Logitech X-530 5.1, interference

Banzai_Joe · 27 Mar 2008 at 14:59

Hi all,
back from my *ahem* short break

I have the above named speaker sets with two core2duo based rigs that are almost identical, based on the Gigabyte GAP35c DS3R, one using onboard 5.1 sound, the other using an x-fi pcie 5.1 sound card.
Both seem to suffer from interference, i.e. at any given random time you can hear some kind of audio coming the centre speaker. Its clear enough to make out, and it sounds like some kind of radio talk show or similar.
One of kids justifies his excessively loud volume by saying that its the only way to drown out the interference, which leads me to think that its nearly always there.
There is a 3rd almost identical rig that only has a 2.1 speaker set, which doesn't suffer interference. But this could be either cos its a different make of speaker or that it doesn't have a centre speaker.

Any ideas anybody, please?

Aod · 27 Mar 2008 at 22:50

i've got the same speakers. the iterference is very very very loud sometimes, and nonexistent at others.

i believe that it is caused by the unshielded cables

Chris1000 · 28 Mar 2008 at 08:53

I've got the same speakers and get the interferance as well. It's always a radio station in a foreign language, and I've no idea where it comes from.

I have found that it's worse when they are at low volume though, turn it up and it goes away.

Banzai_Joe · 28 Mar 2008 at 09:00

Thanks Chris, i posted this same thread on another forum and a user has replied with the same as you, same speakers.
He said that the centre speaker needs checking for correct earthing OR replace the cable with a shielded one.
A guy i work with has just corroborated this as he installs video/audio surveilance and know about this stuff.

GingerNinja1989 · 28 Mar 2008 at 22:29

+1 for the cables.

Banzai_Joe · 29 Mar 2008 at 12:14

Checked the centre speaker, but its a sealed unit so changing the cable would be more trouble than its seemingly worth.
Went back to PC World and told them my problems, and they shrugged and offered a refund. Great! Can't be bothered to change both sets out as the cables are trailed behind furniture etc and i'd have to pay extra to get a different/better set.

Looks like i'm stuck, unless someone can offer a better solution.

LoadsaMoney · 29 Mar 2008 at 22:53

They all do it, even my set do, well they did, as i got rid of it here, wasn't from the centre speaker for me though, was the right front, used to annoy the hell outa me.

Like Chris1000 said, i also found if i turned the volume half-way up on the speakers, the interference went completely, but then they were way to loud, so then i decided to leave the volume half-way up on the speakers, and just use windows to control the volume instead, works a treat, zero interference for me, gone completely now, been gone for years, and i use my keyboard to control it when im gaming etc... now, have my speaker volume permanently set to half-way, never touch it at all now, so give that a try, when you get the interference, just keep turning the volume up till the point it goes completely (as i found the lower the volume control the louder it was to), then when you find the spot its gone at, just use windows to control it.