Pipe-like noise in AC97 on A2ZS

TravelRec. · Sep 29, 2007, 01:53 PM

Hello outthere,

last time I got a used Audigy2 ZS SB0350. The card works fine with the 3538m kX driver package. But: I noticed a low level pipe-like noise from AC97, if I turnd up my sound system to a more than standard level

This happens with the standard Prolog plugin in the DSP, as well as with the ProFX ADC-plugin. The tone of the noise is relatively high at recording gain setting to 0db, goes lower in frequency and level when turning gain up to around +8db and increases again in frequency and level on gain levels above +8db. On all other inputs like UDA and the digital I2S and SPDIF inputs is absolute silence in the background. I want to ask you users : Can anyone confirm this? And to the programmers: Is there a way to fix this or is it a hardware related issue?

Thank you and regards
TravelRec.

Doug W · Sep 29, 2007, 03:32 PM

TravelRec,

Could you define "Pipe-Like" noise a little more. I have an A2 ZS and can check it but I have to know what to listen for.

TravelRec. · Sep 29, 2007, 05:12 PM

Hello Doug,
thank you for your answer

Please check this: http://www.electricstart.de/sound/beepnoise.mp3
I made it a bit louder than the original, for better listening.

Greetings
TravelRec.

Max M. · Sep 29, 2007, 09:24 PM

mm, interesting... especially this: "goes lower in frequency" ... "increases again in frequency"
maybe some sort of "feedback loop/leak" somewhere in ac97 itself (a bug, an issue, or whatever)? if it was a constant frequency i'd first think of simple noise pickup of some mechanical parts of PC (cooler or kinda... though the freq ~5kHz is a bit high for that).
Anyway, i can't see any "programmable" piece of the soundcard where this noise can come out. (e.g. it's highly unlikely to be possible to "fix" it with "programming" - although it's probably possible to find out some side effect that could serve as workaround - something like "don't touch this ac97 register and the noise level will be negligible")...

Well, you know... - "a sort of"

Russ · Sep 29, 2007, 09:48 PM

Which AC97 input?

I get a similar noise (although frequency does not change) from the MIC input (only) on my 10k1 card (and only with the MIC connected to the card). In my case I think it is probably just picking up computer noise or something.

<edit>
The above noise is from the electronics in my headset...
</edit>

Doug W · Sep 30, 2007, 12:22 AM

I Tested My SB0090 and SB0350. I hear a lot of Registered SoundBlaster noise which I have come to expect with these cards, but nothing high pitched like your MP3.

TravelRec. · Sep 30, 2007, 11:45 AM

Thank you Doug for testing and Max M. for your comments . Like I said, this happens for all AC97 sources like MIC, Line, CD, AUX and so on, except for STEREO MIX, where is silence in the background. But if I select STEREO MIX in AC97, I´m not able to select another single source via the UDA codec - the sound in both modules is copied then. The 'funny' thing is the varying in frequency and level with the minimum on ~ +8db recording gain... I don´t know. I made another sample while changing the recording gain:
http://www.electricstart.de/sound/beepnoise2.mp3

TravelRec. · Oct 11, 2007, 10:37 PM

Doug, are you still there

?

Doug W · Oct 11, 2007, 10:42 PM

I am here TravelRec. Hey that was a scarey sound! It just occurred to me that I may have had some sounds like that before when I had my UDA bracket in a rear slot in the computer. I moved it to a front bay and the noise went away. Now I have moved it to the back again and the sound is not there...so what can you conclude from that? I will listen again tonight and see if I can replicate your strange noise sound.

TravelRec. · Oct 16, 2007, 07:17 PM

Thank you for your help doug :- You think, it´s a hardware issue? Hmm, if I finished the ongoing music project, I try to move the card between different PCI-slots, maybe this will give me a go...

Doug W · Oct 18, 2007, 02:43 AM

TravelRec,

I tried one more time to reproduce your strange sound but I could not. I am still using 3534f on my recording computer just for your info - don't know if that could possibly be a factor. My guess is that it is a hardware problem but in reality, I think that you have a lot more electronics expertise than I do.

Hope it is fixed by moving your card around.

Doug

TravelRec. · Oct 18, 2007, 06:38 PM

No, unfortunately not - moved the around but AC97 noise remained. I will try older driver releases if I find the time. Thank you anyway

Sep 29, 2007, 01:53 PM	#1
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Pipe-like noise in AC97 on A2ZS Hello outthere, last time I got a used Audigy2 ZS SB0350. The card works fine with the 3538m kX driver package. But: I noticed a low level pipe-like noise from AC97, if I turnd up my sound system to a more than standard level This happens with the standard Prolog plugin in the DSP, as well as with the ProFX ADC-plugin. The tone of the noise is relatively high at recording gain setting to 0db, goes lower in frequency and level when turning gain up to around +8db and increases again in frequency and level on gain levels above +8db. On all other inputs like UDA and the digital I2S and SPDIF inputs is absolute silence in the background. I want to ask you users : Can anyone confirm this? And to the programmers: Is there a way to fix this or is it a hardware related issue? Thank you and regards TravelRec. __________________ Always take a look behind.

Sep 29, 2007, 05:12 PM	Thread Starter #3
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Hello Doug, thank you for your answer Please check this: http://www.electricstart.de/sound/beepnoise.mp3 I made it a bit louder than the original, for better listening. Greetings TravelRec. __________________ Always take a look behind.

Sep 29, 2007, 09:48 PM	#5
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Which AC97 input? I get a similar noise (although frequency does not change) from the MIC input (only) on my 10k1 card (and only with the MIC connected to the card). In my case I think it is probably just picking up computer noise or something. <edit> The above noise is from the electronics in my headset... </edit> Last edited by Russ; Sep 30, 2007 at 12:56 PM.

Sep 30, 2007, 11:45 AM	Thread Starter #7
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Thank you Doug for testing and Max M. for your comments . Like I said, this happens for all AC97 sources like MIC, Line, CD, AUX and so on, except for STEREO MIX, where is silence in the background. But if I select STEREO MIX in AC97, I´m not able to select another single source via the UDA codec - the sound in both modules is copied then. The 'funny' thing is the varying in frequency and level with the minimum on ~ +8db recording gain... I don´t know. I made another sample while changing the recording gain: http://www.electricstart.de/sound/beepnoise2.mp3 __________________ Always take a look behind.

Oct 11, 2007, 10:37 PM	Thread Starter #8
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Doug, are you still there ? __________________ Always take a look behind.

Sep 29, 2007, 03:32 PM	#2
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	TravelRec, Could you define "Pipe-Like" noise a little more. I have an A2 ZS and can check it but I have to know what to listen for.

Sep 29, 2007, 09:24 PM	#4
Max M. h/h member-shmember Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Evil Empire Posts: 2,639 Rep Power: 69	mm, interesting... especially this: "goes lower in frequency" ... "increases again in frequency" maybe some sort of "feedback loop/leak" somewhere in ac97 itself (a bug, an issue, or whatever)? if it was a constant frequency i'd first think of simple noise pickup of some mechanical parts of PC (cooler or kinda... though the freq ~5kHz is a bit high for that). Anyway, i can't see any "programmable" piece of the soundcard where this noise can come out. (e.g. it's highly unlikely to be possible to "fix" it with "programming" - although it's probably possible to find out some side effect that could serve as workaround - something like "don't touch this ac97 register and the noise level will be negligible")... Well, you know... - "a sort of"

Sep 30, 2007, 12:22 AM	#6
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	I Tested My SB0090 and SB0350. I hear a lot of Registered SoundBlaster noise which I have come to expect with these cards, but nothing high pitched like your MP3.

Oct 11, 2007, 10:42 PM	#9
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	I am here TravelRec. Hey that was a scarey sound! It just occurred to me that I may have had some sounds like that before when I had my UDA bracket in a rear slot in the computer. I moved it to a front bay and the noise went away. Now I have moved it to the back again and the sound is not there...so what can you conclude from that? I will listen again tonight and see if I can replicate your strange noise sound. Last edited by Doug W; Oct 11, 2007 at 10:53 PM.

Oct 16, 2007, 07:17 PM	Thread Starter #10
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	Thank you for your help doug :- You think, it´s a hardware issue? Hmm, if I finished the ongoing music project, I try to move the card between different PCI-slots, maybe this will give me a go... __________________ Always take a look behind.

Oct 18, 2007, 02:43 AM	#11
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	TravelRec, I tried one more time to reproduce your strange sound but I could not. I am still using 3534f on my recording computer just for your info - don't know if that could possibly be a factor. My guess is that it is a hardware problem but in reality, I think that you have a lot more electronics expertise than I do. Hope it is fixed by moving your card around. Doug

Oct 18, 2007, 06:38 PM	Thread Starter #12
TravelRec. Alternative Audioproductions Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany / Sachsen-Anhalt Posts: 1,710 Rep Power: 0	No, unfortunately not - moved the around but AC97 noise remained. I will try older driver releases if I find the time. Thank you anyway __________________ Always take a look behind.