noise Noise NOISE !!

[ExVatSteve]

Ok guys (& girls), my soundcard is giving me a right pain in the ear as follows:

When using the mic input on the front panel (and the back one) and with gain turned up a little bit, I'm picking up a large amount of 'computer noise' type interference. It's obviously doing it in time with HDD activity ( a rumble), but also processor activity, mouse movements etc. (causing a whine). I've read elsewhere that turning down mic gain can reduce it, but I WANNA USE THE MIC INPUT! (using decent mics as well)

Applied latest drivers for MOBO, graphics card, soundcard, moved slots etc. but no joy, what's a guy gotta do to get a bit of peace and quiet?

MSI KT3 ultra 2
XP2000
Terratec DMX fire 24/96

ExVat

[sam]

is your mic close to your computer and or speakers ? if so ,try moving the mic farther from your computer and speakers . try on top of you monitor or if you computer is on the desk put the mic on the opisite side of your monitor

hope this helps

[ExVatSteve]

Sam, thanks for the quick reply, but it doesn't make any differenece where i put the mic. Actually I probably should have said that I've just bought the Terratec card and even with no mic plugged in i still get the noise. Any other ideas?

ExVatSteve

[sam]

do you have on board sound if so is it disabled in your device manager?

ohh i forgot......welcome to techIMO

[ExVatSteve]

Yeah, MOBo has onboard sound, but it's disabled in BIOS and isn't showing in device manager. I'm running XP and there was no problems in any of the installation, no conflicts showing. In many ways that makes it worse, i.e. "this device is working properly" (thank you microsoft, eerggghhh)

[sam]

id try another sound card to see if that helps, try wiggling the mini jacks"speaker outputs" to see if there is a change in the noise . mite be a bad wire on your speakers. do you have any high voltage fans(120volt deskfans) or other moters any where near your speaker wires? that may cause some interferance may try rerouting your wires away from any power source including power cords

[ExVatSteve]

The old sound card worked fine, and still does if I put it back, but I upgraded to the Terratec to get better quality inputs!

I don't think the interference is coming from anything else because I can 'hear' the processor and HDD activity as I open and run apps - but please keep the ideas flowing, because this problem is eroding my sanity!

[sam]

return the card and get another one

[ExVatSteve]

Sam, I think you're right, thanks

[elmers]

Do you get noise when you disable all inputs as in 'mute' ? If you do just return the card. If theres no noise try unplugging the front panel deal from the sound card and see if that helps. Also see if theres a Line In on your card. It might be less noisy. That Terratec is a realy nice card btw, I looked into buying one but got Live instead.