Kobo Libra buzz/whine when page turns

Fumbar · 10-15-2019, 03:15 PM

I've had my Libra for about 2 weeks and I noticed last night that it emits a quiet buzz/hum when I turn the page but only in portrait mode. Has anybody else encountered this? The fact that landscape mode eliminates the problem is baffling and concerns me more than if it were always an issue.

The buzz does not happen when browsing "my books" or when other screen refreshes occur. It only happens when turning book pages in portrait mode and when waking the device from sleep and the cover is replaced by text.

mathil · 10-15-2019, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fumbar

I've had my Libra for about 2 weeks and I noticed last night that it emits a quiet buzz/hum when I turn the page but only in portrait mode. Has anybody else encountered this? The fact that landscape mode eliminates the problem is baffling and concerns me more than if it were always an issue.

The buzz does not happen when browsing "my books" or when other screen refreshes occur. It only happens when turning book pages in portrait mode and when waking the device from sleep and the cover is replaced by text.

I put it right next to my ear in a very quiet room and in those conditions, I can hear a very faint electronic noise when turning the page. I was curious and tried with my other ereaders - my Paperwhite 3 and my Glo HD do that as well. I have to assume it's normal behavior.

Sirtel · 10-15-2019, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathil

I put it right next to my ear in a very quiet room and in those conditions, I can hear a very faint electronic noise when turning the page. I was curious and tried with my other ereaders - my Paperwhite 3 and my Glo HD do that as well. I have to assume it's normal behavior.

Same with my Libra, but none of my Kindles do it, or the Nook. Couldn't hear anything with them, even putting them next to my ear.

Fumbar · 10-15-2019, 07:08 PM

Quote:

I put it right next to my ear in a very quiet room and in those conditions, I can hear a very faint electronic noise when turning the page. I was curious and tried with my other ereaders - my Paperwhite 3 and my Glo HD do that as well. I have to assume it's normal behavior.

Interesting, thanks for the responses.

dibster · 10-16-2019, 02:57 PM

I'm having the same issue with my new Libra. Compared to my previous Clara, the buzzing noise is much louder and noticeable on the Libra. With the Clara, I never noticed any noise unless I put my ear right up against it. With the Libra, I can hear it with every page turn at normal reading distance. Very annoying, and I hope it's not something that affects every unit. I might have to try and exchange it.

Sirtel · 10-16-2019, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dibster

I'm having the same issue with my new Libra. Compared to my previous Clara, the buzzing noise is much louder and noticeable on the Libra. With the Clara, I never noticed any noise unless I put my ear right up against it. With the Libra, I can hear it with every page turn at normal reading distance. Very annoying, and I hope it's not something that affects every unit. I might have to try and exchange it.

I hear the buzzing on mine only when I put it next to my ear, not from normal reading distance.

dibster · 10-16-2019, 03:25 PM

It honestly seems to be pretty random and intermittent and only happens in certain books and sometimes even certain chapters within certain books. I can't really notice a pattern of when the buzzing gets louder. I've only had it for about 12 hours though, so I'll see if it gets less noticeable over time.

Joentjuh · 11-21-2019, 12:21 PM

Can't compare it to other Kobo devices (Sony PRS-T2 was completely silent), but my Libra H2O produces a slight but constant coil whine with lots of chirping when either WiFi is turned off and/or the lighting is not turned on fully. Turning pages, changing orientation, or closing the book makes no difference.

Luckily the noise tends to disappear from my hearing (unless strained) at about 15-20cm in a fairly quiet room (some background noise)... Still annoying though, going to try and find some showroom models soon to see if they also have it (or if it's just my tinnitus acting up and making me extra sensitive). If they don't I'll see about exchanging mine (still have about one week trial period left).

Since Coil whine is something physical, I'm doubting changing settings (aside from turning hardware on/off) will make much difference.

Anyway, for me the solution was to:
- Turn up brightness to full... but can't really recommend it.
or
- Turn WiFi on, at the cost of some battery charge... not sure how much though.

astrangerhere · 11-21-2019, 03:03 PM

Either I'm getting old and deaf or my unit does not do this. I turned my KA1 on to see if I could tell a difference between it and my Libra H20 and I got nothing. I always leave wifi off and usually have the light on about 10% for night reading. I haven't noticed any hums. I have noticed that some books cause the reader to wake from sleep more slowly than others, but that's all.

Sirtel · 11-21-2019, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Either I'm getting old and deaf or my unit does not do this. I turned my KA1 on to see if I could tell a difference between it and my Libra H20 and I got nothing. I always leave wifi off and usually have the light on about 10% for night reading. I haven't noticed any hums. I have noticed that some books cause the reader to wake from sleep more slowly than others, but that's all.

Yep, same here. And I read in a very quiet environment usually.

Tuneraider · 11-23-2019, 03:36 PM

If it only whines a lot and is slow about turning pages maybe you just got a lazy one.

pashtet · 02-23-2020, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dibster

I'm having the same issue with my new Libra. Compared to my previous Clara, the buzzing noise is much louder and noticeable on the Libra. With the Clara, I never noticed any noise unless I put my ear right up against it. With the Libra, I can hear it with every page turn at normal reading distance. Very annoying, and I hope it's not something that affects every unit. I might have to try and exchange it.

Hi there,
Did you manage to exchange yours? I am just wondering if all Kobo libra units are like that. Mine makes this noise as well. I put my 8 years old Sony e-reader close to my ear and heard the same noise. It is much quieter than the kobo, so I never noticed it in 8 years.

Sirtel · 02-23-2020, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pashtet

I am just wondering if all Kobo libra units are like that.

No. Most of them are quiet, or there would be many more complaints. I hear absolutely nothing from my Libra in a quiet room, unless I put it right next to my ear.

pashtet · 02-23-2020, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No. Most of them are quiet, or there would be many more complaints. I hear absolutely nothing from my Libra in a quiet room, unless I put it right next to my ear.

Thanks. I'll try to exchange mine today. I'll test the new unit and will write here if it makes the same noise or not

stumped · 02-23-2020, 09:24 AM

i have never heard anything like that with my libra, and I am hyper critical/sensitive of hum, buzz etc, and I read in a quiet room.
I recall owning a PC monitor ( LCD) where i could hear a faint buzz that went away only if brightness was set to 100%, so if the Libra uses a pulse method to reduce brightness, may its to to with that ?.
folks here are saying coil whine but are there even any coils inside, I associate coils with power supplies, transformers, graphics cards none of which are inside of a Kobo ?

"Just about anything with a power source can create coil whine to some degree, but it's usually caused by an electrical current going through a power-regulating component like a transformer or inductor, causing its electrical wiring to vibrate at a variable frequency."

10-15-2019, 03:15 PM	#1
Fumbar Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Device: Kobo Libra H2O	Kobo Libra buzz/whine when page turns I've had my Libra for about 2 weeks and I noticed last night that it emits a quiet buzz/hum when I turn the page but only in portrait mode. Has anybody else encountered this? The fact that landscape mode eliminates the problem is baffling and concerns me more than if it were always an issue. The buzz does not happen when browsing "my books" or when other screen refreshes occur. It only happens when turning book pages in portrait mode and when waking the device from sleep and the cover is replaced by text.

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10-16-2019, 02:57 PM	#5
dibster Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2019 Device: Kobo Clara HD	I'm having the same issue with my new Libra. Compared to my previous Clara, the buzzing noise is much louder and noticeable on the Libra. With the Clara, I never noticed any noise unless I put my ear right up against it. With the Libra, I can hear it with every page turn at normal reading distance. Very annoying, and I hope it's not something that affects every unit. I might have to try and exchange it.

10-16-2019, 03:25 PM	#7
dibster Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2019 Device: Kobo Clara HD	It honestly seems to be pretty random and intermittent and only happens in certain books and sometimes even certain chapters within certain books. I can't really notice a pattern of when the buzzing gets louder. I've only had it for about 12 hours though, so I'll see if it gets less noticeable over time.

11-21-2019, 12:21 PM	#8
Joentjuh Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo Libra H2O	Can't compare it to other Kobo devices (Sony PRS-T2 was completely silent), but my Libra H2O produces a slight but constant coil whine with lots of chirping when either WiFi is turned off and/or the lighting is not turned on fully. Turning pages, changing orientation, or closing the book makes no difference. Luckily the noise tends to disappear from my hearing (unless strained) at about 15-20cm in a fairly quiet room (some background noise)... Still annoying though, going to try and find some showroom models soon to see if they also have it (or if it's just my tinnitus acting up and making me extra sensitive). If they don't I'll see about exchanging mine (still have about one week trial period left). Since Coil whine is something physical, I'm doubting changing settings (aside from turning hardware on/off) will make much difference. Anyway, for me the solution was to: - Turn up brightness to full... but can't really recommend it. or - Turn WiFi on, at the cost of some battery charge... not sure how much though.

11-21-2019, 03:03 PM	#9
astrangerhere Professor of Law Posts: 3,734 Karma: 68428716 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini	Either I'm getting old and deaf or my unit does not do this. I turned my KA1 on to see if I could tell a difference between it and my Libra H20 and I got nothing. I always leave wifi off and usually have the light on about 10% for night reading. I haven't noticed any hums. I have noticed that some books cause the reader to wake from sleep more slowly than others, but that's all.

11-23-2019, 03:36 PM	#11
Tuneraider Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 483062 Join Date: Dec 2018 Device: Kobo, Kindle, Tolino, Nook	If it only whines a lot and is slow about turning pages maybe you just got a lazy one.

02-23-2020, 09:24 AM	#15
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	i have never heard anything like that with my libra, and I am hyper critical/sensitive of hum, buzz etc, and I read in a quiet room. I recall owning a PC monitor ( LCD) where i could hear a faint buzz that went away only if brightness was set to 100%, so if the Libra uses a pulse method to reduce brightness, may its to to with that ?. folks here are saying coil whine but are there even any coils inside, I associate coils with power supplies, transformers, graphics cards none of which are inside of a Kobo ? "Just about anything with a power source can create coil whine to some degree, but it's usually caused by an electrical current going through a power-regulating component like a transformer or inductor, causing its electrical wiring to vibrate at a variable frequency."

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