Headphones started buzzing on X-Fi Fatal1ty Champion

Hi Folks

I have a Soundblaster Fatal1ty Titanium Champion. Yes, I know they have a ropey reputation for drivers, but I've used various Soundblaster cards going back to ISA cards, pre PCI (now THOSE were fun days with drivers). I occasionally use headphones with them. Sennheisers, mini-jack, rather than USB to rule that out. These are plugged into the front bay which gives direct volume control. I have not tried in the soundcard back panel to see if that causes this also yet.

I'm using Windows 7 Pro 64bit on a Asus Rampage Formula, 4 GB RAM, Q9650 powered by a Corsair TX 750W PSU.

When I plugged my headphones in to play WOW (and to a lesser extent, buzzing in other games, BFBC2, Torchlight and Assassins Creed 2, not got other games installed due to lack of space on a SSD) last night and tonight, I'm getting a buzzing in headphones connected to my system.

Around 2-3 weeks ago this didn't happen, but I have made several changes to my system since, so I'm just asking in case this has recently happened for anyone else. Just wondering in case this is a driver issue if anyone is having the same problem. The changes I've made (and I figure any of these could be the cause, I'm just hoping someone else has noticed this problem suddenly to save me a few hours of testing everything one by one) are updating my ATI graphics card drivers (sounded fine a few weeks ago with 10.2, now on 10.3b), re-installing the latest drivers for the soundcard (as before the front panel lights on buttons were not lit, and I have changed the surge-protector since Ace-Modder put a good Belkin one on a brilliant offer a week ago(ish).

Cheers for any help or thoughts. I figure I'll have to try to eliminate these changes one by one, just hoping someone else has suddenly noticed it happen but only changed one driver.

Thanks guys (and girls)

Simon

if you want to do away with these sort of issues sound hissing and electronic noise. I had XFI and Auzentech Forte they both suffered sound issues i.e interference.

The solution for me was an external dac mine is a Music Fidelity VDac, but there are others. apart from using a onboard sound for mic duties. This is perfect solution I have it linked USB but could be coxial or optical switches to control both firing into an amp because I have HD650's and they are high impedance, but you could output to rca's to 3.5 if required without amp I think.

Cost about £115 and soundcard issues solved for good. Works without drivers with every game and music source sounds absolutely amazing compared to sound cards. Once you had one there is no looking back. I have B&W cdm9nt and Denon setup downstairs with this setup of Vdac and Senn's I wish i never bought the downstairs stuff. i watch a lot of movies on comp through this now and music and game.

Hi TheBiznes,

Thanks for the suggestion. While I have vaguely though about these from time to time. But my qestion was more in case anyone else had done a recent driver installation and suddenly started having problems too. Sorry if I wasn't particularly cleasr in myy original post. I wasn't getting this buzzing in headphones 2-3 weeks ago when I last used them (or anytime before that). So the buzzing has only just started, and it doesn't happen at the desktop, it sems to be just in games, which is why I was wondering if it could be graphics card drivers possibly. But it could also be a power supply issue as I've also recently changed the surge protector I use.

Thanks for the suggestion though, it's maybe one to consider anyway.

Simon

No im sorry if I at all hijacked your thread it was merely a suggestion away from all these sort of issues, because I know how had they can be to track down a problem like this.

Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but just to say thanks to Creative who's help got this sorted and in case if helps anyone else.
They advised me to re-route the cables further away from my graphics card and this has sorted the issue. They also suggested using ferrites if moving the didn't resolve the buzzing.
So thanks loads to creative staff of you read this.

Simon