Interference/noise on sound card

[Sinbad]

So I bought myself a reasonable set of headphones for work to blank off the background noise. Only trouble is, now I can hear the insides of my PC working! Hi pitched squeaks and hums, especially when the hard drive works or when for example the monitor scrolls.

Any ideas for minimising this? (new sound card is not an option)

thanks!

 

[SirFooK'nG]

DIY EMI shielding... http://www.overclock.net/t/571718/how-to-make-emi-shielding-for-your-sound-card

My Asus Xonar is shielded.... love that card!

 

[Sonic2k]

Not that anyone listens but here goes..

Often its due to cheap hardware. What I have done in the past is to try and adjust the volumes in such a way that the sound is loud but the gain of the mixer is very low.

There are other issues to check. Are any audio inputs maybe enabled on the sound card mixer, and set to full gain? These will certainly pick up all manner of noise and hum.

 

[Sinbad]

DIY EMI shielding... http://www.overclock.net/t/571718/how-to-make-emi-shielding-for-your-sound-card

My Asus Xonar is shielded.... love that card!

mm.
Onboard sound on work PC :/

 

[Sinbad]

Not that anyone listens but here goes..

Often its due to cheap hardware. What I have done in the past is to try and adjust the volumes in such a way that the sound is loud but the gain of the mixer is very low.

There are other issues to check. Are any audio inputs maybe enabled on the sound card mixer, and set to full gain? These will certainly pick up all manner of noise and hum.

I'm sure it is cheap hardware.
Thanks will fiddle around on the mixer.

 

[Sinbad]

So changing mixer stuff doesn't affect the background noises at all.

I think the headphones are just super sensitive. These are my volume settings:

 

[SirFooK'nG]

What headphones are we talking about? Are you sure its not the headphones?

 

[sybertiger]

i think i know whats wrong

right click on your volume in the task bar
-playback devices
-click on active speaker
-properties
-advanced
and change it to 24bit 92khz

if that dont work,its probaly the ****ty quality of the onboard audio

 

[Sinbad]

What headphones are we talking about? Are you sure its not the headphones?

Steel series flux. Noise is definitely generated by the pc.

i think i know whats wrong

right click on your volume in the task bar
-playback devices
-click on active speaker
-properties
-advanced
and change it to 24bit 92khz

if that dont work,its probaly the ****ty quality of the onboard audio

Was already set to 192khz

 

[sybertiger]

dam

i had that problem with hissing and noise,but was set to 16bit :/

use a cottonbut and clean the ports?maby its dusty

but think its mostly interference with the sound chip on the mobo and other components

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Steel series flux. Noise is definitely generated by the pc.

Specific model?

 

[Sinbad]

Specific model?

PC or cans?

 

[SirFooK'nG]

The cans... Are they USB (with its own sound driver) or plugged directly to the sound card?

 

[Sinbad]

http://www.takealot.com/steelseries-flux-headset-white-pc-mac-and-mobile/PLID27896073

Not USB, sadly.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Is the stereo jack on the front of the PC case or are you using the direct mobo jack?

 

[Sinbad]

Is the stereo jack on the front of the PC case or are you using the direct mobo jack?

Front of the case

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Front of the case

3 options:
1) Get a ferrite choke/emi shield for your cable
2) Try the back stereo out
3) Re-route the cabling for the front audio panel

image below is a ferrite choke


aaand if by any chance you have an Antec 300 PC case, read this

 

[Sinbad]

3 options:
1) Get a ferrite choke/emi shield for your cable
2) Try the back stereo out
3) Re-route the cabling for the front audio panel

image below is a ferrite choke
View attachment 226088

Thanks
Imma try 2 first

 

[Sinbad]

oooh
Back jack, the levels seem much lower (I think it's actually line level output, not headphone out), so have to turn volume up - and noise is gone!

Thanks!

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Thanks
Imma try 2 first

Good ... but from what I understand, bad grounding in the case can be a major source of EMI, add to that the routing of the cabling should be neat, but avoid going near power sources...