Noisy Soundcard or Noisy Computer, Should I invest in a new soundcard? Options

[powlaz]

I got my hands on a Soundblaster Audigy 2 soundcard and installed it in my PC. I have an older PC but I've spent a few bucks to make it worth keeping around a little longer. I think it's called putting lipstick on a pig.

Anyway the Audigy 2 was a big step up from my Soundblaster Live! card so I took it (a coworker was dumping it).

I have a sizable music collection on my PC (both FLAC and LAME copies of my CD collection). The computer is the one place I can go to "get away" and I'd like to listen to music while I'm on it.

So I figured the addition of the Audigy 2 card and Grado SR80 headphones would make for a nice experience.

However, when I put the headphones on I here noise. Not an electrical or electronic noise but a constant whoosh, as if a light breeze is blowing inside the computer. If I'm not mistaken the soundcard's job is not to add anything to the music. Certainly this level of background noise can't be helping.

So I though I would replace the Audigy 2 card with an Auzen XPlosion card. I understand this to be a quality soundcard and I'm expecting that when it is installed I won't hear anything in my headphones if nothing is selected to play. I'm I thinking the right way? Or is it possible that the computer is affecting the soundcard and it doesn't matter what card I install there will still be this background . . . I don't know what you call it. It sounds like the sound a cassette tape made in your speakers in between tracks.

Thanks for the advice.

Po

Also interested in opinions of the XPlosion card. I can't afford a $100+ card and this one seems to offer quite alot and earned a bit of respect.

[incunabula]

Did you hear the same noise with your old SB Live card? Do you have another pair of headphones you can try?

[Kitsuned]

I would try different headphones or even some speakers to see if the hissing or 'woosh' still exists. It may not be the soundcard.

[Fandango]

It could be anything. Don't jump to conclusions so quickly and invest money in a new sound card!

I had a similar problem a while back. Although it was my mouse and hard drives that created a buzzing noise, in the end it turned out to be a turn-table that was attached to my amplifier. So just because the noise was related to disk and network activity as well as the mouse cursor moving on the screen, I assumed the solution would be to alter my PC's hardware configuration, but it was a turn table which wasn't grounded properly (by design I guess). Detaching it solved the ground loop problem.

So check your entire gear that is attached to the same or nearby power lines / sockets.

You say the noise is audible when you plug in your headphones. Now what you didn't mention was whether you have also connected the soundcard to an amplifier. Is the noise audible through the amp, too?

This post has been edited by Fandango: Aug 1 2008, 01:53

[Slipstreem]

Also, try going into the mixer panel for the soundcard and muting all playback inputs that you're not using. I had a combination of hiss and data noise on my last soundcard and it turned out to be coming from the microphone input which I wasn't even using.

Cheers, Slipstreem.

[Martel]

Also, try going into the mixer panel for the soundcard and muting all playback inputs that you're not using. I had a combination of hiss and data noise on my last soundcard and it turned out to be coming from the microphone input which I wasn't even using.

Cheers, Slipstreem.

Yes, this is the first thing you should do after installing the drivers. It is also good to mention that under "properties" of sound volume application, there can be some additional inputs that are not muted but are not visible in the mixer by default (like PC speaker input).

If you still get noise which annoys you, I would get a modern soundcard. I have Asus Xonar DX (PCI express card on Asus P5K board) and it is almost completely silent (when not playing anything or playing digital silence).

This post has been edited by Martel: Aug 1 2008, 08:08

[botface]

I had a similar problem when I installed a new sound card several years ago, though mine was more of a whining noise. Anyway, moving the card to a different PCI slot as far away as possible from the video card sorted my problem out

[richms]

Make sure that all the other sliders in the mixer are muted and turned down, since sometimes the volume at min will still let some noise get in.

put the card as far away from the video card as possible, since they are not shielded.

Maybe make a shield - tinfoil sandwiged between 2 pieces of that plastic that you cover schoolbooks with when in primary school to stop it shorting is cheap and easy.

[powlaz]

Thank you all. Turns out that my Line In was making all of the noise. The Line In is connected to an ATI TV Wonder card so I guess it can't be used. Thanks for the reply. The PC is not connected to a receiver, just a Logitech Z-2300 speaker system. I'll save the home theater integration for my next PC.

Thanks again,

Po

[sinspawn]

Thank you all. Turns out that my Line In was making all of the noise. The Line In is connected to an ATI TV Wonder card so I guess it can't be used. Thanks for the reply. The PC is not connected to a receiver, just a Logitech Z-2300 speaker system. I'll save the home theater integration for my next PC.

Thanks again,

Po

Just mute the line-in port.