Can't get sound to work

hornetstinger · 1 Nov 2024 at 14:56

PG Riptide 650
ATI 480

I've tried HDMI from videocard to AVR, and HDMI on the backplate to the AVR and neither works

I have the sound devices in device manager but changing output in taskbar I only see the monitor as a audio option. I've installed all drivers, Realtek, GPU etc

Ok selecting "samsung monitor" as sound option works...wtf, it should show yamaha AVR or something like that?

It's not passing DD/DTS/HD streams though. I've installed MPC and selected bitstream options

Second display is active- it's seeing the HDMI out as a secondary monitor but I don't want that- I just want audio out. So the mouse cursor is moving to the right of the screen past into the secondary

I have a PCI-E soundcard with optical out so I could fix this issue, but I thought I'd be able to use HDMI audio only!

hornetstinger · 1 Nov 2024 at 18:01

Think I got it to work, but boy HDMi is a complete mess, shut the PC off and had to change sound output again, can't duplicate screens because the second output is 1080P so games don't allow 1440p, and with extend, everytime I move mouse over to the right it goes off to the second screen.

What a total load of BS.

If I just had digital out from motherboard ie optical this would solve it. I'll have to refit my old soundcard that has optical out!

arknor · 2 Nov 2024 at 14:31

I thought most motherboards had optical out?

toslink/spdid

Cheap soundcard works though, the optical on them is just passthrough and you don't need to worry about EMI from any stronk GPU's since it's digital

so any cheap crap works.

just remember. PCIE slot length doesn't matter, you can plug an old PCIE SB Z into a long slot fine.

hornetstinger · 2 Nov 2024 at 14:34

arknor said:
I thought most motherboards had optical out?

toslink/spdid

Cheap soundcard works though, the optical on them is just passthrough and you don't need to worry about EMI from any stronk GPU's since it's digital

so any cheap crap works.

just remember. PCIE slot length doesn't matter, you can plug an old PCIE SB Z into a long slot fine.

They're removing SPDIF on many motherboards, as HDMI is supposed to be "replacing it"

arknor · 2 Nov 2024 at 14:45

hornetstinger said:
They're removing SPDIF on many motherboards, as HDMI is supposed to be "replacing it"

Never used it personally, But never used realtek for more than a few seconds either.

Aren't most soundbars HMDI Arc or eArc now?

which I guess forces people to buy a HDMI splitter if they don't have a monitor that supports it as passthrough

AFAIK some monitors have optical out but they don't support dolby atmos

hornetstinger · 2 Nov 2024 at 15:22

arknor said:
Never used it personally, But never used realtek for more than a few seconds either.

Aren't most soundbars HMDI Arc or eArc now?

which I guess forces people to buy a HDMI splitter if they don't have a monitor that supports it as passthrough

AFAIK some monitors have optical out but they don't support dolby atmos

Onboard is fine, if using digital out
Not a soundbar, it's a Yamaha AVR. Don't think it has ARC/E-ARC anyway, and even if it did the monitor doesn't have have ARC/E-ARC out, no optical either.

I hope Windows 11 works with this

UNi Xonar Drivers official page

UNi Xonar drivers main page (information, release notes, driver downloads).

maxedtech.com

hornetstinger · 2 Nov 2024 at 22:30

Just fitted the asus card back in, works and don't have issues with secondary monitor, mouse disappearing etc.

Stupid I need to use a 10 year old soundcard on a new board because HDMI only audio doesn't function as it should, and that motherboard makers are removing spdif.

Lose DTS-HD, Atmos, and Dolby HD :rolleyes:

Admetos · 3 Nov 2024 at 06:29

arknor said:
I thought most motherboards had optical out?

toslink/spdid

Cheap soundcard works though, the optical on them is just passthrough and you don't need to worry about EMI from any stronk GPU's since it's digital

That's correct, PC's output a lot of EMI / RFI.

I had an issue with a HTPC outputting noise into a DAC connected over USB, but an iFi iDefender+ helped solve this.

arknor · 3 Nov 2024 at 13:12

JasonM said:
I had an issue with a HTPC outputting noise into a DAC connected over USB, but an iFi iDefender+ helped solve this.

IFI crap is so over priced ands seems total gimmick almost snake oil with how much products they have that basically do the same thing, then the reviews look kinda suspect like they are botted, seems a brand that relies on youtube influencer videos as well.

There's one popular video about ground loops where the guy only mentions IFI products, about 5 or 6 of them.... that was the moment I realised

They also have products no one else does because they likely do nothing. ( the power conditions that are basically the same size as a match box) yet ever competitive product is basically as big as an old school hfi separates

purely a chinese dodgy brand imo.... I don't mind when they arne't tryoing to be influencer friends... but anyone who clearly needs to market so hard.... no thanks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CSYNSZ3K?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

does the same thing but doesn't look as pretty if you want to eliminate PC noise over usb
there's other cheap ones but you need the 480mbps for dac and the cheap ones only can handle 12mbps

hornetstinger · 3 Nov 2024 at 13:19

yeah their £70 wall wart? LOL

Admetos · 3 Nov 2024 at 14:33

arknor said:
IFI crap is so over priced ands seems total gimmick almost snake oil with how much products they have that basically do the same thing, then the reviews look kinda suspect like they are botted, seems a brand that relies on youtube influencer videos as well.

There's one popular video about ground loops where the guy only mentions IFI products, about 5 or 6 of them.... that was the moment I realised

They also have products no one else does because they likely do nothing. ( the power conditions that are basically the same size as a match box) yet ever competitive product is basically as big as an old school hfi separates

purely a chinese dodgy brand imo.... I don't mind when they arne't tryoing to be influencer friends... but anyone who clearly needs to market so hard.... no thanks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CSYNSZ3K?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
does the same thing but doesn't look as pretty if you want to eliminate PC noise over usb
there's other cheap ones but you need the 480mbps for dac and the cheap ones only can handle 12mbps

The iFi ground loop defender worked. I post on one of the Wiim facebook groups and many Wiim Pro / Pro Plus owners upgrade the stock PSU to an iFi one.

Sc00p007 · 2025-11-26T17:14:43+0000

Necro to add IFI gnd defender feedback. I've had horrible pc noise from my gpu heard through my speakers and sub. Tried shielded cables, fibre optic hdmi, different power circuits swap psu, using wires to ground my sub and avr etc nothing worked. The fibre hdmi reduced the noise slightly. Avoided the Ifi gnd defender due to claims of snake oil etc. I found the ifi 2nd hand at half price and figured i'd buy it and if as expected it didn't get rid of the noise i could sell it on. Well it arrived today, plugged it into my pc psu and i am pleased to say it worked and i can game with 0 noise from the speakers or sub.

Admetos · 2025-11-26T19:35:02+0000

Sc00p007 said:
Avoided the Ifi gnd defender due to claims of snake oil etc.
Well it arrived today, plugged it into my pc psu and i am pleased to say it worked and i can game with 0 noise from the speakers or sub.

Thankfully you listen to me.

If you want to improve things more.

1) Put the computer and any other non audio gear such as monitors on their own power strip / power block. Then use a dedicated power strip for audio components only.

2) The iFi ground defender can take a 5v input. If you use.a clean 5v supply such as the iFi iPower 2 transformer it will put clean power down the USB cable and not dirty power from the computer. The iFI iPower should be plugged into the audio extension / block on the audio side so itself is not picking up switching noise from the PC. Even if your DAC is not using the power from the USB it will still help as the 5v on the USB cable is now clean and RFI that would be on a dirty 5v can't contaminate the signal.

3) The third thing is an audio grade USB cable, not only are they the correct impedance to maintain correct eye pattern, but they are shielded better than generic USB cables. I use Kimber CU USB cables myself. Before the Kimber I was using a NEO by Oyaide D+ but I preferred the Kimber, even the audio grade USB cables have differences between them effecting sound.