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HELP! extremely loud buzzing from speakers when GPU is "active" - Page 2

post #16 of 27
2/11/12 at 2:11am

One more thing to try: remove any external audio connections (amplifier, front panel, etc.) from the sound card, and try it with headphones. If you have a suitable adapter, try driving headphones with the line output as well. If the noise is fixed, then the problem is definitely grounding related.

 

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post #17 of 27
2/11/12 at 9:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Bloggs View Post

I would just try buying another el cheapo soundcard, installing it in place of the xonar, and see if the same thing happens. It just sounds to me like your xonar is messed up. (defective noise isolation circuitry)

i tried two xonars with the same problem. doesnt have the same problem on other cards, but then again, the other cards don't have a direct power connector to the pSU
Quote:
Originally Posted by stv014 View Post

It is probably not EMI, especially if the level of the noise is very high. The most likely cause is grounding problems (part of the current drawn by the GPU - which can be extremely high for "gamer" cards - leaks into the audio signal path through the ground wires), or maybe the power supply. What happens if you do not use that graphics card, and use onboard video (if available), or some low end, low power card instead of the HD6950 ?

i don't have another video card handy, but grounding sounds very much like the problem and what i'm leaning toward. what can i do to troubleshoot my grounding issues? could it just be the wall socket improperly wired?
Quote:
Originally Posted by stv014 View Post

One more thing to try: remove any external audio connections (amplifier, front panel, etc.) from the sound card, and try it with headphones. If you have a suitable adapter, try driving headphones with the line output as well. If the noise is fixed, then the problem is definitely grounding related.

i will try to give this a shot as well. thanks!
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post #18 of 27
2/11/12 at 9:33am

That's just a problem you'll have with higher-end video cards. I was able to partly remedy the problem with my GTX465 by overclocking it, which changed the pitch of the whine, to a point where it was pretty much inaudible.

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post #19 of 27
2/11/12 at 11:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LingLing1337 View Post

That's just a problem you'll have with higher-end video cards. I was able to partly remedy the problem with my GTX465 by overclocking it, which changed the pitch of the whine, to a point where it was pretty much inaudible.


Damn, that is crazy because GPU frequencies are so high around 800 MHz. Do you think its just harmonics?
I have noticed that big GPUs add around 20mV rms AC to the 12V rail of the PSU when loaded with ATI Tool as measured with my Fluke 77. I have no clue what frequency though.
The audible noise from the graphics card itself under load is like nails on a chalk board.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
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post #20 of 27
2/12/12 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
so i tried the headphone jack today on the xonar, and there is absolutely no noise at all.

it is only from the line out RCA jacks of my soundcard.

can we conclude this is a grounding issue?
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post #21 of 27
2/12/12 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu View Post

it is only from the line out RCA jacks of my soundcard.
can we conclude this is a grounding issue?


Yes, especially if the RCA outs are not noisy either when they are used to drive headphones directly (with an adapter).

 


Edited by stv014 - 2/12/12 at 3:18pm
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post #22 of 27
2/12/12 at 3:20pm
Thread Starter 
holy crap it was my freaking radioshack adapters! i tried going RCA cable to TRS adapter instead of TRS cable to RCA adapter (cheapo interconnect) and everything is fine now!

ugh... get what you pay for.

now if i could find a cable with 1/4" RCA on one end and TRS on the other, i wouldn't need these adapters frown.gif

edit: the TRS connection is for my active crossover used for the subwoofer, otherwise i'd just be going straight to the amp RCA to RCA
Edited by tofu - 2/12/12 at 3:21pm
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post #23 of 27
2/12/12 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 
thank you everyone for helping me troubleshoot this
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post #24 of 27
2/12/12 at 8:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu View Post

now if i could find a cable with 1/4" RCA on one end and TRS on the other, i wouldn't need these adapters frown.gif

http://www.monoprice.com/ is the solution to your problems.

(Not all of them, though - Monoprice, for some reason, doesn't have 2XLRf to 2RCAm. I had to go to Amazon for that...)

-- Griffinhart

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post #25 of 27
2/12/12 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu View Post

holy crap it was my freaking radioshack adapters! i tried going RCA cable to TRS adapter instead of TRS cable to RCA adapter (cheapo interconnect) and everything is fine now!
ugh... get what you pay for.
now if i could find a cable with 1/4" RCA on one end and TRS on the other, i wouldn't need these adapters frown.gif
edit: the TRS connection is for my active crossover used for the subwoofer, otherwise i'd just be going straight to the amp RCA to RCA


Also check Blue Jeans Cable.  You could have a nice custom made cable to length for a fair price.  I've been quite pleased with all my Blue Jeans cables.

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post #26 of 27
2/20/12 at 5:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu View Post

holy crap it was my freaking radioshack adapters! i tried going RCA cable to TRS adapter instead of TRS cable to RCA adapter (cheapo interconnect) and everything is fine now!
ugh... get what you pay for.
now if i could find a cable with 1/4" RCA on one end and TRS on the other, i wouldn't need these adapters frown.gif
edit: the TRS connection is for my active crossover used for the subwoofer, otherwise i'd just be going straight to the amp RCA to RCA


i'm glad you solved this, i have the same problem but i have not found a solution yet.

Headphone amp is fine but connecting a pair of studio monitor via RCA cable gives me this problem.

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post #27 of 27
2/20/12 at 7:10am

Don't have any problems on my system, sound is as black as it can get alone.  Using an EVGA x58 SLi, and an EVGA GTX 580 with a corsair gold model PSU.  As far as USB components are concerned, Monitor USB hub, Keyboard USB hub and illumination power, Mouse, GrandDog USB stick, USB3 PCI-E Card connected to PSU.

 

No issue at all.  Computer is connected to a surge protector, my 2 main audio components an unfiltered, unconditioned power strip.

 

Connected via digital coax.

 

Try toslink

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