SEARCH

The How-To Geek Forums Have Migrated to Discourse



Join the Discussion at discuss.howtogeek.com

How-To Geek Forums / Windows 7

Ground noise?

(11 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by dface12
  • Latest reply from dface12
  • Topic Viewed 2028 times

dface12
Posts: 12

Hi again fellow geeks! (so soon)

I've just built my first PC from scratch (ish) with an ASUS P5QPL-AM motherboard, Intel Q8400, Crucial Ballistix 4gb kit and my old (but healthy) Maxtor HDD and PCI Audiophile2496 - graphics card on its way ;) The spec may be irrelevant for my problem but thought I'd declare it to see if anyone has any feelings on the choices I made! The build went swimmingly - my only struggle being jitters about how much pressure I could safely exert on the CPU and motherboard when installing my bad-ass Zalman heatsink!

So the problem is...I use my computer mainly to make music. But, since installing Windows 7 and switching the PC on for the first time, I have a bubbling, crackling noise coming from my left monitor speaker that begins to be heard as Windows 7 is loading up and gets worse when I scroll up and down program windows - it's then almost like a ZX spectrum loading, whirring sound. My audio travels: From Audiophile output into small Yamaha mixing desk, out to powered speakers. There is also a feed from the mixing desk's output back into the Audiophile input. I never experienced this sound using my old PC and this mixing desk. Thankfully, I can't hear the sound from my mixing desk's headphone output.

I am moderately learned about ground loops but have very limited electrical knowledge! The sound I am hearing is the exact same sound I hear through speakers when plugging a laptop into a mixing desk and then plugging in the laptop charger. Could this be a ground loop? A friend has judged it a ground loop and recommended removing the earth wire from a 6-way and then powering all my audio gear and PC with it. How safe do people consider this? I have heard differing opinions.

Please, please, please help if you can!

Thankyou :)

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
LH
LH
Posts: 20002

That sounds like a bad electrolytic capacitor in the circuit.

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

Ah noooo... what part of the PC would that most likely involve? Couldn't think of the best way to ask for more info on that!

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

Had a bit of a breakthrough - the sound is significantly less through the speakers when I remove the headphones from the mixer. Still hear the grinding scrolling noise though. Anyone?? Sorry for the hasty posts, it's driving me nuts not being able to use my monitors.

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Does it happen with just headphones, plugged into the headphone socket ?

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

No, no noise in the headphones whatsoever! Can't seem to isolate where the problem is arising. I'm finding more and more stories about electrolytic capacitors causing static noise but these capacitors could be in almost any of my components couldn't they?

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Did you try switching the speakers over, or different speakers.

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

Hi, I've just tried switching to different speakers and the noise is gone. So this would mean there is a problem with the grounding of one of my monitors? Maybe?

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

Anybody??? The other speakers are not mine so can't accept that solution! Please help, it's driving me bonkers!

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Some speakers do have capacitors in them, as a filter system. So you will need to open them up and have a look.
And check all cable connections and solder joints while you are at it.

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 
dface12
Posts: 12

Thanks LH, if I can find nothing else that fixes it I will give that a go! :)

Posted 3 years ago #
Top
 



Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies. Please create a new topic instead.


Create New Topic Return to Forum