Buzz caused by GPU?

Guitarman0 · 25 Feb 2011 at 00:19

I have a 5850 and when I play some GPU intensive games (e.g. Mafia II) I get a buzzing noise through my speakers. Also, when not in games and moving the mouse for example I can hear a little almost whine come through my speakers but it only happens when something is going on on the screen (e.g. moving mouse, playing a video). The strange thing is, this problem doesn't happen when I use audio through the front audio panel.

I am using a Xfi XtremeGamer sound card which is as far away from my GPU on my mobo as possible and I am 100% the sound is coming from my speakers and not the GPU. It is also definitely not the GPU fan as my 5850 is under water

. I have also tried with different speakers but had the same problem. Any ideas?

If it makes any difference I am running dual displays - 1 Displayport and 1 VGA via the first DVI socket on the card.

EDIT: I also get the problem with onboard audio.

Guitarman0 · 25 Feb 2011 at 11:49

O.k. I have tried setting the latency timer manually but that has not fixed it

Also I tried firing up Half Life 2 and I still get the same buzz.

Any ideas of anything else I can try?

What I find really strange is I get the problem through the rear output of the sound card but not through the front panel audio (which is connected to the xfi card).

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 00:01

Purgatory said:
Have you tried enabling or disabling "spread spectrum" options in the BIOS ? If they are currently enabled, disable them and vice versa and give it a test see if it helps.

I tried that and it didn't work

. What I have found now though is on opening the case the buzzing that I hear through the speakers when the GPU is under load is ALSO coming from the graphics card. If it was coming from just the card I wouldn't be so bothered but the buzzing seems to come through the speakers too. Any ideas? Is this normal?

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 00:40

I am uploading a video of the problem. Might repost this in the graphics card section as it is more a problem with my GPU I think.

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 01:13

O.k. here is the video. Make sure you change it to 720p or you will not hear the buzz.

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 12:02

PhoenixSP said:
i would personally say capacitors as its the exact same sound as my old 4890 used to make , is it possible its the capacitors on the soundcard ? how old is it ?

No, the noise is definitly coming from the GPU. The GPU is a replacement GPU for my other one that broke. The only problem with returning would be I wouldn't be able to get another reference design 5850 so I would like to consider that a very last option.

koooowweeee said:
have you got a ocz psu?

Yes. OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W.

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 12:56

koooowweeee said:
How did i know that it was a Ocz psu ha ha ha rma time. Ive had the same problem with one. Move the mouse wheel up and down and listen to the noise.
Ill send you my paypal addy in trust lol

Are you sure it is the PSU? It seemed to be fine with my last 5850 though? Did changing your PSU fix the problem?

Cheers
Ben

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 14:26

koooowweeee said:
Its a known problem. Go on the Ocz forum. It happened to me on a old psu. Its got to be that how else would i no what psu you had. What you describe is the same as nine was

been trying to find the treads about it but it was about 3 year ago when it happened to me.

im sure its that anyway. you could try another psu to rule it out.

I don't have another PSU to try but I have taken the PSU out of the case and have noticed that it buzzes as well as the GPU when under load. It doesn't buzz as loud, but definitely buzzes. I have opened an RMA request. Do you think they will mind that two of the cables are missing the braid that comes on them?

Cheers
Ben

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 15:12

koooowweeee said:
they might have a moan.

just dont tell them and send it. ive sent 6 psu's back to them now. and not 1 had a receipt lol. i buy them second hand and if the develop a fault i just send them in and they normally send me a better one lol

When you had this problem, did changing the PSU fix it? I have just been reading around and a lot of people say that it didn't fix it. Also the problem has only really developed once I changed my GPU.

Guitarman0 · 26 Feb 2011 at 16:33

koooowweeee said:
If its the same as my problem then yes it fixed it. You will either have to try another card or psu. Do any of your mates not have a psu or a card.

Just spoke to a mate and will borrow his GPU monday. I am praying it is not the GPU!

Guitarman0 · 27 Feb 2011 at 20:42

el Kuarlos said:
Mine does it, hx750 6950, I get echos of current going through the pc on my speakers. Dont think its much to worry about, I doubt its my psu as everything is fine, its not the gpu as it does it with my hd aswell, just one of those things.

TBH I would blame the soundcard first and foremost. I expect if from mobo sound but a card should be sorting it I'd think.

But it is quite strange that it happens with the sound card and the onboard mobo. I am pretty sure though that it is the GPU as it didn't happen with my old 5850. I really don't wanna RMA my GPU though because last time I did I waited over a month and had to make many phone calls to make sure I got a reference style PCB (for watercooling).

Guitarman0 · 2 Mar 2011 at 18:35

Auraomega said:
Then you'd be blaming the wrong component. A lot of graphic cards interfere with the sound cards, usually moving the sound further away from the graphics works but in some cases it's not possible, at which point frustration arises

Well I have now discussed an RMA with the company in question and they have said there is no guarantee I will get a reference card back so I think I will put up with the noise until the end of the year and then look at getting either a 7xxx card or a reference 6950.