Help with audio? Nobody I've asked has any idea what's going on..

valkerion

valkerion

valkerion

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Joined
9 Jun 2021
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22
Location
London
Hi all.

I've posted this to gazillions of forums and nobody understands why this is happening:

My audio output (microphones) plays this sound to whoever I have a Google / Skype / Discord / Slack call with. WARNING: STATIC NOISE

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M_xyhlSQuI0Ta43JudOtVKWdDa_pjbTr/view

The thumbing sound you hear is when I press keys on my quiet keyboard. My voice doesn't actually get transmitted at all nor any other sound.

This all started a couple of days ago. I was at a discord call whilst playing 2k21. All of a sudden, the game looked like this: https://imgur.com/QSCPEs7

My mates start telling me to mute immediately because all of a sudden i'm broadcasting some crazy static TV noise! Any other game I've played since, runs fine. I've done some benchmarks too and the GPU hasn't crashed or anything.. On the other hand, NBA 2k21 is still glitched like that and crashes after some time. Nothing on the event logger.


I'm using the Elgato Wave:3 microphone which has an off button on it. I pressed and they told me that the static is still going on. I had to press the Discord mute button or pull out the cable of the microphone for it to stop.

I then tried my Hyper X cloud II's microphone, and the same thing happened with the static.

I've updated all drivers and windows and this is still going on. I've formatted my OS HDD and this is still going on. I've updated my BIOS to the latest and it's still going on. In addition, my Thunderbird is "flashing" / flickering a lot to the point it's unusable.

When using the "Listen back" feature to listen to your own microphone via your headphones, the static / buzzing noise isn't there anymore.

Specs: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/v6sRe5ESDlvzbEKbePjm1K0

Windows: Windows 10 Home

Windows Version: 21H1

BIOS: CROSSHAIR VI HERO BIOS 8002

HWMonitor voltage info if it helps https://pastebin.com/JQfpiu6d


Any thoughts?


 
Hi, welcome to the forum.

Could check the RAM which can cause all sorts of issues like these. Take some sticks out and try them one by one.
 
Danny75 said:
Hi, welcome to the forum.

Could check the RAM which can cause all sorts of issues like these. Take some sticks out and try them one by one.
Click to expand...


Hi there. Thank you for getting back to me and welcoming me.

I just finished swapping / removing the sticks in different combinations with no luck. In addition, I also switched the GPUs slot the the one below but that hasn't helped either.
 
Have you tried removing all devices like the El Gato, Hyper X soundcard (if it has one) etc, and testing? Then re-adding them one by one to check when/if the issue reoccurs.

A recent Windows update introduced some high-pitched noise on some systems that isn't there when the user switches to spatial sound. Not sure it's what you describe but should be easy to test.

@EsaT
@Armageus

These guys know far more about audio stuff than I do.
 
Danny75 said:
Have you tried removing all devices like the El Gato, Hyper X soundcard (if it has one) etc, and testing? Then re-adding them one by one to check when/if the issue reoccurs.

A recent Windows update introduced some high-pitched noise on some systems that isn't there when the user switches to spatial sound. Not sure it's what you describe but should be easy to test.

@EsaT
@Armageus

These guys know far more about audio stuff than I do.
Click to expand...

I've attached a google drive link on the original post with the exact sound that comes from my PC (microphones?) to others.

But yes I've tried removing all the devices and even plugged some other headsets I had with no avail
 
A few months back a capacitor (as far as I could tell) died on one of my soundcards causing static to be fed into my microphone, much to the annoyance of people on The Division.

EDIT: Though if you've tried different devices with a separate ADC then probably not that.
 
This sounds like analogue static.

It's not the Elgato Wave 3 as the that mic us USB so digital, plus the OP has tried another microphone.

Some of the static sounds like it could be interference with a HDD arm, do you have a HDD in the system?

What is your output source, motherboard audio, sound card, external dac?

It's a bit confusing how others are hearing the static also, especially as you have a digital microphone.

I'm wondering if the static is feeding in from another analogue source that's become faulty, such as an analogue line in that's been left open.

This problem is nothing to do with memory, reseating memory could only confuse issues.
 
valkerion said:
My mates start telling me to mute immediately because all of a sudden i'm broadcasting some crazy static TV noise! Any other game I've played since, runs fine.


I've updated all drivers and windows and this is still going on.
Click to expand...
If other games are fine, that hints strongly to bug in game or to some kind software conflict.


Updates don't mean automatically better.
New driver might come with new live bugs to replace dead ones.
And especially drivers Microsfot pushes can be garbage...
Also some Windows update itself might be behind software conflict.
 
To confirm.

Is this interference happening for all sound (such as Skype, or playing YouTube), or only when playing a particular computer game?
 
Wow guys i must say thank you all for being so supportive with this. I will reply to everything one by one:

JasonM said:
This sounds like analogue static.

It's not the Elgato Wave 3 as the that mic us USB so digital, plus the OP has tried another microphone.

Some of the static sounds like it could be interference with a HDD arm, do you have a HDD in the system?

What is your output source, motherboard audio, sound card, external dac?

It's a bit confusing how others are hearing the static also, especially as you have a digital microphone.

I'm wondering if the static is feeding in from another analogue source that's become faulty, such as an analogue line in that's been left open.

This problem is nothing to do with memory, reseating memory could only confuse issues.
Click to expand...

I have only SSDs in the system which are

  • 256GB Crucial_CT275MX300SSD1 (SATA (SSD))
  • 931GB Crucial CT1000MX500SSD1 (SATA (SSD))
  • 465GB Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB (SATA (SSD))

My output source is indeed the motherboard's audio.


EsaT said:
If other games are fine, that hints strongly to bug in game or to some kind software conflict.


Updates don't mean automatically better.
New driver might come with new live bugs to replace dead ones.
And especially drivers Microsfot pushes can be garbage...
Also some Windows update itself might be behind software conflict.
Click to expand...

Yes I understand and totally agree with this. On the other hand though, I only updated things AFTER I got the issues, thinking that I might have outdated drivers (I did, but only a sub-version or two and it didn't resolve anything as stated above)


JasonM said:
To confirm.

Is this interference happening for all sound (such as Skype, or playing YouTube), or only when playing a particular computer game?
Click to expand...

No interference is played back to me, so not when I am playing youtube. Only when I am broadcasting my microphone (e.g. Google hangouts, discord, skype) and only to the other participants of these calls (I can't hear it, ever) and all this happens without playing any video games.
 
valkerion said:
No interference is played back to me, so not when I am playing youtube. Only when I am broadcasting my microphone (e.g. Google hangouts, discord, skype) and only to the other participants of these calls (I can't hear it, ever) and all this happens without playing any video games.
Click to expand...

I think there is an analogue line in that's open somewhere.

Valkerion, I need you to do a screen shot of your system.

Type 'sound settings' from the windows search bar, and load Manage sound devices.

Can you screen shot the entire list of Output and Input devices for me, it's really the Input devices I want to see however.
 
JasonM said:
I think there is an analogue line in that's open somewhere.

Valkerion, I need you to do a screen shot of your system.

Type 'sound settings' from the windows search bar, and load Manage sound devices.

Can you screen shot the entire list of Output and Input devices for me, it's really the Input devices I want to see however.
Click to expand...


Of course. I 've made an album here: https://imgur.com/a/C4osbTr
 
valkerion said:
Of course. I 've made an album here: https://imgur.com/a/C4osbTr
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, just an observation, you have 3 separate microphones connected to your system, the web cam also has a mic.

Also in addition you have Realtek microphone, and Realtek line in.

We have to start disabling these inputs, so your left with only your Elgato Wave 3 in use.

Very first thing, is disconnect the Hyper X microphone, and also the Logitech webcam from your computer.

Then from inside Manage Sound Devices, we need to disable both the Realtek microphone input, and also the Realtek line-in.

Once you have done all this, you need to re-test your Skype / Discord and see if people can hear you on the Elgato Wave.

Manage Sound Devices can be found as shown on this page. There is a disable button under the Realtek line-in and also the Realtek Microphone, you need to press the disable button for both of these.

https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/how-to-manage-sound-devices-in-windows-10
 
JasonM said:
Thanks for that, just an observation, you have 3 separate microphones connected to your system, the web cam also has a mic.

Also in addition you have Realtek microphone, and Realtek line in.

We have to start disabling these inputs, so your left with only your Elgato Wave 3 in use.

Very first thing, is disconnect the Hyper X microphone, and also the Logitech webcam from your computer.

Then from inside Manage Sound Devices, we need to disable both the Realtek microphone input, and also the Realtek line-in.

Once you have done all this, you need to re-test your Skype / Discord and see if people can hear you on the Elgato Wave.

Manage Sound Devices can be found as shown on this page. There is a disable button under the Realtek line-in and also the Realtek Microphone, you need to press the disable button for both of these.

https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/how-to-manage-sound-devices-in-windows-10
Click to expand...

Hi there. I've done all the above and the sound is still there unfortunately. https://imgur.com/a/jtmiICZ
 
valkerion said:
Hi there. I've done all the above and the sound is still there unfortunately. https://imgur.com/a/jtmiICZ
Click to expand...

Thanks for trying that, at least now we know it's not any of those other things.

I had a look at the Elgato Wave 3 page, there is some software mentioned called WaveLink. Is there anyway you can disable that software, and just try the Elgato mic in Skype / Discord in the normal way, in otherwords as a normal mic input, and not use the WaveLink software?
 
JasonM said:
Thanks for trying that, at least now we know it's not any of those other things.

I had a look at the Elgato Wave 3 page, there is some software mentioned called WaveLink. Is there anyway you can disable that software, and just try the Elgato mic in Skype / Discord in the normal way, in otherwords as a normal mic input, and not use the WaveLink software?
Click to expand...

I've tried both ways and it does the same. Right now I am on the fresh Win installation and i haven't installed Wavelink yet

Edit: I wanted to mention this weird thing: When I use the Voice Recorder windows app, there is no static AT ALL!

I'm using an powerline internet adaptor with passthrough. I wonder if that's what it is. I will try to disconnect it and see if that helps and thankfully I have a 20m ethernet cable to connect the router with the desktop lol

edit 2: Update on the powerline internet adaptor: No luck
 
Last edited:
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