Mobo electricty leak ? Possible health risk ?

[rundll]

I just got 5+1 microlab soundsystem.. I had 3+1 microlab soundsystem with speakers.. The problem is they make a minor buzzing noise when connected to PC... both my new speakers and old speakers do this... I try speakers with different devices like my old music player and there is no buzzing or when I use them with my phone there is no buzzing.. there is no buzzing when i connect them to my tab either.. it happens only when connected to pc.. they work normal when music is played etc.. but when nothing is played they produce a minor buzzing sound..

is it my mainboard ? leaking electricity ? because I checked everything and any speakers connected to my PC does this ! so annoying...

Only when I connect headphone to pc such thing does not happen ! only with speaker system this happens !!

Please I want to know what causes the problem.. speakers do not because I replaced them !! but still buzzing !

bad mobo ??? it is msi z68ma-g43 (this is not the only problem I have with this mbo I had some other problems too but I worry about electricity leak from it.. if it was so would it damage my health ?) Because after spending some time on computer it leaves clinging voices in my ear ... electricity leak ?

I searched stuff on internet.. people talk about smth called "ground loop" when pc+speakers connected... is this the case ??

 

[fornoob]

Yes, the ground loop is really common and it seems like you've got in this case. The idea is that two parts of your system should be at the same potential (often ground) and obviously are not, so it creates an unwanted current between those two parts.
If you plug two different devices (computer + audio) in two different wallets, there will often give this difference between the grounds. Best is to use the same powerstrip for both.

I personnally use shielded cables and baluns for my guitar. But it might be overkill if the issue comes from the MOBO directly.

Do you connect the wires to the MOBO audio connectors or do you use those on your case? Which case do you have?

 

[rundll]

Yes, the ground loop is really common and it seems like you've got in this case. The idea is that two parts of your system should be at the same potential (often ground) and obviously are not, so it creates an unwanted current between those two parts.
If you plug two different devices (computer + audio) in two different wallets, there will often give this difference between the grounds. Best is to use the same powerstrip for both.

I personnally use shielded cables and baluns for my guitar. But it might be overkill if the issue comes from the MOBO directly.

Do you connect the wires to the MOBO audio connectors or do you use those on your case? Which case do you have?

I have RC-690 Case.. I changed it too.. Changing the case did not cease the problem.. Both my PC and speakers are plugged into same powerstrip.

I tried my audio connectors both directly to motherboard and case. The buzzing still exists.

Seems like there is a motherboard problem to me. I wrote about this here before. My CPU requires much more voltage to run on this motherboard and due to that it causes overheating but that was just another problem. I am thinking that both issues are connected to each other and this motherboard is junk.

The buzzing starts as soon as power goes to PC... When Speakers are alone turned on or they are connected to another device they work fine. But when they are connected to anything on PC even microphone line in for test they make noise.. I am pretty sure there is electrical leak.. And dont know what to do..

 

[fornoob]

OK!

Just to be sure: did you install the IO Shield?

Otherwise yes, it looks like a design problem in the MOBO.
I suppose you did check all the stand offs?
Do you have an other IO shield that would suit to the MOBO?

 

[rundll]

OK!

Just to be sure: did you install the IO Shield?

Otherwise yes, it looks like a design problem in the MOBO.
I suppose you did check all the stand offs?
Do you have an other IO shield that would suit to the MOBO?

Yes of course I installed the IO shield... No I dont have another IO shield.

What problem could there be with standoffs ? They are all installed fine.

My question is if my mobo is leaking electric. Does this have health risks I try to keep my case as far as possible it is 1 m away from me. I cant sell my components now and it has been 1 year I bought this mobo. I can live with this disturbing buzzing for another couple of months and then I ll sell the mobo and get new intel socket.

 

[fornoob]

Health risks: not really, maybe a small static discharge sometimes, but nothing that could hurt.
You wont take 20A 400V like that
I asked for the standoffs and screws because outside the shortcut issues (not your case here obviously), your PCB can sometimes be slightly tilted, avoiding to properly ground some parts of the MOBO with the case (for example, I once had a PCB that was tilted with the top left hand corner going up, making it difficult to screw and so, the top left part of the MOBO was barely grounded, increasing risks of the ground loops...)

 

[rundll]

Health risks: not really, maybe a small static discharge sometimes, but nothing that could hurt.
You wont take 20A 400V like that
I asked for the standoffs and screws because outside the shortcut issues (not your case here obviously), your PCB can sometimes be slightly tilted, avoiding to properly ground some parts of the MOBO with the case (for example, I once had a PCB that was tilted with the top left hand corner going up, making it difficult to screw and so, the top left part of the MOBO was barely grounded, increasing risks of the ground loops...)

There does not seem much to do I think in my case. My ears are damn too sound sensitive. Maybe some other guy would not care about this. But what taught me that I ll never buy MSI motherboards again. You know what ? The mainboard I got prior to this emitted buzzing sound even from itself ! I replaced that mobo for this one.

 

[fornoob]

There are always bad experiments with some brands and it differs for each person!
My "black sheep" is ASUS for MOBO ^^'.
I don't know what you could do since it seems to be the MOBO itself who is faulty, maybe someone else in the forum could help?

I've got the same sensitivity with my ears so don't blame yourself

 

[rundll]

There are always bad experiments with some brands and it differs for each person!
My "black sheep" is ASUS for MOBO ^^'.
I don't know what you could do since it seems to be the MOBO itself who is faulty, maybe someone else in the forum could help?

I've got the same sensitivity with my ears so don't blame yourself

Why is your blacksheep ASUS ? I was planning to buy an ASUS mobo next time. I have their GTX 500 series GPU and it looks so solid and overclocks like a boss.. from 810 Mhz core clock to 1020 mhz without volage increase.. When I just look at it I see how well it is built. So solid components. MSI looks handsome too but so far all its mobos were junk for me. I tried 3 of them replaced 2 and got this one. 1st one overheating 2nd one buzzing capacitors or stuff like that and 3rd one electrical leak.. high vcore values for CPU and overheating due to that plus buzzing from speakers... I like silent and cold stuff.

I used gigabyte mobo too. It was also buzzing from mobo itself possibly bad capacitors ol electrical components used...

I am planning to move to ASUS in my next mobo when next gen intel CPUs arrive.

 

[fornoob]

I bought around 10 ASUS MOBO and 9 of them were broken when I received them (damaged pins in the socket, corrupted BIOS, etc...). Some of them didn't even handle the official RAM frequency (1333MHz at the time): I've learned to know that FOR ME, every ASUS mobo I would have to use will be a pain ^^'.
Other customers never had any issues with ASUS MOBO. I never had any complains about MSI myself.
That's why I say everyone has his black sheep with MOBO.

Since last year, I am beginning to mount more and more rigs with Asrock's MOBO: they are very reliable it seems!

 

[rundll]

I bought around 10 ASUS MOBO and 9 of them were broken when I received them (damaged pins in the socket, corrupted BIOS, etc...). Some of them didn't even handle the official RAM frequency (1333MHz at the time): I've learned to know that FOR ME, every ASUS mobo I would have to use will be a pain ^^'.
Other customers never had any issues with ASUS MOBO. I never had any complains about MSI myself.
That's why I say everyone has his black sheep with MOBO.

Since last year, I am beginning to mount more and more rigs with Asrock's MOBO: they are very reliable it seems!

Well we are so much out of the topic though. There seems not much to do for me but replace the mobo..

 

[fornoob]

Yes, I think so... but maybe someone else could help some more than me!

 

[larrymoencurly]

Sometimes you can fix a ground loop problem by connecting a wire between the computer case's ground to the ground of the speaker amplifier.

It's possible the Microlab system was designed wrong because that would explain why there's no buzz when headphones are plugged into it. Maybe somebody knows how to modify its internal grounding.

 

[rundll]

Sometimes you can fix a ground loop problem by connecting a wire between the computer case's ground to the ground of the speaker amplifier.

It's possible the Microlab system was designed wrong because that would explain why there's no buzz when headphones are plugged into it. Maybe somebody knows how to modify its internal grounding.

My both sets of microlab speakers caused this. However I got these speakers and PSU and case from my friend. Only mobo cpu rams and gpu belong to me.. Her had not this problem with this microlab set. My PC causes this. He also lives upper floor. So electricity build of his house must be same.

 

[HankB]

Interesting side note...

I saw a reference to an article a couple days ago (on Slashdot) that mentioned that professional audio engineers are constantly battling to keep hum at power line frequency out of recordings. Apparently it is always there though if they are successful, the hum is not noticeable. Nevertheless, examining the hum can be used to determine if recordings have been edited and even when they were recorded since the power line frequency varies ever so slightly over time.

The only relevance to your issue is that the problem is more common than you might think.

One thing I do not see mentioned is the incoming power source. In typical US wiring, the feed to a house is to lines at 110V that are 180° out of phase. Voltage across both lines is 220V. If you have this gear plugged into two different outlets that are on opposite sides of the incoming line (if your incoming power is similar to what is used in the US) this would tend to magnify the hum. If your power plugs are not polarized, I would try turning one around to see if that makes a difference.

I would also scour the web site of the manufacturer of the sound system. They may have information on how to solve this problem.

 

[Anonaru]

Its most likely in the design of these amplified speakers if the buzzing doesn't happen with headphones. Sounds like a grounding issue to me

A lot of amplified sound devices that use a power source other than one from within the PC (USB powered) have a buzzing if they aren't properly grounded. I had a laptop and PC connected to my surround sound for a while, and the only way to fix the buzzing was to connect a ground wire between my laptop and my desktop, then connect one from my desktop to my surround sound..

Have given up on that laptop, which ironically fixed the buzzing

 

[rundll]

Its most likely in the design of these amplified speakers if the buzzing doesn't happen with headphones. Sounds like a grounding issue to me

A lot of amplified sound devices that use a power source other than one from within the PC (USB powered) have a buzzing if they aren't properly grounded. I had a laptop and PC connected to my surround sound for a while, and the only way to fix the buzzing was to connect a ground wire between my laptop and my desktop, then connect one from my desktop to my surround sound..

Have given up on that laptop, which ironically fixed the buzzing

But connecting the speakers to different devices on the same powerstrip does not cause buzzing. It only occurs when PC is connected. I even connected speakers to my old music set instead of PC. I plugged music set to the same ground and there was no buzzing.

I think headphones does not make the same sound because they are unpowered on idle however speakers are always on and when nothing is played you only hear buzzing. Only music with high volume overcomes buzzing. Headphones work fine no buzz or disturbing sound.

My highest worry is about current leakage from motherboard which can possibly emit high electromagnetic wave and damage my health. It is not voltaging the CPU correctly.

 

[Anonaru]

But connecting the speakers to different devices on the same powerstrip does not cause buzzing. It only occurs when PC is connected. I even connected speakers to my old music set instead of PC. I plugged music set to the same ground and there was no buzzing.

I think headphones does not make the same sound because they are unpowered on idle however speakers are always on and when nothing is played you only hear buzzing. Only music with high volume overcomes buzzing. Headphones work fine no buzz or disturbing sound.

Your headphones aren't amplified from an outside source-- Buzzing from a computer is almost always because of what I specified-- Non amplified speakers shouldn't give you any noticable buzzing, aside from the typical noise non-guilded audio cables inside a pc case give.

The best way to reduce noise is to get a discrete sound card-- integrated sound always produces noise, whether or not you can hear it depends on if that noise is being amplified by something or how bad the noise really is. If it is a large amount of noise caused by the motherboard itself, turning up the headphones high enough would produce the same noise, its impossible to blame the motherboard for discharging a dangerous amount of current just to go around and say only an amplified device produces the noise.

 

[rundll]

Your headphones aren't amplified from an outside source-- Buzzing from a computer is almost always because of what I specified-- Non amplified speakers shouldn't give you any noticable buzzing, aside from the typical noise non-guilded audio cables inside a pc case give.

The best way to reduce noise is to get a discrete sound card-- integrated sound always produces noise, whether or not you can hear it depends on if that noise is being amplified by something or how bad the noise really is. If it is a large amount of noise caused by the motherboard itself, turning up the headphones high enough would produce the same noise, its impossible to blame the motherboard for discharging a dangerous amount of current just to go around and say only an amplified device produces the noise.

Thanks but can you explain me why buzzing does not occur when I connect these speakers to my old music set but occurs when connected to my pc ? Also same speakers did not buzz in my friend's pc with same case and psu but different motherboard.

 

[Anonaru]

Thanks but can you explain me why buzzing does not occur when I connect these speakers to my old music set but occurs when connected to my pc ? Also same speakers did not buzz in my friend's pc with same case and psu but different motherboard.

Means your motherboard is making noise somewhere between the VRM and the integrated sound controller. This doesn't change anything about my post. Your high level of friction towards peopel trying to help you makes them less likely to want to help you, just throwing that out there.

As I said, if there's a high level of noise, and not a grounding issue, then you would be able to reproduce the noise by getting loud enough non-amplified speakers / headphones. If not, then its your motherboard putting out a dirty enough signal that it gets blown out of proportion by the electrical amplification carried out by your speakers. This would mean that its because the two parts aren't running at a similar enough.. frequency? Current direction? Polarity? Lord knows.. I maintain the noise wouldnt' be there if your speakers were being amplified by a USB cable vs a DC-out.

Unless you feel the need to give me friction on that, too.