having problems with GPU causing EMI through audio, most noticeably in games. I know this house does not have the cleanest power on earth, but this seems a bit much. I only realized this was an issue when I allowed a buddy borrow my Power conditioner.
There is always a small amount of EMI when simply on the net. However it is negligible.
My audio set up is as foillowes
PC 3.5mm (both back and front jacks suffer the same amount) ====(3.5mm to RCA)===1000Watt 12 ch power mixer=====2x 15" Yamaha club series PA mains. All channels on power mixer suffer same amount. as does running through the mixers Aux out. This happens with and without other gear plugged into the mixer IE guitar, mic
Having just checked, the EMI comes through even when the volume is at 0% at mixer and PC. It also does not replicate when used through headphones.
To clarify,
The GPU seems to affect the PA regardless of the connectivity state of the pc to the mixer. I have proven that the GPU is the culprit by
1) the audio starts a high pitched dial-up modem like sound DURING game and only then
2) have unplugged all other devices that run on this breaker aside from PC, power mixer and monitor.
I have not been able to move to another breaker as that would require moving the PC to another room.
My question is, does anyone know of a simple fix to lessen or eliminate this problem aside from Using a power conditioner or switching to another breaker?
Do the power surges that claim to eliminate EMI/RFI actually work? I ask because I would rather use one of those instead of my rack mounted Power conditioner (space issue)
If you HAVE an RM power conditioner, USE IT. I don't care if you have to screw it to the floor under your desk, you're going to have better luck going at the root of the problem regardless of what the secondary options are.
On the other hand, there are two minor problems where I live: water that's hard as fuck, and power that's almost acceptable in it's uptime and it's other aspects. Point being: my rather budget rig has zero EMI-Audio issues so long as I use my mobo 3.5mm as opposed to front panel (but there are like 6 drives up front, and that cable isn't insulated. So whatever).
Taking as a given that my power is not clean, and that I'm having such a different experience, logically I'd try to rule out the mixer, first of all. It sounds to me like you're unplugging the mixer and plugging headphones directly into the tower, is that right?
I noticed this also yesterday. Plugged in a headset to play some battlefield, and had alot of emi coming through. Every click on my computer, changing pages, etc, and I could hear different changes and spikes in my headphones. Kind of like when you are listening to AM radio and you hear a spike come through whenever lightning hits or the fridge kicks on. I just chalked it up to having a 10 foot unshielded headphone cord next to my electronics. The biggest spikes I heard were definately from my video card. I'm not sure if there is any way to minimize this except getting a shielded cable or sleeve and properly grounding it, like to the pc chassis or something. When I plugged the headphones in a pc in another room, they sounded clear with no emi at all. Edit--- I didn't even think of trying the back panel audio! I totally forgot about the long wire leads to the front panel connectors! OK, I am truly a friggin' idiot!!!
Without knowing your whole system it may be dirty audio going into the PC not the Graphics card specifically. your processor if close to the audio chip/traces can also under load cause cross talk an example of this is the first 2 generations of Macbook Air's. the reason I say this is because you did not notice this problem before you leant the friend the power conditioner.
With that being said you can always get yourself a USB DAC which should eliminate any RF interference the PC generates by using a usb cable that gets it a few feet from the PC.
No, that was just a test, I run all audio through the 15" Yamahas, THe problem is that I also unplugged the PC from the Mixer totally and STILL the game affected the audio even though there is no connection between them. The only thing they share is a breaker. There was no audio going to the mains, they were on, but not plugged into the PC, as soon as the game starts to make the card render (during gameplay, not at startup menus) the buzzing starts. It just looks like I need to get my Conditioner back. sad day
Well at that point I'd check your GPU and your breaker. The GPU shouldn't do this, so it's a fault in the unit. Therefore if the GPU is at fault you shouldn't have any issue if you test by swapping it. Another of the same model that's confirmed working withought EMI in, say, a friend's machine, is the cleanest and most applicable test.
Depending on the breaker, though, it could be the fault depending on how old it is. So you might want to investigate that and consider replacing the specific breaker that runs the circuit you're on.
Still, I'd get the conditioner back before trying anything else.