# No audio / audio crackle on Pi4
**URL:** https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986
**Category:** Support, Help & Resources
**Created:** [January 14, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986 "2021-01-14T10:45:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/1 "2021-01-14T10:45:23Z")
I’ve got the latest SonicPi 3.2.2\_4 and the latest Raspbian on a Pi4 and there is no audio from SonicPi via HDMI or headhones/AUX.
The `speaker-test -t wav -c 2` test plays audio ok.
I really would like AUX output to work.
This is related to: [No audio through headphones](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-through-headphones/4166)
UPDATE: Workaround: [Raspberry Pi, Pulse Audio Workaround with USB soundcard - #10 by robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/raspberry-pi-pulse-audio-workaround-with-usb-soundcard/4758/10)
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 10:54am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/2 "2021-01-14T10:54:12Z")
Just saw this post, which has a reply to a another post with a fix that worked (albeit crackly audio) for me: [SonicPi 3.2.2 on fresh Raspberry 3B+ no sound](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/sonicpi-3-2-2-on-fresh-raspberry-3b-no-sound/4974)
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### Author:  [@nlb](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/nlb)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 10:59am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/3 "2021-01-14T10:59:53Z")
hi @Wayne
Can you add [Solved] at the end of your subject ?
Thanks
---
### Author:  [@robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/robin.newman)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 11:30am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/4 "2021-01-14T11:30:36Z")
Hi Wayne. I notice you still have crackly audio. It may be that jack is not running quite properly. You could also try
`sudo dpkg-reconfigure jackd2`
from a terminal
when the Package configuration window appears select:
Enable realtime process priority?
Yes
and press enter.
Then reboot your Pi and see if that helps at all.
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 11:40am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/5 "2021-01-14T11:40:26Z")
Hi Robin,
Thanks for the tip, but it didn’t make any difference to the audio.
It’s definitely a software, not jack, related issue as there are no audio artefacts when using a built-in shell based audio test tool.
The system eventually locked up (as the warning in the jackd2 config util said it might) requiring a cold reboot.
Thanks
Wayne
---
### Author:  [@robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/robin.newman)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 11:44am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/6 "2021-01-14T11:44:23Z")
Hm I’ve just tried moving an SD card with patched SP3.2.2 to a Pi3B+ and it runs fine without crackling audio so it is possibile.
Could you get SP running and THEN startup Qjackctl which should inherit the already running jackd. Have a look at the messages and status and see if that gives a clue.
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 11:57am UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/7 "2021-01-14T11:57:13Z")
```ruby
11:55:06.505 ALSA connection change.
11:55:06.583 JACK connection change.
11:55:06.596 Client activated.
11:55:06.597 Patchbay deactivated.
11:55:07.073 ALSA connection graph change.
```
Status: [Pasteboard - Uploaded Image](https://pasteboard.co/JJAZoQV.png)
anything else you need to see?
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 12:02pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/8 "2021-01-14T12:02:59Z")
Hi @nlb, I put solved, although there is still an issue, audio crackles.
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### Author:  [@robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/robin.newman)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/9 "2021-01-14T13:50:07Z")
That looks OK. what does the Status window contain? And the Connect window?
EDIT what audio device are you using and how is it connected? HDMI? external usb card?3.5mm audio jack?
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/10 "2021-01-14T18:50:47Z")
You can see the status in the screenshot linked to (Pasteboard link)
I’m using the Pi’s 3.5mm AUX
I’ll re-test and send the connect info.
---
### Author:  [@robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/robin.newman)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/11 "2021-01-14T18:53:49Z")
Ah OK: sorry missed that. It looks OK. Well I’m not sure why you are breaking up. Is this so for everything, or only for high loads on SP. ie lost of fx and synths sounding. Do you get berakup playing a simple scale for example.
EDIT
there have been quite a lot of upgrades to the OS since it was launched, some to do with pulseaudio and sound. Worth doing another
```ruby
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
```
and seeing if you get any difference.
---
### Author:  [@nlb](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/nlb)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/12 "2021-01-14T19:00:37Z")
The jack audio output on raspberry pi is not very good and I have already noticed that , some crackles, for many years. May I suggest you to use a USB external card. Scarlett Focusrite or hdmi output.
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/13 "2021-01-14T19:20:59Z")
There is still crackling when using HDMI output.
@nlb I use other audio programs via the 3.5mm AUX that do not crackle (e.g. a builtin test program & an Amiga mod player in X windows via SDL)
@robin.newman I have uploaded the screen shots here (Output via HDMI this time, not AUX):
messages: [Pasteboard - Uploaded Image](https://pasteboard.co/JJDROx2.png)
status: [Pasteboard - Uploaded Image](https://pasteboard.co/JJDSlsr.png)
connection: [Pasteboard - Uploaded Image](https://pasteboard.co/JJDSxak.png)
all the best
Wayne
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2021, 7:27pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/14 "2021-01-14T19:27:36Z")
The ‘Jungle’ demo is a very good example of it crackling, _a lot_.
Some of the pure synth demos (with less effect) don’t crackle nearly as much.
I’ll shall do the upgrade and retest after my little side project is wrapped up, shortly… (as sometimes apt upgrades have not gone to plan in the past)
Thanks for the help so far, will let you know how it goes.
All the best
Wayne
---
### Author:  [@robin.newman](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/robin.newman)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/15 "2021-01-15T22:38:40Z")
New Raspberry Pi OS released dated Jan 11 2021 Release notes say it does some tweaks for pulseaudio so may be worth doing
```ruby
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
```
---
### Author:  [@Wayne](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/u/Wayne)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://in-thread.sonic-pi.net/t/no-audio-audio-crackle-on-pi4/4986/16 "2021-01-24T17:05:38Z")
Thanks for the heads up.
I did the upgrade and can report that the issue still exists.
However, subjectively it’s not such a ‘bad crackle’, it’s now more like spots of rain or a dusty vinyl record.
Thanks
Wayne