Samsung S10 - my callers hear echo when using earbuds/headphones

[Steerpike58]

I upgraded from Samsung S7 to Samsung S10 about a year ago. I love the S10, but I hated the 'fit' of the (black) wired headphones that came with the S10, but I loved the fit of the (white) wired headphones that came with my S7, so I not only started using the S7 headphones with my S10 for calls, but I also picked up 5 more on ebay so I could keep sets at home, work, car, spare, etc. They have worked great - absolutely no complaints, and I talk on the phone a lot.

All of a sudden - last month or so - several callers have complained that they hear their own voice echoing when talking to me. Everything sounds great to me, but it's now a consistent issue with multiple callers. I switched between two of the 5 sets I bought, and both have the same issue. I then switched to an old, old 'apple' set (the classic whites that came with old iphones) and it was perfect, then I switched to another random headset, and it too worked fine. I then switched to just 'holding the phone against my ear' and that was fine too. Then I switched back to these 'S7 whites' and it was bad again.

So - can anyone think of any possible setting or whatever that could cause this? They are so darned comfortable, I don't want to have to go through a whole new search for something that works well!

This is the earbuds model designation: Original Samsung Galaxy S7 S6 Edge Note 5 Headset Earphone Earbud EG920BW - looks like this Amazon.com: Samsung Earbud EO-EG920BW, 3.5mm Samsung Earbud Stereo Quality Earphones for Galaxy S6/S6 Edge/ S6 Edge+ or Other Devices - Come with Extra EAL Gels: Electronics

 

[Rukbat]

"last month or so" is the key. Unless you made a major change, it's probably the carrier. Somewhere along the line from the tower to the public telephone network are things called echo supressors. One of them isn't working. Go into the carrier's store (AT&T, TMobile or Verizon - the rest just buy time from them wholesale and sell it to you retail) and talk to them. They'll probably have to refer it to engineering (which they should do while you wait, so you can call the engineer so he can hear the echo).

Unless all the people who are complaining about it use the same carrier - then it could be one of their carrier's echo supressors.

 

[B. Diddy]

There might have also been some system update that changed a parameter affecting these older earbuds. Do you remember if this happened around the time of an update?

See if the problem persists in Safe Mode: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-s10/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-s10

 

[mustang7757]

Also make sure headphone jack is clean ?

 

[Steerpike58]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try safe mode. But please note - the echo is consistent across TWO separate pairs of the samsung earbuds, but is NOT present with the Apple classic white earbuds, and NOT present with some other random headset (and not present without headset). Note also, these are all classic old, cheap WIRED headsets, not bluetooth/etc, and thus - no update can be applied - they are passive devices.

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm referring to a system update to the phone, not the earbuds.

 

[Steerpike58]

Thanks. I can't correlate to any specific update but I kinda blindly apply them now. This has been going on for a month or two.

I tried safe mode; turning off wifi calling; also 'other call settings'/'activate enhanced privacy mode' - no change.

I just did a bunch of quick test calls, it's very prominent with these buds, and not present at all with another headset, nor with no headset (that is, using phone's 'ear' speaker), nor 'speakerphone'.

You'd think all earbuds (wired, basic, unsophisticated) would be treated the same.

Any other settings anyone can think of besides safe mode, wifi calling, enhanced privacy mode?

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

In your Phone app's settings, go to Call Settings and see if there's a Noise Reduction option anywhere. If you find it, try toggling it on/off (depending on what it's set to when you find it).

 

[Steerpike58]

Nothing obvious. Just to confirm; from phone's home screen, I choose the phone icon; With phone app open, I choose the three dots menu. 'Settings' is last (and only relevant) option there. Choose it. Now I have 'Block numbers', 'call alerts and ringtones'; 'Answering and ending calls'; 'quick decline messages'; 'call display while using apps'; 'eal time text'; 'Wi-Fi calling' (tried on, off); 'Video calling'; 'Voicemail'; 'other call settings' (see below); 'about phone'. About phone shows version 11.5.03.0; call version 11.5.10.21; 'the latest version is already installed'.

The 'other call settings' reveals 'search for places ..', 'Hide contacts ...', 'show caller info', 'hearing aid compatibility (off)', 'country / region', 'assisted dialing', 'auto retry', 'DTMF tones', 'Voice Privacy (activate enhanced privacy)' (tried this), 'customization service' (not in use).

I am about to try Google Voice as soon as my spare phone returns home ...

 

[mustang7757]

Make sure Dolby Atoms is toggle on ?

 

[Steerpike58]

Tried turning off Dolby Atmos; no change. Tried using Google Voice on the Samsung; no change. Tried turning off Bluetooth (FWIW); no change. Used the offending Samsung earbuds in my g/f's iPhone, no echo there. Tried my g/f's Apple earbuds in my Samsung; no echo. I even dug up the original black buds that came with the S10 (horribly uncomfortable for me) and they didn't echo either.

So no matter what I do, it's only the combination of my Samsung S10 and these older (S5/S6/S7) Samsung earbuds that exhibit the problem.

I'm giving up, and have ordered a new pair of buds online. Cost isn't the issue, as they are all cheap; it's the fact that those S5/S6/S7 buds were the most comfortable ever, worked great, and I bought 5 pairs so I'd have them everywhere (car, office, etc)! Such is life ...

Thanks to everyone for reading / helping.

 

[Wildside]

I started having this issue with my S10 back in November. I used wireless and wired ear buds and both had the echo.

I never found the fix.

For personal reasons I switched to the iPhone 12 at that time (same carrier) and didn't have the issue with the same wireless ear buds. Went back to the S10 for about 2 weeks due to travel and needing some Tasker profiles and the echo continued.

Something in an update caused this.

 

[Steerpike58]

I ordered a new set of wired earbuds ($30, nothing sexy) and they are perfect. So for me, the problem is unique to this one specific pair of buds. Ironically, they are Samsung! But they shipped with the S7, not the S10. They only cost circa $10 so I'm not that bothered, but I did buy 5 pairs just so I can have them everywhere (car, work, home, travel bag, etc).