Sony HT-RT3 Sub-Woofer Cooling Fan Noise

[Bladevane]

There is an annoying whining noise coming from the sub-woofer whenever the unit is switched on. The fan speed increases when audio output from the TV is heard and during lulls in TV conversation the fan can clearly be heard spooling down as the speed decreases. I am on the second sub-woofer unit and Sony have ordered a third one as a replacement. To be honest I am not expecting this one to be much, if any, better than the first 2.

Clearly someone in the Sony organisation has missed the noisy fan issue or decided customers will have to put up with it.

The noise is distracting and totally unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Hi there

Please let us know how your third replacement go - third times a charm??

However this is the first time ive actually heard or seen this complaint on these forums...

Cheers

[Bladevane]

Will do. These units are new to the shops (certainly in the UK) so would not expect much customer feedback yet.

[Bladevane]

Update. Third unit (to me) arrived today. Brand new in box kindly delivered by Sony Centre. Plugged in but there is still a whine when the cooling fan speed drops when there's no audio signal. Apparently, according to the Sony Centre man, Sony say fan noise is ot be expected. Pity they did not find this out or tell the customer before the purchase.

My "solution" would be to upgrade the firmware so that the fan speed stays constant and does not alter with audio signal. At least then we would not get the awful whining noise - from the fan, not me!

[ndndndndnd]

I bought the HT-RT3 as well last week and have the same issues! The fan noise is really annoying ... only when the sound goes below 10 the fan remains constant (but 10 is hardly hearable). 

This is really unacceptable, and I'm seriously considering returning the unit.

[Bladevane]

I am encouraged in that it it not just my ears which are able to pick this awful noise up but saddened that the fault affects others. I wrote to Sony top brass and received the following response:

Thank you for your email to Mr. De Pauw, to which I am replying on his behalf. First of all, please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by the issues with your Sony soundbar and the repeated exchanges it required.

Upon reviewing your inquiry, I understand that the current unit has been tested by the engineers and  found to be working to specification. I do appreciate however that the fan noise, although lower than in case of the original unit, can be a source of dissatisfaction and inconvenience.

Please be assured that your feedback as regards this matter will be transmitted to the design team so that they take it into consideration for future investigation and development.

I am sorry not to be able to offer you an immediate solution as regards this matter, however I can assure you that the issue will be brought to the attention of the relevant department as soon as possible.

Once again, thank you for your input as regards this product.

Maybe if enough dissatisfied customers do the same it will help to focus their technological minds for a solution.

[JaviSpain]

I just returned mine. 

It has no sense to have a fan inside a sound equipment that makes more noise than my fridge!!

SONY designers must be really underqualified for their job. 

I returned, here in spain,  and the guy on the shop was so confused there was a fan in the woofer. 

[Sange1Jon2]

Now that a Complaint has been Registered regarding these units, if and when they get upgrades will we automatically replaced should they breakdown? If not then can they be returned for a full refund?

Regards

Alexandria McKie

[Bladevane]

OK fellow sound bar users - or non-users. I think it is high time this fault was elevated within the SONY organisation. I'm writing this 6 months after I first posted the fault up on this forum and to date over 2000 folks have read it. Even if a small proportion of you decided not to buy that surely must be a worry to SONY. Or am I being naive?

I have an ongoing email conversation with a top brass member of SONY Europe but it is getting me nowehere. Can I request all of you who have similar issues, and who dislike this abominable cooling fan noise, to get in touch with SONY and tell them exactly what you think.

Try this guy.

[Edit: removed by Quinnicus - against forum rules to post personal email addresses of Sony employees]

Good Luck.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Bladevane

Sorry that you are still getting no-where.  However I have had to edit your post above.

If others are having the same issue, please post here or contact Sony Support via:

http://services.sony.co.uk/supportmvc/en/Contact/Email

Cheers