Creative Inspire 2.1 speakers
 

Sorry to keep coming here with problems, but you guys have been far more helpful than anything else I"ve found. I got some Creative Inspire 2.1 2500 speakers (subwoofer + 2 desktop speakers) and plugged them all in. Unfortunately, there is a great amount of static coming out of the desktop speakers, regardless of whether or not there is sound coming out of them. I have a Sound Blaster Live! sound card, and I've tried switching from digital output to other outputs and switching the left and right connections. I've sent an email to Creative tech support, but I'd appreciate anything you all can contribute.

Do you have any major electrical appliances nearby with large power supplies? This will often cause interference.

Cheaper speaker sets tend not to have the better quality shielded cables and components. But having said that, significant hissing should not occur in normal circumstances.

Mr Mephisto

I've noticed humming in audio sets before...
Creative sets are not too bad are they?

Try plugging them all into the same main power source (same wall outlet). I've had numerous interferences solved that way.

This would possibly als be a good question for the music forum. I don't know about crossposting policies. Let's hope some music-guru's wander over here :)

Do you still get static with the speakers on and the speaker cable unplugged from the PC, is it a laptop ?, what chipset is your PC, if its a via check for a bios or driver update for your motherboard.

Is it a constant static ? unplug the speaker cable from the computer, turn the speakers volume to a low-medium and touch the metal of the audio connector (usually a 3.5mm jack) with your fingers, does it sound the same as that hum you get, if so thats mains hum and is usually caused by bad grounding, check your outlets are correctly grounded, cut down the amount and lengths of cable from the wall outlet to the PC/Speakers.

I'm not on a laptop, but I do have the creative power plug plugged into a power strip that is plugged into a power strip (had to...the wide plug wouldn't fit in the first one), so that may be the problem. I will try unplugging the monitor from my other desktop and using that plug. Thanks again for the help and I'll update whether any of this worked.


Edit: Scratch that. The creative is plugged into one power strip that is connected directly to the wall. Could a 3 prong to 2 prong connector cause the static? I ask only because my other set of speakers is set up the same way, and I've never had any trouble with them. I would try hooking them up to the other computer, but it is a complete and total bitch to get back there, so it's only to be a last resort.

Ok, here's how it stands now. I'm running on an Intel Socket 478 mobo (2.8ghz P4 northwood). The box, monitor, and speakers are all plugged into the same power strip, which is plugged into the wall. I have the speaker cable plugged into the Digital Output on the SB Live sound card, with the settings on Digital Output Only, which is the only way I get any sound. Unfortunately, the static is there also. I tried unplugging the speaker cable from the cpu and touching it with my finger. The static didn't happen then. I can still play music and such, but the static is always there. As soon as the sound stops, the static grows back up. And just to clear this up, the speakers are powered by a single plug coming from the subwoofer. The desktop speakers and cables to the cpu plug into the subwoofer itself and receive their power from there.

Try moving the speakers to the middle of the room, away from everything (assuming you've got enough speaker wire). Turn off your monitor and your PC. Hook up the speakers to a discman or something like that, if you can. See if you get any static.

My thoughts are that the speakers are poorly shielded and may be getting static from your monitor - the above would definitely test that theory. As for the power source causing it, it might (I'm a little fuzzy on the effects of power to audio equipment, though), do you not have any 3-prong outlets in the house (ie: too old) or just not any nearby?

Pragma, you have deepened the mystery.:) I took the speaker cable from my cpu and plugged it into a CD player. I did not, though, move the speakers at all! And I got NO static. What now? Oh, and as for the 3 prong problem, I've lived in this house for approximately 17 years, and it existed at least a few years before that. There are 3 prongs around, but none close to the setup.

Make sure your PC is properly earthed.

This will most likely solve your problem.

Do you have a 3 prong plug on your PC power cable?

Mr Mephisto

No. The 3 prong cpu plug goes into the power strip. The power strip is what has the converter to 2 prong on it so it can plug into the wall.

Edit: And how can I make sure it's properly grounded?

By using a 3 pronged plug that has a ground pin (ie, the third ping).

Does your wall plug not have a 3-hole socket?

If the buzzing disappears when you plug the speakers into something else, it really seems like you've got bad earthing on your PC (either motherboard or case etc.)

Mr Mephisto

Sorry, I don't have a 3prong outlet anywhere close enough to test that out. Like I said, the best I can do is plug it into a power strip and use a converter. I have a 420 watt power supply on the computer. My other desktop is set up in the same manner. I have a power strip with a cpu, monitor, speakers, and printer all plugged into it, and I've never had this problem.

Because the problem seems to be related to the "noisy" computer's case or mobo being badly earthed.

It's entirely possible that the same setup, but with two different PCs, will result in one noisy, one quiet.

The easiest way to test this is to properly earth the "noisy" PC.

Can you not at least move it to a different socket for testing purposes?

Is there a radiator nearby (with exposed metal) that you could string some cable to, again for testing? I wouldn't suggest doing this to solve the problem, but a badly earthed case can cause a lot of problems. Interference on speakers is perhaps the most common.

Mr Mephisto

When I had my older 486, I had a Sound Blaster that would do the same thing. I found that it wasn't the speakers, but that the sound card was too close to another card. I moved it down a slot and the satic went away. I don't think they would do the same thing in this day.

I have the same speakers and think they are the best sounding speakers for under $40. I have mine very close to the monitor and tangled in the wires. I always make sure that the volume on the speakers is kept low and the volume on the computer is no more than 3/4.

I think the Mr. Mephisto is on to something when he talks about the 3 prong job.

I'm a little confused on why you would set digital only for and analog speaker system??? If I did that on my card, I would get no sound at all, unless you have a newer set of speakers that take digital. Mine are analog.

Hope things work out for you!!

A big fat cookie for zigdog. Although moving the card down a slot didn't help, the realization that the speakers were not digital did. The solution: plug the speaker cable from the subwoofer into every port while music is being played on the computer until the speakers start playing clearly. Thanks to everyone for all their help.

i'm glad you got it fixed, but you are running 3 pronged devices requring an earth into a non earthed socket ?

whatever you do, dont put two metal things powered from that, and then touch both with your bare hands :) otherwise you;ll get a nice 55 VAC 15A buzz (half mains potential) .... or ground yourself and the device same thing....

try this, put the back of your hand up to the metal of the machine thats not earthed, dont touch it, just hover closley over it, you should feel a slight buzzing sensation, thats the electricty ground itself into you.

some devices are double shielded and you may not see that effect, but typically they don't require a ground..

If you want to do a much safer check get an AC voltmeter stick it on the 110V AC range and press one end to the metal of the case, then the other in your fingers..