Topic: Whats this noise? Uggg

[Swampy]

I got a new PC. Plug in the internal sound card to some speakers while I'm installing stuff and its making noise. Install my card (Hercules 16/12 FW), get the same noise when I record. Borrow a MBox, same noise. So thats internal, card via FW and card via USB... Here is a sample just recording with nothing into the input. I boosted this by like 30+ dB, its hardly noticeable until you get like 20 tracks and the song gets to a really quiet part... I put the PC into a power conditioner which seemed to lower the level, but I didn't do a scientific test... Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

http://www.sendspace.com/file/x1d0cd

[digifish_music]

I got a new PC. Plug in the internal sound card to some speakers while I'm installing stuff and its making noise. Install my card (Hercules 16/12 FW), get the same noise when I record. Borrow a MBox, same noise. So thats internal, card via FW and card via USB... Here is a sample just recording with nothing into the input. I boosted this by like 30+ dB, its hardly noticeable until you get like 20 tracks and the song gets to a really quiet part... I put the PC into a power conditioner which seemed to lower the level, but I didn't do a scientific test... Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

http://www.sendspace.com/file/x1d0cd

Sounds like something in your new PC is generating serious electronic noise. Possibly the video card.

I'd be taking it back from whence it came and asking it to be sorted. Does the power supply cable have an Earth and is it?

digifish

[Swampy]

I got a new PC. Plug in the internal sound card to some speakers while I'm installing stuff and its making noise. Install my card (Hercules 16/12 FW), get the same noise when I record. Borrow a MBox, same noise. So thats internal, card via FW and card via USB... Here is a sample just recording with nothing into the input. I boosted this by like 30+ dB, its hardly noticeable until you get like 20 tracks and the song gets to a really quiet part... I put the PC into a power conditioner which seemed to lower the level, but I didn't do a scientific test... Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

http://www.sendspace.com/file/x1d0cd

Sounds like something in your new PC is generating serious electronic noise. Possibly the video card.

I'd be taking it back from whence it came and asking it to be sorted. Does the power supply cable have an Earth and is it?

digifish

Hmmm. I actually switched up the video card to free up an additional PCI slot (bought a PCIe video card and took out the one that was in the PCI slot)... Had the noise before and after the switch... I did notice at one point when the noise was bad that if I would zoom in or zoom out in my DAW the noise would change.... I wish I knew more about computers... haha. I was gifted this PC from an IT friend, so theres nowhere for it to go back to. Get what you pay for I guess

[digifish_music]

Hmmm. I actually switched up the video card to free up an additional PCI slot (bought a PCIe video card and took out the one that was in the PCI slot)... Had the noise before and after the switch... I did notice at one point when the noise was bad that if I would zoom in or zoom out in my DAW the noise would change.... I wish I knew more about computers... haha. I was gifted this PC from an IT friend, so theres nowhere for it to go back to. Get what you pay for I guess

Hmmm. Good to know, you could try testing another video cable on your monitor.

It is odd that the noise appears on the Firewire and USB audio interfaces. They are most often immune from noise from inside the PC. Make sure the PC is correctly earthed.

Have a poke around inside and make sure everything is seated properly too. Disconnect/reconnect all cables.

digifish