[Snow_Fox]

The set of headphones I use to work out with are going out, I think.
If the wire moves along my gym shorts it will cause the audio to be filled with static and what not.

It just started happening recently and I am wondering if it's the headphones or possibly just my gym clothes. Anyone else have a similar experience or have an idea  why this happens?
 
Also if I get a new set of headphones, how can I stop this from happening?




 

 

[Spyro]

Should not be the clothes making static as the cables ae shielded (I believe).

 

[nicholars]

lol no

 

[Selenium]

Yes. Whenever I'm not wearing pants it makes everything more airy.

 

[FlatNine]

Quote:

Yes. Whenever I'm not wearing pants it makes everything more airy.

 
And/or woody. ROFL!

 

[goodvibes]

Marilyn definitely sounded better in tight cloths.

 

[Snow_Fox]

I know it's a weird question but, the main reason I'm asking is because I notice it mostly when walking around the gym and the cord happens to move across my leg or something. 

So, better just go with the assumption they are reaching EoL as that makes more sense.

 

[kalbee]

Sounds like static.
 
Probably the only clothing that can actually affect sound is along the lines of hats and hoods. That usually only applies to headphones.
For closed headphones: when hat/hood worn under the headphones
For open headphones: when worn under or over the headphones.

 

[tinyman392]

You're experiencing microphonics.  I'm surprised no one here said anything about it, rather pointed and made a joke out of it.  That said, try using a cable clip (many headphones come with them) or use a headphone designed for sports use.  Other things you can try is to slip the cable under your shirt (hoping the cable won't bother your skin).  Final option is to wear the headphones with the cable looping over the ear (at this point, I'm assuming you're talking about IEMs; if not, don't do this).  All of these suggestions can be used in combination with each other as well.  

 

[Snow_Fox]

I'm probably going to try to upgrade to something a little more sports friendly.

And yeah, I'm referring to the IEM style headphones.

I think an over all quality upgrade would be nice ata this point either way.

 

[Eddie C]

an over the ear type iem with the cable running behind you and cable slider slid up to your head will eliminate most of the microphonics

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

You're experiencing microphonics.  I'm surprised no one here said anything about it, rather pointed and made a joke out of it.  That said, try using a cable clip (many headphones come with them) or use a headphone designed for sports use.  Other things you can try is to slip the cable under your shirt (hoping the cable won't bother your skin).  Final option is to wear the headphones with the cable looping over the ear (at this point, I'm assuming you're talking about IEMs; if not, don't do this).  All of these suggestions can be used in combination with each other as well.  

Since OP said "it will cause the audio to be filled with static and what not."
That does not sound like microphonics happening. Microphonics are more like rubbing or flicking to the ear sounds.
Otherwise, these are sound recommendations.
 
Quote:

I'm probably going to try to upgrade to something a little more sports friendly.

And yeah, I'm referring to the IEM style headphones.

I think an over all quality upgrade would be nice ata this point either way.

IEMs targeted as sport earphones might carry a premium to them for their specific reasons. They may or may not fit better.
 
As far as microphonics, tinyman's recommendation for using a shirt clip and/or wearing over the ears works pretty well.
Avoiding models with cloth/nylon covered cables help too, although I do find these slightly longer lasting (YMMV).
 
For static, the shirt clip might help. Gym clothes tend to have more fibrous contents (i.e. cotton or w-e) so that does cause more rubbing ---> static. Otherwise keeping your music player out of pockets tend to help. Passing the cables from under your shirt might actually help, since humidity does inhibit static charges.

 

[Craigster75]

I find when I wear Tommy Bahama, I have an urge to listen to Bob Marley.
 

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

Since OP said "it will cause the audio to be filled with static and what not."
That does not sound like microphonics happening. Microphonics are more like rubbing or flicking to the ear sounds.
Otherwise, these are sound recommendations.
 
IEMs targeted as sport earphones might carry a premium to them for their specific reasons. They may or may not fit better.
 
As far as microphonics, tinyman's recommendation for using a shirt clip and/or wearing over the ears works pretty well.
Avoiding models with cloth/nylon covered cables help too, although I do find these slightly longer lasting (YMMV).
 
For static, the shirt clip might help. Gym clothes tend to have more fibrous contents (i.e. cotton or w-e) so that does cause more rubbing ---> static. Otherwise keeping your music player out of pockets tend to help. Passing the cables from under your shirt might actually help, since humidity does inhibit static charges.

 
Microphonics can be described like static, I can see where that would come from (that first statement was worded oddly, but still meant the cloths caused a static sound, unknown source).  Rubbing and scratching are more general descriptions as well.  However, he made the statement that he was in motion (active; gym cloths).  Your suggestions for sources for this "static" (which I'm 99.9% sure is microphonics at this point) match sources for microphonics in general...  Except they would involve contact with the housing (not the cable).  
 
As for static, people were making fun of him above for that statement.  What he was hearing was not literal static.
 
_______Static Electricity Stuff________
 
Static electricity wouldn't account for what he hears...  Remember what static electricity is, a buildup of electrons.  Electrons can only build up if there is no place for them to discharge.  Their initial discharage will cause a sound, but after that, the additional sounds will be gone.  It is theoretically impossible to statically charge a wire that is connected to an electric circuit, the small amount of electrons being added to the system will simply flow through (amps could/would increase).  
 
However, I'll assume this did happen, multiple times...  Enough to cause a problem.  If what the OP was experiencing was true static electricity, what he would hear would be random volume changes (power = amps * volts => more amps = more power; more power = louder headphones => more amps = louder headphones) induced by a large gain of static electricity over very little time (milliseconds).  This load would require a system that is efficient in generating static electricity (Something like a Van De Graaf generator).  

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

 
Microphonics can be described like static, I can see where that would come from (that first statement was worded oddly, but still meant the cloths caused a static sound, unknown source).  Rubbing and scratching are more general descriptions as well.  However, he made the statement that he was in motion (active; gym cloths).  Your suggestions for sources for this "static" (which I'm 99.9% sure is microphonics at this point) match sources for microphonics in general...  Except they would involve contact with the housing (not the cable).  
 
As for static, people were making fun of him above for that statement.  What he was hearing was not literal static.
 
_______Static Electricity Stuff________
 
Static electricity wouldn't account for what he hears...  Remember what static electricity is, a buildup of electrons.  Electrons can only build up if there is no place for them to discharge.  Their initial discharage will cause a sound, but after that, the additional sounds will be gone.  It is theoretically impossible to statically charge a wire that is connected to an electric circuit, the small amount of electrons being added to the system will simply flow through (amps could/would increase).  
 
However, I'll assume this did happen, multiple times...  Enough to cause a problem.  If what the OP was experiencing was true static electricity, what he would hear would be random volume changes (power = amps * volts => more amps = more power; more power = louder headphones => more amps = louder headphones) induced by a large gain of static electricity over very little time (milliseconds).  This load would require a system that is efficient in generating static electricity (Something like a Van De Graaf generator).  

I'm not so sure, I experience a lot of static especially with the coming of winter--when it becomes drier and I have to wear warmer clothes which often involves fuzzy or insulating materials. Or even nylon outers with other types of cloth rubbing against each other due to wearing multiple layers.
Even without all that much layers of clothes, I also experience static when on the treadmill or when my PMP is in sport pants pocket. The headphone jack is connected to the PMP, and both are in the pocket. With exercise and motion, they rub around on the inside of the pocket and sometimes there will just be static added to the sound. This is when I think armbands for PMP is a good idea haha.
I experience these even with headphones, which isn't nearly as sensitive to microphonics.
 
And the sound is none other than what you'd hear with "static" and noise in radios and other audio devices: noise, scratchy sounds, and pops. It has zero likeness or inclusion of volume spikes... if you want a common example, it sounds pretty much exactly when you're fiddling with the leads of a full size speaker that is plugged in. Or when you have scratchy pots in your receiver.
Not exactly the same as microphonics sound.
 
But for what matters for the OP, the more he can learn the better so it's all good. Can't say much about the people above but I decided to not suggest it being microphonics simply because it didn't sound like the problem (to me). I won't deny the possibility of being wrong though.