[spidert622]

Ok, so I made a thread not too long ago about a terrible background noise that my headphones made.  At the end of that thread I decided that my issue was completely resolved.  I came to this conclusion after using my laptop to listen to music on an outlet that had a GFCI.  During this test I heard absolutely no background noise.  Because of this I thought my only problem was that I needed a GFCI installed in my room.  So I did this and it actually changed absolutely nothing.
 
 I was messing around with the USB connector into my glow audio DAC thinking maybe it was something to do with that and BINGO I found the issue.  As soon as I touched the metal USB connector to ANY metal part of my case I hear the same noise.
 
 I am going to be getting a new DAC because the glow audio 1.3 cannot take optical input.  Hopefully this will resolve the issue.
 
[size=x-small]In the mean time do you think that I built my computer incorrectly or something?  I am pretty sure that the motherboard should be grounded via the 24 pin power connector.  However I was stumbling through the comments of a Linus Tech tips video, and I noticed that someone else had the same motherboard as me and also heard a strange buzzing noise in their headphones.  Perhaps the motherboard has an actual [/size]malfunction[size=x-small] where it is incorrectly grounded causing background noise.[/size]
 
[size=x-small]Optical connection to the DAC in all likelihood will fix this problem because optical being light waves should not have this issue.[/size]
 
[size=small]Here are my PC specs in case anybody wants to know.[/size]
Asus Rampage IV formula
I7 3820
gtx 670 4gb 3 way sli
16gb 4x 4gb 16--mhz vengeance ram
NZXtswitch 810 case
Silverstone 1200w PSU
 
Audio setup
computer -USB- Glow audio dac -RCA- schiit Mjolnir -4pinXLRbalanced- audeze lcd-2 rosewood
 
The DAC I am looking into buying is the schiit gungir as I have heard that it is an excellent DAC that compliments the Mjolnir very well.
 
Thanks all

 

[davidsh]

Is everything properly grounded? (the DAC included)

 

[spidert622]

I am not sure.  I believe the DAC would be grounded via the USB.  The motherboard should be grounded by the powersupply which is grounded by the 3 pin power plug.  
 
Not really sure on this one.  Any ideas on manually grounding the motherboard or DAC safely?

 

[davidsh]

The things is if it buzzes while touching the pc case that suggests some kind of ground issue. I'd advice you to get an USB hub

 

[spidert622]

I feel like a USB hub wouldn't fix anything because most USB hubs connect via a USB port anyways.  So the sound would likely be carried.

 

[Sxooter]

It's likely that the GFCI outlet you tried before had a good ground, and the outlet in your room has a bad ground and is noisy.

 

[spidert622]

I don't think this is the case because a laptop while connected with the power cable has none of these issues.  I will, however, try taking my desktop downstairs and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Sxooter]

Laptops are usually 2 prong and isolated by their power supplies from ground completely since these cables are usually two wire non-polarized. A desktop will not be isolated, as the third wire ground WILL be ground. So I still think it's a bad ground on the plug.

 

[spidert622]

Try a different plug then?