@HarmHH Return and buy Google Nest Wifi mesh solution. No issues whatsoever.

@0046247 

Just want to confirm on this thread, I have the same exact problem. Have had a Google enabled multi room speaker setup for years, no issues. Google homes, home minis, Polk audio assist, JBL Links, and a HK citation one. Once I switched to the TP Link M9 plus mesh system I get nothing but crackles and pops through the JBL and HK speakers when using them as a speaker group. Play them individually, no problem. Something w/ the combination of settings on the TP link deco system and the JBL - Harman Kardon speakers don't jive well. Still no solutions? I might just go to the Google mesh solution like all the others recommend... Looking for any suggestions unless scrapping the TP link is my only option. 

Same issue here.  Small static pop every second after I'm done playing music from Pandora.  I don't hear it while playing music, only when I tell google to stop playing music.   I have to turn the Link 20 off then back on again to make it stop.  This just started about a month ago.  

Using Ubiquiti AC-Pro wifi.  It has a strong enough signal to it as it's only 25 feet away from the access point.  

So I don't have a JBL, but two Harman Kardon Citation One in stereo, two Google Nest Audio in stereo, and the crackling popping noises still occur, mostly when chromecasting to a group. Hence, the issue is not isolated to the JBL.

I have a Deco M4, that's where the problem started. I decided to buy the Deco X20 to test if it still occured (with Wifi6). It was pretty good for a couple of weeks but then, indeed again when casting to a larger group (HK citation one stereo set and nest audio set, four speakers in total) and the crackling popping started again. I returned the X20s and using the M4 again, but not in a group. I'm going to buy a mesh router set of Asus Zenwifi (or anything but TP) to see if it happens again and return the M4 under guarantee. 

Keep you posted. 

Same problem here. Since I have replaced all my devolo access points by Deco M9 I have these cracking noises in my jbl link 20 :(

I am disgusted... I bought 4 Deco M9 to fully cover the house (370€) and all are connected also via their detergent backhaul... so the bandwidth should be far from insufficient! I measure 60Mbps on the WiFi with my tablet, next to the jbl location...

no issue with my various Google home mini and Chromecast audio.

So I discovered that JBL and Harman Kardon are from the same parent company Harman Audio, which explains a lot. I already knew that the static pop noise problem wasn't limited to just the JBL Link speaker (where most have this problem), because I have the same but with Harman Kardon Citation One speaker, more specifically when casting to a group (including Nest Audio). 

Hence, this must be an issue that occurs through a combination of TP link (mesh) routers (software) (I tried Deco M4 and X20) and casting to speakers from Harman Audio brands to a chromecast (group). That surely must be enough for developers to fix this ridiculous problem right??! 

Is there any update here? I am using an Archer VR400 with a JBL Link 20 and the cracking/popping noise is infuriating. The noise sometimes starts even when nothing is playing (like in the middle of the night). I have a number of Google Home devices linked in a group and also new and old Chromecasts on the network.