Multiple sound issues - where should I start?

i take it you just reinstalled windows fresh onto the new hard drive?

what did you install for audio drivers? (motherboard soundcard drivers or do you have a soundcard?) is this the same version as you had before (or a newer version?) have you tried uninstalling the soundcard drivers and reinstalling?

when did the dolby home theater icon appear? after installing drivers or after installing the rocksmith game?

what options are in playback devices?

does static appear on the rear motherboard or soundcard jack too?

a new cpu and hdd/ssd shouldnt cause any audio issues since your audio will be on your motherboard or on your soundcard not on your cpu. i'm thinking you have a newer driver or installed something you did not have before. the static could be from your drivers or it could be from routing the wire in a different position from where you had it before. perhaps you are now getting some interference due to how you have things routed.

ideally since you did a fresh install (guessing that you did) you would test without anything else installed to verify that its not a driver problem. then install the game and see if that starts the issues.

I have found the front headphone jack problematic in many desktops.

Adding new hardware can definitely have an effect. The new hardware might be putting out more electrical "noise". As you stated the above, the wire is not insulated well and the front headphones are of poor quality. If you really have to use the front jack,: you might want to see if you can install a better quality jack and appropriate wire.

be seeing you, the Prisoner...

1- thought so
2- ok. its probably newer (you could try using the disk which came with your mobo for the old ver)
3- its more likely new drivers.
4- it sounds like there is a usb game controller or other device which needed the rocksmith usb drivers? likely the game doesnt support higher than 16bit sound (although did you still have issues with it set at 24bit or higher?)

5- see below for sound devices
speakers - this is for your speaker 3.5mm connections on the back of the motherboard.
headphones - this appears when you have headphones plugged in to the headphone jack.
hdmi output - sound can be output via hdmi cable. this is used if you ran with a receiver/home theater set or if you hooked up to a tv and wanted sound on its speakers.
digital output - likely a spdif coax cable (normally looks like a orange ringed rca plug) for exporting audio to some theather systems, receivers and the like.
digital output optical - spdif optical cable connection. similar to the above.
mic (webcam) - you likely have some sort of camera hooked up which has audio capabilities hence why its listed.
mic (realtech) - the default audio device for when you have a regular mic hooked up.
stereo mix - this allows you to record sound exactly as it is being output by your computer speakers.
mic (rocksmith) - the usb device you installed for rocksmith is why you see this listing.
note about mics: its entirely possible to have one microphone and multiple listings for mic in recording devices. when you install specialized software (like rocksmith or webcam software) it might add in extra audio devices which need to be used for that particular program/application. for instance... i recently tried out the razer virtual surround software and it added another item to my list of playback devices even though the number of devices did not change. it does this so that it doesnt interfere/screw with the other devices and settings, so its easy to remove on uninstall and also so you can swap back and forth if need be for different applications.
missing - the line out port would be under playback devices not recording since its not receiving from a source, its broadcasting. "line in" however can be used as a source for recording however isnt often included on just motherboard audio (but is on some soundcards)

6 - it sounds to me that one or more of these things is an issue: either your motherboard has developed an issue with the front panel audio input/output, the connectors are screwed up, you are getting static from the motherboard or your front panel 3.5mm connector is shorting out/bad.


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i do agree that front panel jacks often are not all that great. its also not rare to see issues with motherboard onboard sound having crackle/static out the rear.

things you might want to try...

*if you have (or if you have a friend who has) a spare case around (it can even have other hardware in it!) you could try disconnecting your case front audio connectors and connecting the spare cases connectors up to it. how is the signal? if the other spare case has hardware in it (even better!) you could also connected your cases front panel audio jacks up to the second cases front panel audio jacks. (note: the only thing you would be swapping are the front panel audio jacks only). this will let you know if there is a problem with your motherboard output or the front panel section on your case.

if its a problem with the actual output on your motherboard.. you have three options.
- plug only the headphones or speakers in to the rear panel, one at a time. use a 3.5mm splitter but keep the volume knob on your speakers turned to off whenever you have the headphones plugged in (and you need to unplug them when done). use a 3.5mm audio switch to swap back and forth betwen the sources. its possible to wire up a device like this http/www.frontx.com/ to your rear panel audio then mod in a switch into the front panel for disabling/enabling the connection but its a bit of a pain.
- buy a soundcard and use the soundcard output for your speakers and onboard rear output for your headphones. swap the default audio device whenever you want to go back and forth between the two.
- the easiest way is likely to use a pair of speakers which has a headphone jack on the front of them (like some logitech sets do) which overrides the speakers just like the front microphone port does. you can then unplug when done and its all within easy reach.

*if the front panel audio has the same static/issues when connected to the other pc and/or the other pc front audio jacks appear to work fine then i would say you have an additional option
- see if you can buy some replacement 3.5mm jacks for the front of your case. if you are not sure about replacing the existing jack you might be able to get a device like http/www.frontx.com/ or another front panel device which has a mic and headphone jack and connects up using the internal connectors to replace the connector you already have. if its a busted or shorting out jack this should fix the issue (but if the static is caused from internal noise then it wont)

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i placed these two seperate since they are likely the easiest options:

*instead of using the front panel audio ports you could try converting to usb. i cant say how well this device works http/www.amazon.com/Turtle-Beach-Advantage-Headset-Adapter/dp/B0036VO4XO but something of this nature could solve the issues with a bad port AND static from internal noise. you could then unplug it along with your headphones. when you plug in/unplug it might even automatically set your default audio device correctly .

*re-listing this one from above: you could use speakers which have a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front of them

here we go again:

1-again, i figured as much about the cable. if its not an issue with gameplay set your speakers back at 24bit. i personally use 24bit and its better.
2-that would do it.
3-there may be more than one set of drivers installed for the devices. in any case you should have the drivers for your soundcard (or onboard sound) installed not uninstalled.
4-no problem
5- optical spdif is box shaped and on my own sound devices shows up as ready (not disconnected) even though i have zero onboard sound drivers installed and never used it (i export sound out through dvi/hdmi). keep in mind you didnt list your motherboard so i cant say for sure but i'm thinking that you have one of those digital coax ports you can see labeled on this sample pic http/c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/13-131-219-04.jpg
6-thats odd. monitor speakers are typically junk anyways. cant really gleam much info from this but i'd suggest not using them and instead using a 2.1 speaker set like the z313 or other small set if you want speakers. you can then plug right into them with your headphones (if you get a slightly more expensive set they have the plug right on the speaker not on the controller)
7-i suppose it could be a myriad of reasons. it could be electrical noise from inside the pc combined with no shielding. it could be the connector. to be honest none of my cases have ever had that issue but i dont buy low end cases.
8-you uninstalled your sound drivers. you might be back to the standard windows white speaker icon until you reinstall your drivers.

i still say your best bet will be to invest in 2.1 speaker set with a headphone jack on the front of them.

the logitech z313 isnt a terrible set for a low prices but the headphone jack is on a rather inconvenient ugly little dongle with the volume knob. it was in a much better place on my older x530.

if you're in the usa perhaps you want to give a look at the now older x-230 set (a 2.1 version of the one i have). it can be found used on ebay for rather cheap http/www.ebay.com/ctg/Logitech-X-230-Computer-Speakers-/66790718 its got a nice convenient spot for the headphone jack unlike the newer lowe end set.

of course there are other brand new speakers you could get which have a headphone jack on the front. any would bypass your case front audio port and solve your issue. you would also get better sound than your monitor speakers (which should be disabled)

oh dont mind the "here we go again" as it was meant in jest and good humor.. after all you wrote me another short novel, used a whole bunch of numbers again, appologized again when you didnt do anything wrong and i needed to cover the same topics again. humor keeps us forum rats sane

1) i really must be blind as i honestly didnt even see your signature. i was referring to a coax jack not the optical. no idea why you have two spdif digitals then unless the one is just showing up twice because you have two drivers installed intead of one.

2) my first case was a $300 aluminum lian li v-2000b back in 2004. i since moved to a $270 corsair 800d back in 2010 and now i'm in a $150 corsair 750d. somewhere about $100-120 is the breaking point between good and decent while anything below $70 is generally considered cheap. not everyone sees the need for a more expensive case but there definitely are some very nice benefits to it. not trying to sway you or anything.

3) you plugged your headphones in to the rear jack and you said there was zero static. this leads me to believe that the rear port isnt really all that bad and might work fine. of course if you didnt want to worry about it you could just get a soundcard or external soundcard and not use the onboard.

as for why you are getting interference now and you werent before its hard to say. perhaps you are using another psu cable, have a different cpu cooler, the psu is working harder, you have the cables in a different spot, etcetera. i could name reasons but they would all be guesses without going through things one at a time. it could be something as simple as you pulling on one of the wires and pulling it out of the connector slightly, getting a break in the wire, having the connector be lose, etc as well. or perhaps you added something else to your area that you are forgeting. again, it would be a total guess without extensive testing. chances are if you put your old hardware back in you might have the same problem (though that wouldnt be a bad thing to test if you had extra thermal paste laying around... but with everything installed and all its a bit of a PITA and likely not worthwhile in the least).

there is no guarantee. if you buy them locally though you can always return them. in any case you can always buy a soundcard to go along with those speakers. dont forget that i wasnt just suggesting speakers to solve your monitor speaker noises.. it also solves the issue that your front headphone jack is kaput. it kills two birds with one stone as they say. if you still get buzzing i'd suggest a soundcard. if you still had buzzing even after that.... well that would have to be tackled if it came down to it.

4) i've been using 5.1 since 2004 when i bought the logitech x-540 set for about $150 and i've never went back. back around 2010 i upgraded myself to a nice television and a really nice home theater system and i dont think i can ever go back! again, photos are in my signature if you care.

well.... what kind of a budget do you have? also not all 5.1 systems are wireless also.

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no trouble really.

just as a hint for you in the future... when using numbered lines... its always best if you use the same number in the posts you are responding to so that we can cross reference info instead of just using them as a marker for different sections. at least this is how i always prefer to work.

1) again, no issue. just thought i'd throw a bit of humor in there.

2) technically an optical spdif output could be called "spdif digital" or "realtek didital output (optical)" and as you said you had some different drivers installed so my guess would be its the same port as your motherboard doesnt have more than just this (it doesnt have a coax). it also cant be line out because thats analog.

3) there are some decent mid towers out there as well and they can make great computer cases however generally yes the better cases have more wire management, easy installation features, are built better and going with a larger cases gives you more fans, cooling options and such forth.

4) read http/us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/saffire-6-usb/setup-diagrams it looks like its capable of using studio monitor speakers or pa speakers. now what you want to do is check, double check and then triple check in your manual and specs to make sure those bad boys arent amped for speakers powered by that connection and instead are meant for use with powered speakers (ones which plug into the wall for power). now the ports on a computer ARE amped and i suppose i should clarify... computer speakers are often perhaps 5-10w but some bookshelf speakers can be 100w. you dont want to use a source that is amped for big ol speakers or you will blow your monitor speakers out instantly. also of note is that the port needs to at least have a tiny bit of amp to power the monitor speakers... as i said at about the same levels as a pc soundcard output. typical soundcards output between .2volts and 2volts with a few top end models outputting 5volts. dont ask me on amps... you will need to look around and try to garner more info about the output volts/amps of soundcard slots and look at your specs on the audio interface usb thing you have for recording.

technically yes it should bypass the soundcard. however its likely only meant for recording and is probably of limited use. it might work fine with your recording programs but it might not for example support dolby digital sound and the like and may only support a few basic formats. i'm not familiar with your unit enough to know what it can and can not do. what i can say is that whatever you can hear with your headphones when you connect up to it... you should be able to hear with the speakers. (since you would be using either one or the other)

again, double check before you try anything but it might work.

5) well for $99 you could get entry level surround sound with the logitech set http/www.logitech.com/en-us/product/surround-sound-speaker-z506?crid=47 however its all wired and as i said is entry level. for that kind of a budget you could also get into the lower end of home theater if you wanted. you could get a nice little receiver and some bookshelf speakers (or if you are able to use your recording station you might be able to just get away with a little amplifier and some bookshelf speakers... not sure how much use the recording station thing is). you need to do some more research on how you want to connect before doing anything more. i'm not familiar with your mixing station.

as for my system? so true that i never waste a chance. honestly i dont have things ideally setup but i dont really have an option for extensive modifications to the area right now.

- yes, thats alot of movies. and anime. and various other stuff. i'm always running out of room for new toys
- as you may have noticed i'm an animation fan. i'm also a photoshopper and made the background myself. you can see some other wallpaper here http/postimg.org/gallery/5s3aqcsa/ and here http/postimg.org/gallery/a2hyyzqy/ if you care. most was made for the tomshardware community.
- i do agree, they are a geat pair of headphones. perhaps not the absolute best in class but certainly good considering you can get them for $99-120 new if you look. i've owned mine for years now and they have worked great.
- i actually got this table free from a clothing store doing renovations. all i did to it was put on a formica top. its a good 7ft wide and i love the space. my equipment continually encroaches on me though.
- as i said... i have stuff everywhere (lots of hobbies). speaking of which... you didnt see the other ones which werent in the photos

sometimes i do a little woodwork... here are my wood mockups of a claymore with quatrefoils and also my nodaichi before i cut the handle to length. the first is painted with the handle wrapped and the second is before any painting or wrapping. http/s20.postimg.org/dih2o7031/IMG_1242.jpg mainly just mock ups created for fun though they make great wall hangers http/s20.postimg.org/hdkgqrj8t/IMG_1244_1.jpg

i've also been a bit of an armorer... photo1 , photo2 and photo3 in my spare time. i have too many hobbies i know.

i genuinely enjoy showing off my hobbies and equipment

3) building your first pc is a pretty big learning experience. many users really are not familliar with what certain components do, what are good brands, which works best with which and a whole lot of other questions. this is why sites like tomshardware exist: to share knowledge between people with more experience with those just starting out.

i always find it funny when people want to use the noctua nh-d14 cpu cooler... then i tell them its a bit big.

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they are always like WOW i never thought it was that big... how will that even fit! (which is exactly why i mentioned it in the first place)

5) while the cash is just a tad light you could probably get into some hifi speakers for a decent 2.0 system. i say light because you would probably want a receiver instead of just an amplifier given your issues with your onboard sound. having just an amplifier would take the 3.5mm signal and just amp it to power speakers so if you were having issues they would continue (it would require you to probably get a new soundcard anyways). so, why buy hardware that doesnt support more than 2.0/2.1 (the amp) and buy something you wont need in the future (the soundcard likely) which is why i suggested a receiver. the only trouble is that your budget would be just a tad light for that.

edit:

1) i honestly dont have that much space to work with right now and renovations or expensive projects are a no-go for now but hopefully i'll be able to do it not too far in the future. i already have thoughts of what i'd like to do for my next desk. custom built by me, perhaps of a folding design or wraparound with a custom printed vinyl sheet applied to the top for some decor. honestly i'm suprised i've never seen this around yet. i'd like to get some bookshelves which roll back and forth for space management also but thats not going to happen anytime soon.

2) that is not plastic grating.. its a wire tray made by panduit mant for organizing cables in industrial applications but most commonly is found inside such things as control panels. example: http/www.grainger.com/category/wiring-duct/wire-management/electrical/ecatalog/N-8ioZ1z0qwsj is really some nice stuff.

3) consider that we have not had network television for 10 years and we were stuck on dialup and its not hard to imagine that having a movie collection is paramount if you want some form of entertainment. i only just got fios this year when they moved in. before that and there was nothing but slow dialup. i've been collecting for years also and many of the top shelf movies were bought for perhaps $1-2 at various flea markets. most of the lower shelves though are all retail (many from amazon).

4) i was going to be a freelance graphic designer at one point in my life so i still have decent photoshopping skills. i've forgotten enough since i dont do much however i still know enough to shop me a few photos here and there.

5) i bought my brother a pair of m30's for xmas this year since he had nothing. i have to say theres a huge difference in build quality between the two but he is happy. the m50 is definitely a worthwhile upgrade over some of the lower end models. all of them sound good though.

6) retail stores sometimes renovate and all of the old furniture is often junked. i happend to nab it when i saw it. it actually has a wood top but it was pretty scratched up. i tried refinishing but the wood under the thick stain was ugly and plain so instead i just bought some formica, glued it down, banded the edge and routed the top to cut the top flush. with a few tools its really not hard to do.

7) i was actually going to take the claymore to the ren faire this year... but that didnt happen and i just went without it. i had the wood laying around so i decided to finish up with that project to make room for others. i wore the scale armor to ren faire this year. quite a bit of work (perhaps 30-40 hours) and its also hardened (if you punched it you would tear your hand up). its not cheap to make (leather is expensive!) but its well made. im trying to sell it on ebay to fund more of my hobbies (i bounce around alot).