PCI Sound and PCI-e Graphics Card Crosstalk?

[junk1208]

Summary: I am hearing interference only during what seems like significant changes to the screen (new window, playing video, etc.) only through front panel audio connection. Crosstalk from video card? Advice? Solutions? (other than moving sound card) Thanks~

Hey, all.

This is my first post. I registered a little while ago, because I had some issue, which I think I resolved.. Can't remember what it was. But now, this thing has come up and thought I'd see what everyone here thought.

So, with my speakers I've always picked up some constant clicking interference, which is mostly audible at low volumes - especially through my IEMs. This I'm pretty sure is just either from power line or other device interference since putting the subwoofer (which my 2.1 speakers plug into) up on the desk away from everything else solved the problem - at the cost of well... my subwoofer is sitting on my desk now!

The real issue now. I bought a new X-Fi XtremeGamer. I also considered the technically equivalent XtremeMusic, but since that one does not have front panel headers, I stuck with the one I got. The problem is actually related to the front panel connection. Now, I hear interference, but it is not constant and I'm pretty sure it originates from within the computer case.

I first heard it when I plugged my ear phones into the front panel audio port. During quiet segments of video, I heard a rapid clicking noise. I noticed that this noise would stop when I paused the video. Later, I noticed that even scrolling through webpages, clicking on things, changing tabs, opening windows, and moving the mouse over roll-over buttons would also produce short lengths of clicks.

I'm guessing that the noise is coming from interference from my graphics cards? (It's a large dual-slot 8800GTX). The PCI slot which the sound card is connected to is adjacent to the card - but not adjacent to the PCIe slot the video card is connected to since the video card occupies two slots. The problem only seems to be with the front panel audio.

Is it really possible that it's just interference from the graphics card? Has anyone heard of this happening?

Any solutions? I don't really have room to move the sound card to another slot.

All advice/thoughts welcome and appreciated

Thanks~

[puntoMX]

Is it really possible that it's just interference from the graphics card? Has anyone heard of this happening?

Any solutions? I don't really have room to move the sound card to another slot.

Hi junk1208,

Welcome to THE forum.

I have seen (heard) a lot of your problem around, mostly due to bad cabling and shielding of the audio ports and cable inside a case. Better cases have a ferrite core around the cable that prevents ripple voltages on shielding but I guess yours doesn’t have that. in some places, like electronics parts stores, you can buy those ferrite cores, just make a loop with your wires trough the core and see if that helps a bit.

If you are handy then you could replace the whole cables too by a good shielded cable. Also there is some thing about ground-loops (going to read it my self, first time I see it on wiki ), try to avoid them.

I hope this helps a bit...