Noise/humming in microphone while playing games

[Estatus]

I've experienced strange static-like or humming noise coming from my end when talking while playing games. Friends have complained before when speaking over ventrilo so I decided to record how it sounded like when the mic was on during a game session, and indeed I heard this annoying noise in the background. I returned my first card for a new one, but the issue was consistent. Tried both the drivers on the CD as well as the latest drivers from the ASUS page. I've also tired moving the sound card to the slot farthest away from the GPU card since I've been advised by the support at my store as well as on other forums to do so as there can be interference between the soundcard and the graphics card; but this boggles me since, not only is this an expensive high-end ROG sound card, but there is also a case built on the card itself to protect it from any kind of interference from other devices on the computer.

To listen to how it sounds like visit this video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3E-uhY-TJ4&feature=colike

[sobe]

I had issues with "humming" and what sounded like a lawn-mower when playing games like Hitman Absolution or Battlefield 3, and trying to talk in Teamspeak. I was using a Zalman-ZM1 clipon mic, where using a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD provided AMAZING voice quality and clarity in teamspeak and the clipon mic picked up VERY well, the Phoebus is another story completely...

In order for me to have gotten my voice heard in teamspeak I had to up the Mic boost to 20Db and jack the mic settings as far up as I could go before distortion, it was atrocious.

I switched to a mic that was directly in front of my mouth(or to the side to be precise), I chose the Antlion Modmic to fit my Beyerdynamic DT990's, and now I can keep the Mic boost at 0 and I sound clear and crisp with no issues talking on ts, whether Im ingame or not.

In reality the Modmic is a better mic, however, I should not have been REQUIRED to make the switch, or be required to use ****ty headsets or "gaming headsets" just for their mic and sacrifice the sound quality that better audiophile cans offer. (Albeit the Sennheiser PC360 is the only one I would consider due the the HD595 drivers in the earpieces)

/end rant

[Incred]

I'm not sure what I can add that hasn't already been said, but I recently purchased the Phoebus and I am certainly having the audio problems with my mic while playing World of Warcraft. When I use Skype while playing, people on the call complain about the noise coming from my end. They say it sounds like a lawnmower. The sound isn't constant, however, they tell me it comes and goes. Sometimes the sound is subtle, sometimes it is ear piercing.

Relevant Specs:
CPU: Intel 3570k @ 4.2 Ghz
GPU: EVGA GTX 680
PSU: Corsair AX850
Mobo: Asrock Extreme 4
Headset: Sennheiser PC 360
OS: Windows 8 x64.
Driver: 8.0.1.29

GPU is in top slot closest to CPU - Phoebus is in bottom slot, furthest away. My headset is plugged directly into the soundcard.

In all other situations, the sound card performs extremely well. I only have problems with the mic.

[Mineria]

Never had this issue using 2 almost identical setups, one with a GTX580, another with a GTX660.
Boost at 0db and ENC enabled.

Made sure that the audio card uses a seperate power lane?
Like when using SLI, never share the lanes between 2 cards or any other components in the system, if the PSU doesn't provide enough lanes to seperate between, get a better PSU.
Same rule should go for the Phoebus.

Have Windows up to date, there have been some lan-audio priority issues in the past which produced crackling sounds etc.
There are registry "tweaks" on the net to setup a specific order in the command queue list.

Disable the onboard audio device.

[93Crusher]

I found a "fix" to the issue. I have an ATI 6870 and the Xonar DS (i believe). All I did was in the microphone settings through windows I made sure that the Microphone Boost was on under the Custom tab. Then I went to levels and turned it down to 25. The buzzing noise is still there but it is much quieter. So those who want a temporary fix so that your microphone is working this may work for you. Oh and I plugged the USB part of my headset (Razr 7.1 Tiamats) into a wall power outlet using just a 110v outlet and a USB phone charging adapter. I read somewhere that the card may not be gorunded right so that helped some. Good luck!

[AVtemp]

POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF NOISE PROBLEM:
******************************************

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/ferrite-core-filter


You`r gonna need to set few of those (experiment yourself) on top of your PSU cable which connected to Phoebus.
Pick size by yourself (it has to lock tight on cable).
Try to place one from PSU side and another from power connector side.
You may try more than only 2.
Also you may try to place few on your microphone cable too.

It`s gonna reduce EMI noise.
There is a guy who solved this problem (he placed 4 ferrite core filters).

http://asusfans.ru/forum/cat-sound/topic-6475.html



I hope it`s gonna help you all.
P.S. Sorry for my english 🙂
Post here if it help you.

[heichalot]

that EMI supression core works on my sony tdk speakers (2.1).
ok, this maybe not so relevant to the main topic, but I think i'd rather share this info.

I had this sony speaker years ago (around 1999), it was a TDK 80 or 90 watt (can't remember, sorry), bought that back in the days when I studied overseas where it has 100v input. When I brought it back to my home (230v, with converter ofcourse), those speakers made humming noise. which I found out later that bad grounding is quite "common" here.
the speaker already has a built-in supression, yet it seemed not enough. After I added another supression, the humming dissapear (or really soft which I couldn't hear).

although I have never thought (nor imagine) to set up supression on sound card.
but wouldn't supression should be installed on the PSU main cable instead (the one plugging to the wall) ?
or on the power cable from the PSU to the soundcard is enough?


I used to have xonar phoebus, which I let it go because I don't like it
I also had razer tiamat 7.1, which I let go because it sucked. but I can confirm that even without xonar phoebus, tiamat itself does the humming.
I don't think the humming is caused by xonar.
but when I set the boost on +20db and higher (NOT with tiamat), I can hear the hum (so I always set it on +10db).
with tiamat, regardless which +db you use or which soundcard you use (even motherboard), it hums.

So Im quite sure the hum isn't phoebus's fault.

cheers

[AVtemp]

Yes,but Phoebus is part of this problem.
Engineers from ASUS did a mistake-Phoebus needs additional power.
I don`t know any other sound card with same solution.
They thought it will eliminate motherboard`s PCI-express power bus noise ( it should benefit in noise-free sound).
But they miss another problem - Graphics card\CPU produce huge EMI noise under load (it draws much power in 3D).
This noise is picked up by PSU power line (Phoebus additinal power),as it works like antenna.
And than it amplified inside Phoebus, so you can hear that noise.
Thats why you need to use Ferrite bead with Phoebus additional power cable (inside your PC).
Also make sure to place that cable as far as you can from Graphics card or motherboard.
Mic`s cable\remote box also works as antenna.
It`s a complex problem with PSU\Motherboard\GPU\Phoebus being involved.
That`s my theory.

[heichalot]

I still think by grounding the main PSU power cable "properly" would have stopped the hum, but I can only "assume" it since I don't have the piece anymore

AVtemp wrote:

Thats why you need to use Ferrite bead with Phoebus additional power cable (inside your PC).
Also make sure to place that cable as far as you can from Graphics card or motherboard.

if your theory is right, then supressing will be so much a hassle 😞

[G-Gnu]

What about the PSU/chassi is it grounded to earth ?
Sometimes if you dont have a good ground you can get 50/60Hz hum from the mic or other interferences.

I had my mouse input heard in my headset , then i rerouted my power to a diffrent socket so that i had real grounding, then it disappeared almost complete ( i can hear it if i crank the volume up to almost the top with no other sounds going on in my headset).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3E-uhY-TJ4&feature=colike <---- Noise starting at 0:10 Gpu starts working.

I asked my friend to do a test. He have an older computer laying around and i asked him to use the power supply from that computer to feed the Phoebus power plug, i told him to use the same outlet so that he had the same grounding so that the PSU´s have the same earth point.
That my friends did work, not a single sound of a "Lawnmover" when i did a test with furmark to push the GPU to max.
So in this case it seems to be "Crap sound" coming through the PSU unit (Corsair TX750m), so he might need to change to a better PSU to get rid of the "Lawnmover" sound.

[SWEstone]

G-Gnu wrote:
What about the PSU/chassi is it grounded to earth ?
Sometimes if you dont have a good ground you can get 50/60Hz hum from the mic or other interferences.

I had my mouse input heard in my headset , then i rerouted my power to a diffrent socket so that i had real grounding, then it disappeared almost complete ( i can hear it if i crank the volume up to almost the top with no other sounds going on in my headset).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3E-uhY-TJ4&feature=colike <---- Noise starting at 0:10 Gpu starts working.

I asked my friend to do a test. He have an older computer laying around and i asked him to use the power supply from that computer to feed the Phoebus power plug, i told him to use the same outlet so that he had the same grounding so that the PSU´s have the same earth point.
That my friends did work, not a single sound of a "Lawnmover" when i did a test with furmark to push the GPU to max.
So in this case it seems to be "Crap sound" coming through the PSU unit (Corsair TX750m), so he might need to change to a better PSU to get rid of the "Lawnmover" sound.

Sadly it didn't help with a new PSU 😞 or proper grounding, I installed a Corsair AX1200i and there was no improvment at all, still a lawnmover with high load on the GPU (gigabyte GTX690). I even tried stopping the gpu fan and the watercooling pump on the CPU, no change........ Need help ASUS !
Btw, the xonar phoebus sits 4 empty slots below the GPU, no control box, 5.1 surround headphones.