Static sound from PC

Is it just me or my headphones, or does the computer make a quiet but high-pitched static sound? I hear this with both my current speakers and headphones. When I unplug either, the sound is gone (wire is disconnected), so the computer is definitely making some kind of static sound.

What is exactly is causing this? How do I get rid of it? (I’m using WinXP SP2, no special sound card, recent (last year) motherboard)

Thanks

go to your sound settings, the one with the different vertical volume controls. Try turning down the cd one. If its not that try the others. Once of them causes it.

If its not that you may have bad speakers.

Also some Motherboards Sound isnt that good… you may have to switch to a sound card.

Ah turning down the CD one sure got rid of some static, but turning up the volume creates that static sound that you get when you can’t tune correctly to a FM station, then there’s that half buzzing half static sound.

Is a sound card really worth it? I’ve always been thinkin’ of getting one, but what’s the real advantage? I hear that with really good headphones (which Imma about to get :D) you can hear how badly a sound card is when it’s playing a decoded MP3/aac and I’ll be able to hear clicks, cracks, and stuff. Is this true?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102003
^28usd fiew less features than 8 buck one lol.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829130001
8usd great reviews^

sound cards are really cheap and do make a difference.

Wow it seems like it does make a difference. I looked around (for really good audio cards) and saw this:

Maybe I’m missing something here - but where do I put in the 3.5mm headphone jack? O.o

You don’t. You connect it to an amp/mixer (then to headphones) or directly to studio monitors.

I was just about to recommend M-Audio. I’ve got a Firewire Audiophile, which is a completely external sound-card = No chance at all of static interference from the PC’s internal parts. It’s got a gazillion different connectors, a volume knob (which is handy) and provides ultra-low-latency when you’re playing softsynths with a MIDI controller. It’s around AU$700 in the shops here, but I managed to buy a brand-new one off eBay for about US$150.

Not sure how good those internal Audiophiles are, but I know they still provide low-latency monitoring and the same high-quality processor.

Sound Cards are pretty important. The quality is soooo much better with a descent card, plus you can use surround sound etc… Plus most cards come with cool software so you can adjust the eq and stuff (mine came with this awesome program so you can change the type of room/place your sound is supposed to be played in, mine came with tons of presets like Stone Room, Bathroom, Forest, Cave etc…)

For some reason my sound card has a FireWire port on it aswel…

//edit nvm didn’t think it through.

I’m on a PC and that Firewire AUdiophile looks really sweet. (the USB one is as ugly as butt). I don’t have Firewire on PC, is there a PCI hub or something I’d have to get?

A PCI card. No more than $20 :wink:

Woot thanks a lot guys I’ll go look around for these stuff.

Heheh… Go the Firewire Audiophile :stuck_out_tongue: