use it started to make the buzzing noise that everyone has stated, there just doesn’t seem to be any pattern with it whcih is what makes the problem even more annoying, it seems to get worse a night for me as I can go for hours in the day without a sound.
I also think I have a issue with HD picture as when watching movies via HDMI from laptop I get lines moving from the top to the bottom when there is any fast screen movement. I’m not sure what this could be down to the laptop is outputting at 1280 x 720, I haven’t tried a blu ray player as I don’t own one so can tell if this happen at full HD, but even so for the price you pay there shoudn’t be issues like this.
It’s a great picture so am reluctant to send it back but if it can’t do what it is designed to do then I may have to.
Joakim Persson on 01.07.2010
Hi!
I have the famous buzzing Samsung LED TV too! I’m onto my second one of the 7-series, a 40 inch UE B7070 (B7020 in some countries). The first one started buzzing after a couple of weeks – unfortunately too late to return it.
It was serviced three times and then finally replaced by a new one. During service, they replaced the panel and some sort of electrical card thingy.
Got the replacement set before Christmas and it buzzed right out of the box!
This one buzzes less annoyingly but still unacceptable. This one has also goes dead quiet a couple of times (late evening for some reason). The buzzing level varies and I haven’t found any logic behind it. I’ve tested unplugging everything else in the room (no effect), tried different sockets (no effect), tried leaving it on during the night (no effect) etc. Sigh!
How can Samsung have quality control problems like this? So many faulty sets have been issued. They will lose many, many customers because of this. I hope someone at Samsung will notice this blog and the threads in the AV forums and take action. I will try to sort it with the reseller again but I doubt they will refund me by now or let me have a different brand so I’ll guess I have to contact Samsung.
Yes, the picture quality is great but overall it’s been the worst purchasing experience and TV-experience of my life.
Good luck to all of you out there with the faulty buzzing sets.
John Rogers on 01.11.2010
I am on my second unit because of this problem. It is strange (and annoying!!) because sometimes it will stop (or start) from just changing channels or if the next scene is significantly lighter.
Morgan, I will try leaving the TV on overnight to see if it resolves the problem but I am not convinced.
When I was looking into different TVs I thought I would go all out and get the best one and spend a bit more. Now I wish I just bought a normal LCD at a fraction of the cost.
Alex Ivory on 01.12.2010
update to earlier post; took tv back to store who said would need engineer to take a look because it had been over 72hours. had call today to say that set was faulty (although I doubt he actually looked at it). went back to store to decide whcih tv to go get another one. The wife and I decided that we still really liked the picture of the samsung so decided to give it another go.
to our dismay not even 5 mins of turning it on it was making the same buzzing noise. this will be going back tomorrow and another brand chosen such a shame
Ben on 01.12.2010
I’m not sure whether this is the same sound referred to above.I have a new Samsung 55″ B6000 LED. The sound coming from my set is a very high pitched sound (I thought possibly power supply). It interacts with the audio and to me is quite irritating( causes ears to ring). My wife doesn’t notice it. I knew that with CRT sets this effect is quite common but hoped LCDs/LEDs would be OK. This shop I bought it from is very reputable and are prepared to exchange it but I am very worried the new one will be the same.
Ricky on 01.25.2010
And I thought it was only me!
Ordered a Samsung UE46B8000 TV on the 20th of December 09 for an Xmas present. It got delivered on the 24th. After opening the package – it had clearly been opened previously. This became evident after I switched the unit on and the whole left side of the screen was cracked inside. Due to the holiday period I was unable to contact the supplier and/or courier company. Therefore, it was an Xmas present that could not be given.
On the 31st of December I received a new unit after the supplier had sent for the old one to be collected. After un-packing everything, setting up the stand and finally thinking that the nightmare was over – this buzzing sound could be heard from the back of the unit, which got worse depending on the picture being displayed on screen. I contacted Samsung who said that I had 2 choices; send the unit back to the supplier or let them send their engineer out to fix it. Having had 2 units from the supplier by this point I chose the latter option. This was booked on the 4th of January. By the 6th an engineer came out and diagnised that it was a faulty power unit. I waited until today (25th) January for them to come out and fit the new part. However, the same thing still happens – an annoying buzzing sound that rings in your ears – especially when the room is quiet.
I have just contacted Samsung again and they are tyring to tell me that they will not replace the unit unless they have been out to service it 3 times!!!!! This did not go down well and so I am currently waiting for them to call me back to discuss my options. Saumsung are doing themselves no favours whatsoever and it reminds me when i had a faulty Samsung mobile – they would not give me a new one until it had come back from the repair show 3 times!!!! Why waste so much money and time?!
As for the TV – great picture, slots in perfectly in my room and looks visually stunning – but the buzzing is just too much too take. How can you manufacture such a brilliant piece of technology with such problems. Its like having a car with square wheels.
Patrick Hu on 01.26.2010
Guys, you are not alone and I am having the exactly same issue. I just purchased a Samsung PS50B850 TV from Ebay. The TV has an amzing picture quality but you can hear a notiable buzzing noise from the power supply unit at the back of the TV. If I turn on the volum size more than 10, the noise will be covered. I contacted the supplier and they told me that the buzzing noise is very normal. Because it’s a factory second unit, the supplier could provide the back to base warranty. I really don’t know what to do… any suggestion guys? Thanks heaps
Zoe on 01.26.2010
I’m really depressed about all these posts!! I have a new Samsung LED / LCD – the 40″ -and just the other day, my TV started buzzing. It was fairly annoying. I have had the TV a little over a month. It only buzzed that time and has not made a sound like that since. I am hoping it doesn’t come back, but, of course I don’t feel confident about that! Now I’m really glad I ‘caved’ to the store’s extra coverage on the TV. I love the TV otherwise.
jonathan on 01.27.2010
I bought a samsung 46 6000 series on thanksgiving had soo many issues with it returned it 4 times fifth time i just upgraded to the 46 inch 8000 series, but im not getting a buzzing sound but when i change channels its making little cricket sounds..is this the sound you guys been hearing??
Ben Williams on 02.01.2010
I’m glad its not just not me. I thought I was been too sensitive. I too have the famous buzzing noise. I bought mine two weeks ago and it has already been replaced. My old Toshiba CRT never made this noise. It is an intermittent noise that increaes or fades depending on the screen output. Its a pain in the arse when you’re trying to watch something and its there in the background. The noise comes from where the power lead meets the tv. Could it be a transformer issue? I might leave it on for a couple of days to see what happens. I have contacted Samsung and I will be straight on the phone tomorrow to the retailer and I will give them the link to this website!!
Ben Williams on 02.01.2010
By the way, I have the 40B6000 model
Joakim Persson on 02.03.2010
Hi, an update from me. Had a Samsung technician at home Monday this week. Replaced the power unit on my UE40B7070 (the second one). No change, still buzzes. The Samsung guy said he would look into it and that the buzzing sound comes from the unit. (I’ve also had an electrician at home to check the power sockets and they were normal).
Joakim Persson on 02.15.2010
Hi – Another update. The Samsung tech came by once again, changed the panel but no change. The unit still buzzed. I stressed that we’ve had the sockets checked but he said that it doesn’t matter, the problem is with the TV not the electricity in the house.He took the TV to Samsung.
Today he called and said they can’t do anything and that they will return the TV, the problem cannot be reproduced they said and it must be something with my wires/power in the house.
Sigh!!!!!!
I have no hope what so ever that this can be fixed now…
Model UE40B7070.Avoid like the plague.
Ben Williams on 02.15.2010
Update – Igave the retailer the link to this website and they couldn’t believe it when they reads all the posts. I am now onto my third UE40B6000 tv from the retailer and this one is exactly the same as the previous two. However, the retailer has referred the problem to Samsung and says that they can’t do another uplift to refund or replace the tv until samsung have given their say so.
They must know that this problem is going on but they choose to ignore it because it would cost them a fortune to sort it out.
Jon Stewart on 02.21.2010
Same deal… I’m on my second UN40B6000 led tv and it makes that annoying buzzing sound. I paid too much money for a tv with these sort of problems. The Samsung tech(s) that I spoke with both say they haven’t heard of this type of problem before. After reading this post, I’m not so convinced.
I’ve always heard great things about Samsungs, I know three people that own Samsungs and they are all in love with them. But unfortunately, I am not as in love with the TV as I thought I would be. So I guess I am going to try a new brand. Any suggestions?
Ben Williams on 02.21.2010
Update: I have just sent the third tv back and the have agreed to refund my money. I’m off to find another brand.
Justin on 02.22.2010
I have the 40″ 6000 series for alittle over a month now and it makes the famous buzzing everyone is talking about…. bought it from best buy. Not really sure what I can do at this point, wish i would have seen this website sooner… I use external speakers but the screen itself is so loud… I wish i would have gotten a 240 hz but now I wish I would have gotten a different brand…
Martin on 03.01.2010
Just purchased the Samsung UN46B6000 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV and set it up and I have some humming sound coming from the right side of the set. I noticed it only after I mounted the TV on the wall. So I decided to take it down and set it up on the stand to see if the problem would go away. Nope. I can understand some noise from the TV, but come on, to me, it sounds loud enough that I have to turn up the volume just to drown it out. That is not acceptable. Trying to exchange for a new TV right now. Let’s see if this one will work. If not… no samsung for me. Picture quality is great, but fix the background noise, please.
Jonathan on 03.04.2010
On our first un46b8000 a vertical pink line appeared on the right side after the tv was on for a few minutes, we sent it back and got a replacement. The second one started buzzing once in awhile, sometimes it’s perfect then it’ll be quite annoying. They’re picking it up tomorrow and I’m getting a refund.
At least Futureshop isn’t screwing around.
Satty on 03.07.2010
I bought my 46B7020 back in July 09. Within the first month noticed this infamous Buzzing sound. Again as it was intermittent and difficult to prove to an engineer I bore the pain until last week. However, I’m returning the unit (for a full refund) not because of the buzzing but due to the HDMI 1 socket dying. I have the wierd ability to view the same source on 2 different HDMI source when only the 1 input lead is used – i.e. source in HDMI2, but source is viewable on 2 & 3!!
Anyway, due to the brilliant picture quality, I am considering a 55B7020. Anyone know if the later productions of this model is more stable??
Jorge on 03.08.2010
Hi,
Just a quick word to give my support to all people with buzzing problems on SAMSUNG TV sets.
I was thinking to buy a UE32B7020 appliance and after reading this blog and other web pages where the same buzzing problem is mentioned without an official answering from SAMSUNG I have decided to wait until a LED mature technology will come to the market. It is a pitty because yesterday and today there is a special offer in Madrid (Spain) through Media Markt supermakets, coming back to you the taxes (16% free of charge). I think it is much better for me wait for one-two years reviewing the LED (even OLED) technology
Brian on 03.11.2010
I have been enjoying my Samsung UN40B7000 LED TV since I purchased it less than 2 months ago. Tonight I turned it on to watch a movie and heard this horrible buzzing sound for the first time. Glad to know we’re not alone here and I will be contacting Samsung immediately.
Crystal Wade on 03.17.2010
I have the same exact issue! I’m really dissappointed to have read this now. I didnt keep a reciept and I really regret this may be a big issue. I will still try to call it in and see what type of help they can provide me. I have a phillips tv as well and it has never given me any issues. i refuse to buy another samsung lcd tv, despite the fact that the picture quality is amazing, the annoying buzzing sound is too loud to block.
Tim on 03.22.2010
45 day old Samsung UN40B6000 LED TV just came down with a classic case of the buzz… awaiting first technician call-back. Thanks to all of these posts I know what to expect.
Tim on 03.22.2010
BTW – the buzz issue prompted me to register my product online. The confirmation email I received as a result of registering also confirmed the three month warranty extension mentioned earlier.
“This message confirms that your FREE 3-month warranty extension has been activated.”
Unhappy customer :( on 03.23.2010
Bought my Samsung 32 inch LED TV several days ago, just finished setting it up an hour ago and this buzzing has begun straight away! The noise is very noticeable and the volume has to be turned up just to drown it out. For £600 worth of television I’m not happy, sort it out samsung, what a load of crap!!!
Jack on 03.24.2010
Just made my complaint to BBC Watchdog!!! Everyone should do the same!!!
Kieron Saunders on 03.29.2010
Looks like I am joining the long list of people with buzzing Samsung LED TVs…. The first one was replaced after a week (32″ 6000 series) and this one has started buzzing after about a month. I guess this one will go back too.
To be honest I am a bit gutted…. The picture quality, design and on screen menus are all great but there is no way I am putting up with that noise!…. Sort it out Samsung before you loose all of your potential customers.
Joe on 04.01.2010
I have the same buzzing noise as well with my unit. been dealing with it for the past 2 months now. The buzzing comes and goes but I have been noticing it a lot more lately. I have done some research on this issue and may have found a solution. i found a website that states that, “The buzzing is not caused by the power supply, like first assumed, but from the plastic on the back of the screen that is too thin causing it to resonance. The buzzing can be resolved by adding a rubber washer in the back of the TV.” I have already called Samsung to arrange a tech to come to my house to have a look at it and to see if this could be the solution to this epidemic problem. I will keep you all updated once the tech comes and hopefully this will be the fix.
Joakim Persson on 04.09.2010
Final update from me. Problem was never solved with the second set (UE40b7070). Got a refund from Samsung. Didn’t dare to try my luck with a third set. Ordered a Sony KDLEX500 instead. Such a shame because I loved the pq but couldn’t live with the buzz. Good luck to the rest of you…
Jake on 04.12.2010
Hey everyone, me and my Samsung LED 6000 series just had our first experience with the buzzing noise from the top right of unit (looking at it from viewpoint). I usually use the power saving settings set to high. I had the power saving setting off when the buzz arrived. When I heard the buzzing noise I turned off the TV and turned it back on and even the startup noises were distorted with the buzz noise. It is not any of the speakers though all are fine. I thought it could of been some type of distortion from my Laptop hooked up through HDMI though it wasn’t. I lowered the volume on my T.V. to 0. Buzzing was still constant and only slightly lower. So I decided to give up since it was late and deal with it in the morning. I was going through the menu to set up how I wanted the picture, brightness, etc, etc and I notice my power saving was off, I turned it to high. The buzz disappeared. From what I can tell from the comments above it seems to be very sporatic. Will update my situation. TRY USING POWERSAVING ON HIGH. So far it has remedied my buzz. Good luck.
Alex K on 04.13.2010
yep, same buzzing, 3 tech visits, cant reproduce.
Happens mostly at night and very early (<6 am).
Someone mentioned altitude in earlier post…and someone else also said it happens at night…
Could humidity/barometric pressure/etc possibly agitate the extremely sensitive micro electronics, resulting in this noise?
I know them big boxes on power poles (transformers I think they called) tend to buzz on extremely humid days..
Just trying to figure out why the time of day would make a difference, but apparently I’m not the only one who has the “night buzz” problem.
Liam on 04.14.2010
Bought my samsung 40″ series 8 led tv back at the end of feb. Right out of the box I had the buzzing noise. But here is the weird thing it only does it after 19:30 never in the morning or through the day. Tried the tv with everything in the house turned off. With no input the tv still makes the buzz.
After the third repair today (and every part being replaced) I’m beginning to loose hope on ever getting this problem sorted.
Alex K on 04.27.2010
PROBLEM SOLVED!!!! (at least at my house it is, but you should try it too)
So I’ve had this noise (see 2 messages above) since 01/2010 aka when I bought the TV.
Only happened early mornings and evenings.
Took the TV to a friends house, no noise there, which means its something with my electrical.
Laying in bed last night, hating the noise when suddenly it stopped and heard someone walking up the stairs. It was my uncle.
I asked him to go back down and turn on whatever he turned off prior to heading upstairs. The noise comes back IMMEDIATELY.
It was the dimmer light that was plugged into an outlet on 1st floor which is directly bellow the outlet in my bedroom where the TV plugs in.
Moral of the story is: IF YOUR SAMSUNG LED MAKES BUZZING NOISE, ITS QUITE LIKELY DUE TO ANOTHER APPLIANCE/DIMMER/LIGHT TAHTS MESSING WITH YOUR CIRCUIT.
Try turning them on/off and see if the noise goes away…
Good luck
Kyle evans on 05.06.2010
I had the buzzing sound on my LED model and it was really annoying… Sometimes giving me a headache so I would just switch the entire tv off and read instead!!!… or go to another room.
BUT thn I turned off the energy saving in the device and the sound went…. So I fiddled around for a little and found that if I turned down the backlight the buzzing sound returned…. And also during adverts or programmes if there’s a dark screen it comes back, only for the time the screen is dull.
So the answer is…. Bump up the electrical consumption… Check that ur energy saving is switched off and that the backlight is on full and brightness set to around 60 should work. It’s s little like a dimmer switch I guess… When it’s turned half way for dim lights, if you put your ear to the switch u can hear a buzzing sound. Hope this works for you guys x
Liam on 05.11.2010
Ok, I returned my tv and got a full refund. I have purchased the new model and it is perfect. So hopefully they have cured the problem with the sets, unless I had a dud.
Carmine Digioia on 05.14.2010
Just as everyone who listed there issues and concerns. I purchased a Samsung UN55B8000 in late January. Two and half months later I heard a buzzing sound coming from the TV. The sound comes and goes. My wife called for service, they told her to call them back when the sound comes back on….. that’s bad business. Yesterday night I was pissed and called and asked if someone can come out and take care of this issue. Besides the buzzing noise, theirs a flashing white horizontal line appearing on the top of the screen every once in the while. I also have the light flashing 4 times. Samsung needs to resolve these issues. I want these issues resolved.. Does anyone else have these problems?
Kathy on 06.09.2010
I’m about to buy a Samsung UN46C6500 LED for my elderly mom. Her hearing is poor, so an external soundbar is a necessity. Now that I’ve read about this incessant buzzing problem, I’m wondering if that only occurs through the built-in speakers? Has anyone tried external speakers?
Also, I believe several of these reports have come from Great Britain. Is this a “universal” buzz problem? Thanks.
R Ashworth on 06.24.2010
For those of you experiencing a hum or buzz on the Samsung LEDTV. IT MAY NOT BE THE TV. We discovered that the buzz-which was intermittent and appeared at night around dark and disappeared in the morning-was due to a burned bulb on a photo cell censored flood light on the outside of our home. This fixture is on the same electrical phase in our home The burned out bulb sent feedback or harmonics-back through the electrical/power supply and the sensitive LED picked it up thus causing the buzz,. When we replaced the bulb on the outdoor fixture, the buzz stopped immediately. What a revelation!!! So if you are having this buzzing problem, check all electrical fixtures and switches that could be causing the problem. We love our Samsung LED—the picture is just outstanding.
Adam on 07.19.2010
I just bought the Samsung LED UN46C6300 and have had it for 1 week. Yesterday, the buzzing started for the first time. But, I’m wondering if my buzzing is different than some of the other feedback on this blog. Mine gets worse when I turn the volume up, but if I mute the console, it’s gone completely. It is obviously an issue with the speakers themselves. Is this the same issue that everyone else has, or am I experiencing something different? Please help. Thank you!
Morgan Davis on 07.19.2010
@Adam: Yours is a different problem related to the speakers. The buzzing that others here have experienced emanates from the panel itself or associated electronics. For buzzing from speakers, others have suggested checking your electrical connection to see if it is on the same circuit with a dimmer switch or lamp with a dimmer. Dimmers can generate a lot of RF interference that can backfeed into your audio. Good luck on your problem and let us know what the solution is for you.
Ade on 08.01.2010
I brought a Samsung UE37C6530UK 37 inch Freeview HD LED TV back in May 2010. For around a month after purchase I have not had any problems and was well pleased with the tv.
But lately I have been getting this buzzing from the rear of the tv mostly always when switching on the set .It can last from 20seconds to 3 to 5 minutes of buzzing.
I have also noticed that even when the tv has been on for a long, if I switch on any external device,ps3,pvr,external drive,it will buzz again.
Not sure if its speakers but seems on here it maybe the power circuit.
surfsteve on 08.29.2010
I had the samsung 37″ LED full HD TV and this buzzed straight away at the top left rear corner looking from the back. I was so annoyed I took it back the next day and Currys gave me a full refund, no quibble, great service by Currys . I really liked the picture though and now Iam struggling to find an alternative LED 37″ or maybe 40″ unit, perhaps Sony is the next choice?
Can anyone advise please?
surfsteve on 08.29.2010
I have been told that Samsung & Sony use the same manufacturer for their screens now, is that right?
Apparantly its just the audio and finish / packaging thats different between them.
I just do not want to buy a buzzing Sony after having a buzzing Samsung!
Thanks
Tom Holdsworth on 09.02.2010
I’ve just had my UE46B7020 swapped out, and new one still buzzing intermittently, depending on day or night – mostly at night.
One night it wasn’t buzzing and my brother went downstairs, it started buzzing, I went to see what he was doing and he had turned the kitchen light on, but dimmed the lights using the dimmer.
It was this that was causing the Buzzing noise – possibly some electrical interference. So before you call out a Samsung Engineer check your electrics first.
Mike on 09.05.2010
I can’t believe it. IT WAS A DIMMER LIGHT THAT CAUSED MY BUZZING NOISE.
Thanks @Alex for the resolution.
Thanks @Morgan for authoring this blog post.
I have a Samsung LED TV: UN46B7100WF.
I have a standing light that operates via a dimmer switch plugged in my office in another room. When the light is on, my LED TV buzzes. As soon as I turn that light off, the LED TV buzzing stops immediately.
Absolutely no doubt that the dimmer switch is creating some sort of electrical interference in the circuit that affects the LED TV is some way.
BEFORE CALLING TECH SUPPORT TURN OFF ALL LIGHTS THAT OPERATE VIA A DIMMER SWITCH.
HTH
Mike
Geraldine on 09.06.2010
First of all thank you so much for this website! Everybody’s experience and tips were extremely useful.
My parents bought a Samsung 46′ LCD HDTV and right from the start they could here buzzing from the set. They tried calling Best Buy (where they bought it) and Best Buy said it was a problem with the cable box. My parents had the cable company come to switch the box to a HD cable box and the cable guys could hear the humming/buzzing as well. They said to call Samsung. My parents called Samsung but didn’t get any real help. After searching the web I found this site. I told my mom that people were having the same problem with their TVs and there seem to be 3 different solutions. One was if there was a dimmer in the house it may be causing some sort of electrical interference. My mom said that she could hear the humming/buzzing all the time – day or night and that the only dimmer in the house was not on. Next was the Power Saver. She checked that (it was set on OFF) and turned it to HIGH and it stopped the humming/buzzing (YEAH!). The only problem was that the picture was now a more muted color. She then adjusted the Power Saver to LOW and the humming was gone and the picture quality looked fine. She didn’t try adjusting the Backlight that others have tried since the Power Saver adjustment seemed to solve the problem. I told her to let me know if the humming comes back so I can update this post but for now it looks like the problem has been solved. She was very distressed about the humming since they had spent almost $1000 on the TV and was greatly relieved to find a way to fix it herself.
Thanks again Morgan, Jake (for his solution) and everyone else who posted!
Geraldine
Morgan Davis on 09.07.2010
Geraldine, thanks for the follow up. If nothing else, this entire post illustrates that there are multiple possible causes for buzzing from these units. To recap:
* Faulty electronics in the unit itself (which seemed to be my case). A replacement of circuit boards or the entire panel is the solution.
* Sensitivity to electrical interference. Eliminating dimmer switches or other electrical noise contributors on the same circuit is the solution. In some cases, it might be easier to relocate the unit onto a different circuit.
* Sensitivity to power-saving/backlight levels. Adjusting the settings in the on-screen menus is the solution.
* Loose components (e.g., built-in speakers, cabling, etc.) can vibrate during high volume levels. Tighten screws and check cabling is the solution.
Follow-up to my original problem: After about 10 months, I’ve had admirable performance from my replaced Samsung LED TV with no recurrence of the buzzing issue.