Music Skips and Has Static

[Jarick]

I'm hard wired to the internet and playing Pandora on a PC which is connected via bluetooth to a stereo system. I have rebooted my modem, unpaired and re-paired my bluetooth device as well as logged out of Pandora and logged back in. None of this has seemed to help. I'm paying for this service and shouldn't be experiencing this issue. There is no error code.

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

[AdamPandora]

@Jarick I checked in with our support team, and they do see you have an open case with them regarding this issue.

Please keep an eye out for their email reply, and they will be happy to look into this further with you.

Thanks for your patience in the meantime! 

[rvjudi]

I'm having the same issue.  Almost ready to quit Pandora if this doesn't get fixed!  😞

[TannerPandora]

Hi @rvjudi! 👋🏻Thanks for posting to community.

I'm happy to help but I'll need more information in order to help diagnose the issue.

Are you listening to Pandora on a computer or on a device?

1. If you are on a computer, are you listening from:
   • A Mac or Windows computer?
   • Our website, or the desktop app? If you're listening from our website, what browser are you using?
2. If you are on a device, what is the make and model?
3. Is there an error message? If so, what does it say?
4. Can you provide me with a screenshot of what you're seeing? (If you're not sure how to take a screenshot, just let me know and I'll be happy to provide you with some additional steps.)

Let me know. 

[kealahill]

I'm having static on my music too. On a MacBook Pro 2017, using Safari. I thought my speakers were broken, but YouTube plays fine. It was Safari. Chrome is fine. I just hate it because it heats up my laptop.

mod edit: format

[AlyssaPandora]

Hey there, @kealahill. 👋

Sorry for the continued trouble with this. Sounds like this issue is related to your Safari browser specifically.

Desktop Application:

Another option would be to try out the Pandora Desktop app for your MAC computer. If you're interested, you can check it out here.

++

Troubleshooting Safari:

In the meantime, I've included some troubleshooting steps for your Safari browser to see if it helps with the issues you're experiencing during your listening sessions.

1. Update Safari (If you are unable to update to Safari 11, please let me know). 
2. Clear your Cookies, Cache, and History:
   • Click Safari on the menu bar at the top of your screen and then Preferences.
   • Select the Privacy tab.
   • Click Manage Website Data...
   • Type "Pandora" in the search box and click on Pandora to highlight your selection.
   • Click Remove All and then Done.
   • Restart the browser and go back to www.pandora.com
3. Install the latest version of the Flash player (using the appropriate link for your operating system). 
4. If you have the latest Flash version installed, confirm that Flash is enabled to run on your browser:
   • Click Safari on the menu bar, then Preferences.
   • Next, click on the Websites tab, find the Plug-ins section on the left column. Click on Adobe Flash Player and confirm that the setting for Pandora under Configured Websites is set to On. Your changes should take place after reloading the Pandora page in your browser.
5. Verify JavaScript is enabled:
   • Click Safari on the menu bar at the top of your screen and then Preferences.
   • Click on Security tab. Confirm that Enable JavaScript is selected.
6. Verify pop-ups settings for the Pandora website:
   • Visit the Pandora website.
   • Click Safari > Settings for This Website.
   • Uncheck Enable Content Blockers and confirm the setting for Pop-up windows is set to Allow.
7. If you have the AdBlock extension, click the AdBlock icon on your tool bar and select Don't run on this domain. Also, make Pandora an exception if you have the ClicktoFlash or ClicktoPlugin extensions.
8. If you are using an internet firewall or anti-virus program, it could be blocking portions of our site. Try allowing access to www.pandora.com within those programs, and then try visiting our site again. If this doesn't help, try disabling such programs entirely as a test to see if this affects your issue.
9. Finally, if your issue persists, restart your computer and go back to www.pandora.com.

Feel free to let me know if this helps. 🎧

[rvjudi]

I'm on a desktop PC, using WIN10, listening both directly from Pandora website and sometimes desktop app. Use Edge browser.  All software for Windows, browser, and drivers has been updated. No error messages. No screenshots to provide. Have small Logitech desktop speakers that sound good and have been dependable.  All other music streaming and videos seem to be OK, just Pandora has the static.  Static not loud but is on-going, so becomes quite annoying and distracting.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hey there, @rvjudi. 👋

Sorry to hear that you're also experiencing this issue. 

We don't alter music equalization on Pandora from how it appears on the original releases, unlike terrestrial radio, which compresses the entire broadcast. As a result, some songs sound louder or different than others. However, we do use the Replay Gain technique that encodes a fixed volume adjustment into the mp3/mp4 header so that the actual player (web browser, phone or device) can adjust volume just as the track begins playing.

If there are vast differences, it could also be due to different instrumentation or arrangements causing different apparent levels of volume where the actual decibel levels are the same.

++

In the meantime, let's try the following troubleshooting steps while I have a trace enabled on your Pandora account. 

• For the Pandora desktop app on Windows 10, please try out these steps.
• For your Edge browser, you may find these steps helpful.

I hope this helps. Feel free to let me know how it goes. 🎧