I think I need a new sound bar, any recommendations?

I'm still blaming comcrap for this because it started with their box, but I'm willing to accept it may be my sound bar for reasons started at the end of the post. First, background. 

Last night, about 730, the audio coming from my cable box went from whatever stupid kid show was on to an annoying buzz that changed pitch every few Minutes. So I switched to my Xbox, and the noise went away and everything was fine.

Around midnight I shut the Xbox off to put on archer, and hey still an annoying buzz. So I tested the smart tv apps. They were fine. 

Xbox and smart tv apps check out, so the fiber optic cable from my tv to my sound bar should be good, by my logic. 

Called comcrap, and found out that the long outsourced customer service will just tell you to download a self help app because comcrap cares about their customers. 

The box itself, which I just got to replace a dead box Sunday, was extremely hot to the touch, and they finally decided that the brand new box they gave me was broken already. So I disconnected everything to get ready to take back to the store today and explain that the $234 "early termination free" will NOT be paid by me as I've been under contract 8 days and have had cable for 3 of them. (I finally called to cancel last week, landline and internet are $147/month, they tackled the same cable pack I have on for an even $150/month(down from $240), only reason I still have cable at all, but they put it on a 2 year contract)

Anyway, this morning I turn the tv on, put on YouTube, and was greeted to the same buzz. Shut everything off, checked my cables again, turned it back on and everything is normal again, minus the cable not being hooked up. 

So it maybe could be the sound bar after all?

And that's where I'm at. I'm not against getting a new sound bar, but I want something with a wired sub this time. My only real requirements are fiber optic and Bluetooth in, and a wired sub. Preferably under $200, but I'm flexible. 

TL;DR  ridiculously annoying buzzing noise came from speakers, but only when connected to the cable box. Removed cable box and the noise came back temporarily the next morning, maybe I need a new sound bar.

Did you test the sound bar without the cable box?

In reply to Mndsm :

Yea, but maybe I'll reword that post a bit. Last Night without the box at all everything was good. This morning, again, no box, but a loud harsh buzz when I first put YouTube on. 

Flicked the switch on the power strip for 30 second turned everything back on except the disconnected cable, and it's been fine since. 

Yeah, I'm not clear on exactly what you've done.  Not much in a sound bar can generate hum.  That's more likely the fault of the audio source.

Feed the sound bar from a known good audio source and see if the buzz is there.  Also, connect a different speaker to your cable box.

You are not alone.  I too have a passionate hatred for Comcast.  But my audio is clean.  For now.

Buy a setup that isn't a soundbar? :)

Ok I'll try again. 

The cable audio became a loud buzz, across all channels, languages, and output modes. Power cycled and sent a reset signal to the box and the noise was still there. Customer disserVice suggested the buzz was the fan in the cable box dying from overheat, somehow transmitting through the HDMI of the cable box to the tv, then the fiber optic from the tv to the sound bar. 

Sounded weird, but I bought it because it was Midnight and I was angry. 

I unplugged and removed the cable box, it's in my car waiting to go to the store. I tried my Xbox and smart tv apps, they played like they were supposed to. 

This morning I turned the tv on and put it on YouTube, and the first video put out the loud buzz again. Shut the tv and sound bar off, double checked the fiber optic from the tv to sound bar, both connections, turned the tv on and everything was normal again. 

For giggles, I streamed some Pandora from my phone over the sound bars Bluetooth and it played fine this morning as well. 

Aside from this morning's buzz, I've been having problems with my wireless subwoofer randomly disconnecting, so I've been thinking about a replacement for a while already. 

It's just that first time this Morning that threw me off when it buzzed with no cable Box connected. 

I don't have the room or Budget for a receiver setup these days. Especially lacking on room, I'd love to have a proper receiver and equalizer again. 

Can audio cabling in close proximity to power wiring cause this?  Defective power adapter?  Is it 60Hz hum or something else?  North Korean EMP?

You mention HDMI and optic fiber cable, which are you using? Or were you saying you got the same buzz through the sound using either?

In reply to z31maniac :

HDMI from cable box and Xbox to the TV. Fiber optic cable from the tv to the sound bar. Input options on the sound bar are fiber, Bluetooth, and RCA.

I've had everything sitting exactly the same way for 2 years, the only recent changes are the 3 cable boxes I've gone through in the past week since they knocked $100 off my bill every month. 

The best comparison I could make with the noise was a tattoo gun or clogged beard trimmer, but it changed pitch at seemingly random intervals.

Ugh, I wish I had a good suggestion. That sounds incredibly frustrating.

All the issues I've had in the past like this, all went back to a dying receiver. But it doesn't seem like that's an issue for you.

Is it a 60Hz ground loop hum?

In reply to codrus :

After finding a video on YouTube making the noise, yes. Sort of. 60, changes to 120, then goes higher before coming around again. 

So isolate my cables and check my grounds?

Following for soundsbar recommendations.

In reply to RevRico :

Based on what I know about speakers, a hum would indicate a voltage regularity. Probably a pain I  the ass, but is there elsewhere in the house you can test it? Test without the power strip etc....trying to eliminate the cheaper options. 

In reply to Mndsm :

Well I found the problem in the cable box itself. I should just plug it back in and let comcast buy me a new house. The solder joints on the board are cracked which is most likely(to me) causing a ground problem as the fan spins and vibrates the box.

Think Xbox 360/ps3 when the GPU would get so hot it would melt the solder and start coming off the board. Except instead of taking 1500 hours to break, this box took about 12 hours of use. 

Aside from the first time I turned it on today, the sound bar is behaving, but I'll take it up to the office and try it once the little one leaves. Everything is plugged into a surge protector that is as old or older than me, so it could probably stand an update too. 

They're really really pushing for those stupid berkeleying voice activated remotes. Why do you need an extra Microphone in my house? Or are people just that berkeleying lazy they can't push a button to change the channel anymore?

There is something iffy about the recent batches of fiber optic boxes as well.  We have them replaced ever 4-5 months.

For soundbars I have two of them. The best bang for the buck by far is the Bose I got at Costco.  Sound is great and it is completely plug and play. Price was about $250 or so. I also have a samsung. It is bigger and has marginally better sound. It is not as plug and play but I like that I have complete control of the input selection and sound settings. It is a better unit than the Bose but not almost $200 more that it cost better. 

I would blame the cable/modem first as well.  They are junk, built by the lowest bidder and supplied in bulk.

Its possible you have a cold solder in the soundbar.  Get one of those 20-cent ground isolators and try plugging in the sound bar to that to see if it changes (gets better/worse/goes away).  If so, its likely a bad cap or cold solder in the sound bar allowing a ground loop, so that means new sound bar.

If you want to get fancy, scrape a little of the paint off the screw that holds the plate on the outlet and wiggle that plug so that the grounding tang touches the screw and then doesn't.  That way you can test on the fly what grounded and not-grounded sounds like.

Also, don't forget that it might be nothing to do with anything in the audio.  I had to rewire my 1960s box fan with a grounding plug because it was very noisy (electronically speaking).  Every time the fan was on, my audio would buzz until I grounded the fan.  Its possible you are getting an intermittent noise from some other appliance in the house.  Furnace, stove, A/C, etc.  If (for instance) your furnace has a dirty ground it might be filling the rest of the house with buzzing juice.  I recall the same thing happening at my granparents' house when grandpa would run his Norelco shaver.