Hearing Static on my Computer

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Dustin" wrote ...
>I bought a pair of 190$ Bose Triport Headphones on the weekend.
> They sound amazing when listen to my stereo system, but when I
> tried them on my computer this morning, I'm hearing alot of static
> when listen to music, whether its CDs or MP3s. Even if nothing
> is playing, i can hear static, and its quite noticeable. I tried
> plugging the headphones into the back jack, the jack in the front
> and the jack in the speakers, its all the same.

Be sure that all the audio sources are MUTED except the one(s)
you are listening to. Sound cards have various numbers of inputs
and the method for doing this varies somewhat between versions
and operating systems, so generic advice only.

Note that poor signal-to-noise ratio is endemic to "conventional"
computer sound circuits. Unless you spend several times more than
what your Bose headphones cost, you likely won't hear the same
performance from any computer sound card, especially on the
close examination from good headphones.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

The IBM i'm working on right now has a Realtek AC'97, and it sound
good, no static. Any idea is this a high end card?

The only source i muted was the microphone, i will try muting the
others ones to see if that helps.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Dustin <dustindeck@gmail.com> wrote:
>I bought a pair of 190$ Bose Triport Headphones on the weekend. They
>sound amazing when listen to my stereo system, but when I tried them on
>my computer this morning, I'm hearing alot of static when listen to
>music, whether its CDs or MP3s. Even if nothing is playing, i can hear
>static, and its quite noticeable. I tried plugging the headphones into
>the back jack, the jack in the front and the jack in the speakers, its
>all the same.

This is normal for typical cheap soundcards.

>
>So I'm wondering if its my sound card, either hardware or software?
>I'm listening to them as I type on another computer and there is no
>static.
>
>The only other thing I thought it might be is the wireless keyboard
>and mouse that provides interference. But on the computer I'm on now
>it has a wireless mouse and it doesn't seem to make a difference.
>
>So what should I do? Look for newer drivers? Replace my hardware, or
>do I need to upgrade my Hardware.

You can get a better sound card. Or you can just get a CD player next
to your computer.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I've also found that balancing the hardware and software volume
controls can affect the amount of noise; generally, I now crank the
software volume control to the moon, adjust the hardware volume until
it's a little louder than I like, crank it back a tiny bit, and then
use the software controls for the most part.

I also found that muting outputs helped. But in my case, I also had to
swap out my card altogether. I had an Audigy which was resulting in a
lot of noise, and I had to pull it for another one. I think it was a
hardware problem somewhere.

DW

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Oh - I believe that the SB Live uses the AC97 chipset - so if you have
an AC97 card, you likely have something on par with the SBLive.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Dustin" <dustindeck@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1120489641.092172.316760@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> The IBM i'm working on right now has a Realtek AC'97, and it sound
> good, no static. Any idea is this a high end card?
>
> The only source i muted was the microphone, i will try muting the
> others ones to see if that helps.
>

It might not be a card, it might be a chip on the motherboard. There are a
lot of variables that can mess up sound on a modern PC, from what kind of
hardware and software you have running, to the quality of the software that
was written for the card or chip, to the design of the chip itself and where
somebody decided to put it.

I think your idea that the wireless keyboard might be interfering is a good
one. Each system is different, and the only way to find out if you're right
is to unplug the wireless stuff and use a standard keyboard and mouse, and
see if the problem goes away.

jb

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Dustin" <dustindeck@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1120481227.334526.212270@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com

> I bought a pair of 190$ Bose Triport Headphones on the
> weekend. They sound amazing when listen to my stereo
system,
> but when I tried them on my computer this morning, I'm
hearing
> alot of static when listen to music, whether its CDs or
MP3s.

> Even if nothing is playing, i can hear static, and its
quite
> noticeable. I tried plugging the headphones into the back
> jack, the jack in the front and the jack in the speakers,
its
> all the same.

The audio interfaces built into PC motherboards, while
continuing to improve, are often pretty weak. Here's you
give us no idea how old your PC is, what make and model, or
the name of the audio interface (listed out in the PC Device
Manager).

The most common audible problem with poor, cheap audio
interfaces is hiss, but the situation can be managed by
optimising the level controls.

Most PC's have two level controls (in the audio mixer
applet) that control the overall loudness of CDs and MP3s.
One is the master volume control and the other is usually
called "Wave" or something like it. If you have one turned
down and the other turned way up, you may have more noise
than if the gain is balanced between them.

> So I'm wondering if its my sound card, either hardware or
> software?

Hiss in audio interfaces is generally a hardware problem,
and its one that requires total replacement. Some people
have tried shielding, but it generally doesn't work.

>I'm listening to them as I type on another computer
> and there is no static.

Guess what, the quality of audio interfaces varies with time
and by make and model of PCs. Well-known brands are no
guarantee of sound quality - until HP took over Compaq,
Compaq had some of the worst built-in audio interfaces in
the business. As a rule, HP and Dell engineers tried a
little harder in the old days.

> The only other thing I thought it might be is the wireless
> keyboard and mouse that provides interference. But on the
> computer I'm on now it has a wireless mouse and it doesn't
> seem to make a difference.

There is a kind of interferance that can be related to mice,
but its a sound that is loudest when you move the mouse.
This particular problem is often traced to bus domination by
the video card.

> So what should I do?

Update the PC by adding a better audio interface and
programming the PC's settings so all relevant sounds go
through the better interface. PC's can have more than one
audio interfaces. There is a way to set which is preferred
through the Control Panel, and then you PC will avoid using
the older audio interface.

>Look for newer drivers?

This rarely helps.

>Replace my hardware, or do I need to upgrade my Hardware.

You don't even tell us if this is a laptop. If it is a
laptop or a desktop even an inexpensive USB audio interface
such as Creative's Sound Blaster USB MP3
http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=432752&...

can help you.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Its a brand new computer, bought 1 month ago.

Assembled by a company called Seanix, some general stats

P4, 3GHz, 1GB of RAM, WinXP Pro, Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

And I'm sorry I don't have the model of the Soundcard since I was at
work when I posted yesterday, and wasn't home last night to check.

I will post the Make and Model tonight when I get home.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Dustin" wrote ...
> Its a brand new computer, bought 1 month ago.
> Assembled by a company called Seanix, some general stats
> P4, 3GHz, 1GB of RAM, WinXP Pro, Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
> And I'm sorry I don't have the model of the Soundcard since I was at
> work when I posted yesterday, and wasn't home last night to check.
> I will post the Make and Model tonight when I get home.

All the sound sources should be muted except the one you're listening to.
The software "volume controls" should likely be set at 40~80%

If you still don't like the signal-to-noise ratio, you can do a more
detailed "differential diagnosis" by muting everything and then un-
muting (and turning up) each input one at a time to see where the
problem is.

If you are doing any kind of serious audio work, you may find the
usual "generic" or "mass-market" gaming type sound card (Sound
Blaster, et.al.) to be not adequate for your requirements.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

reddred <opaloka@REMOVECAPSyahoo.com> wrote:

> Each system is different, and the only way to find out if you're right
> is to unplug the wireless stuff and use a standard keyboard and mouse, and
> see if the problem goes away.


He's going to be up all night trying to figure out how you unplug a
wireless keyboard.


ulysses

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Justin Ulysses Morse" <ulyssesnospam@rollmusic.com> wrote in message
news:1120632923.055f6a6edaa1f32b4676e3c9ae95c5b7@teranews...
> reddred <opaloka@REMOVECAPSyahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Each system is different, and the only way to find out if you're right
> > is to unplug the wireless stuff and use a standard keyboard and mouse,
and
> > see if the problem goes away.
>
>
> He's going to be up all night trying to figure out how you unplug a
> wireless keyboard.
>
>

uh uh , the hardest part is plugging it in.

jb