Weird sound when moving mouse

[Octopuss]

I have recently noticed there is a barely audible sound coming from the speakers when I move the mouse around. When I turn the volume control on the amplifier all the way, it's pretty clear high-pitched... something.
It must be an interference of some sort, but I thought these things were too 90's and don't happen nowadays.
Could someone give me some ideas what to do or what to look for? I am clueless. (I also know fuck all about physics and electricity )
My PC's specs are in my profile I think.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Try using the integrated HD audio to determine if it is the speakers or not. If it is the card, throw away/sell/refund that card and buy an USB DAC or receiver.

 

[RCoon]

Bizarrely I had the exact same issue a few months ago. The interference was loudest when using a scrollbar in Chrome. I actually ended up buying the Creative Sound Blaster Z and my problems went away. I used the front inputs on my PC case for my headphones and cabled them into the sound card instead of the motherboard.

It is worth noting I use a PowerLine adapter for network connection, so that may have added to my interference.

Since then I've changed my PSU, GPU and my headphones, so I couldn't honestly say what was causing it.

 

[Mussels]

its electrical noise in your PC messing with the soundcard.

Quite often not much you can do about it, but random solutions can help (front vs read audio jacks, different soundcard, grounding the case, etc etc)

 

[95Viper]

Gigabyte has a beta bios F20e (make sure you get the correct one for your MB revision) that addresses some sound/audio issues... Are you using that?

Have you tried moving the mouse to a different port?
Move Audio/Speaker system to different power outlet?
Check for loose audio/speaker connections.

 

[Octopuss]

I don't think BIOS has anything to do with this (and yes I use that already).
Plugging the mouse elsewhere doesn't change anything.
The damn sound card is shielded by default and about 3 slots away from the graphic card (they say this is often a source of such interference).

I don't think there's much I can do. Guess I'll pretend I never heard it and will wait until Skylake upgrade to see if it persists. But damn I hate stuff you cannot unsee/unhear.

 

[rtwjunkie]

The damn sound card is shielded by default and about 3 slots away from the graphic card (they say this is often a source of such interference).

So that puts it near the PSU? Are you able to move it one slot away from the PSU, or does that screw with the lane usage?

 

[Octopuss]

Hmm, I'll try that.

 

[rhino]

Sometimes the proximity of the cabling inside the case causes audio interference.
If they're too close to the G-card and so on.
The solution "in the 90s" was to isolate the cables with tin foil. Obviously, one needs to pay attention if you want to do this as you don't want it to touch anything on the mobo.
These days, you can run the cable around the back of case for example.
I also used a fibre optic DAC converter for a while.

 

[Frick]

Was gonna say reseat it. I have intermittent problems with my sound card, a reseat solves most of them (unless unplugging/replugging the sound cable doesnt work).

 

[Bill_Bright]

but I thought these things were too 90's and don't happen nowadays.

Actually, as more and more devices are going wireless, interference (or rather suppressing it) is a bigger problem than it used to be.

You say you plugged your mouse into a different port, do you actually mean the mouse cable, or is that a wireless mouse's wireless dongle? If you move your mouse as far away from your computer and speakers as possible, is the sound the same?

If you listen through headphones, can you still hear it?

Are you sure your case and speakers are properly grounded and all speaker wires and connectors are in good repair? Is your wall outlet properly grounded? Is your computer and your speakers powered through the same wall outlet?

Every home and computer user should have access to a AC Outlet Tester to ensure your outlet is properly wired and grounded. I recommend one with a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) indicator as it can be used to test bathroom and kitchen outlets too. These testers can be found for your type and voltage outlet, foreign or domestic, at most home improvement stores, or even the electrical department at Walmart. And if a fault is shown, have it fixed by a qualified electrician.

And lastly, how are routing audio to your speakers? If through your graphics card to your monitor via HDMI, then out to your speakers, the problem could be in your monitor.

 

[Batou1986]

Its shitty onboard sound picking up interference from the USB, attaching shielding to the board does nothing if the interference is coming from the board.
The only thing you can do is stop using onboard or
Didn't read

try changing the polling rate of the mouse.

 

[95Viper]

Its shitty onboard sound picking up interference from the USB

The damn sound card is shielded by default

From his profile...Sound Blaster ZxR. I don't believe Octopuss is using on board sound.

@Octopuss
What speaker setup are you using?
If they are powered speakers... did you move them to a different power source? Same thing if you are using a receiver/amp.
If the speakers are near your PC... try moving them to see if the noise changes or diminishes.

Also, try a different mouse, if you haven't.

Here is a decent article on PC audio noise: Solving Computer Audio Problems

 

[Bill_Bright]

You cannot "attach shielding" to a board. Shielding against EMI/RFI is called "shielding" because that is what it does, it "shields" - that is, it totally covers or encases the device that needs protection from EMI/RFI or it totally covers the device that is emitting the EMI/RFI (or both). You see EMI/RFI shields as metal cans around devices, or a braid of metal surrounding all the wires in a cable. There are even specially designed sprays that totally encase circuit cards or entire devices.

You can "attach" a ground to a board - but boards should already be grounded in several places, including through the mounting bracket and screw, the slot and through attached cables.

The user has decent motherboard, so even if using on-board, it would not be caused by the integrated sound (assuming no physical damage). But as he is using a Sound Blaster expansion card, that would eliminate the integrated sound anyway. And since that is a decent card, it would not be due to poor design of the card either.

So we are back to ensuring there is no physical damage to any of the cables or connectors. That all cables are securely connected. That the card is secured tight in the slot and to the case with the screw. And finally, that the computer and speakers are all properly grounded to the same wall outlet and the wall outlet is properly grounded to Earth ground.

Oh, I would make sure there are not other EMI/RFI emitting devices in the area too. These include TVs, home theater equipment, microwave ovens, microwave or cell towers, radios, etc.

One last thought. That piece of metal that comes with every motherboard and is inserted into the rear I/O panel of your case is a called an I/O "shield" for a reason. It has dozens of tiny tensioned tines that encompass every connector in that panel area to ensure proper shielding for each connector (connectors are a common source of EMI/RFI). This shield must be securely inserted into the case to ensure it is properly grounded to the case and proper contact to each connected cable thus ensuring optimal suppression and/or isolation of any EMI/RFI in the area.

 

[Octopuss]

Its shitty onboard sound picking up interference from the USB, attaching shielding to the board does nothing if the interference is coming from the board.
The only thing you can do is stop using onboard or try changing the polling rate of the mouse.

I don't even... Why do you waste your time replying?

From his profile...Sound Blaster ZxR. I don't believe Octopuss is using on board sound.

@Octopuss
What speaker setup are you using?
If they are powered speakers... did you move them to a different power source? Same thing if you are using a receiver/amp.
If the speakers are near your PC... try moving them to see if the noise changes or diminishes.

Also, try a different mouse, if you haven't.

Here is a decent article on PC audio noise: Solving Computer Audio Problems

The speakers are not active, I said I used an amplifier. It's simple stereo speakers connected to Denon PMA-720AE, which connects to the sound card (decent kind of shielded - at least it looks that way - cable).
Swapping the card into another slot didn't help, btw.
Different mouse and different ports made no difference either.
Btw, it seems like keyboard causes something similar, only barely audible.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Remove the OC. And see if it is the same. Mine does it then.

Why it happens? Mouse and keyboard has a highest low level irq interrupt so it causes fluctations.

Poll rate is from 125 to khz. So the problem is in audio spectrum... usually only the motherboard swap helps. Try disabling speed step too.

 

[95Viper]

The speakers are not active, I said I used an amplifier. It's simple stereo speakers connected to Denon PMA-720AE, which connects to the sound card (decent kind of shielded - at least it looks that way - cable).

That is why I asked your setup... when you stated amplifier, even powered speakers have an amp.

Are you plugged into the AC different from the PC?
If you are using a power strip or surge protector... separate them to test.

Sounds like you have ground loop problems...

Fix ground loop noise on computer

 

[Octopuss]

It goes like this: wall socket → UPS → surge protection outlet A → power strip → amplifier, and UPS → surge protection outlet B → PC. The amplifier is not grounded (two wires plug).

 

[Octopuss]

Plugging stuff directly in, bypassing the UPS made no difference, and running stock frequencies neither.
That's about as much time as I was willing to invest into this, so I'll wait how my next PC will behave.
Thanks everyone for ideas.

 

[Bill_Bright]

The speakers are not active, I said I used an amplifier.

Is the amplifier connected to the same wall outlet as the computer? If not, I would run a ground wire from the back of the amp to a screw in the bare metal of the computer case and see what happens. In fact, even if connected to the same wall outlet, I would try the ground wire. This ensures the computer and the amp have the same common ground.

You might also try different gain (volume) settings. Turning down the gain of the sound card and turning up the gain of the amp, for example.

 

[Octopuss]

It turned out it very well might be the PSU. I was so sure it was speakers, and then yesterday I switched the amplifier off, and the freaking buzzing continued! I have to try again with someone moving the mouse for me so I can fit my head inside the case, but I am getting sure it's the PSU. I wouldn't have thought so, because it's Seasonic SSR-550RM 550W (and not even 3 years old), so no junk by any means.

 

[Mussels]

It turned out it very well might be the PSU. I was so sure it was speakers, and then yesterday I switched the amplifier off, and the freaking buzzing continued! I have to try again with someone moving the mouse for me so I can fit my head inside the case, but I am getting sure it's the PSU. I wouldn't have thought so, because it's Seasonic SSR-550RM 550W (and not even 3 years old), so no junk by any means.

could be motherboard too, i've had friends/ex-housemates systems do that. on the mobo side, disabling all power management in the BIOS fixed theirs, but thats not a great solution.

 

[Octopuss]

I have my old PSU stashed away somewhere, so I guess I'll have to start some testing.
The PSU has 5 years warranty, so I guess I am fine. On the other hand, I doubt a RMA would be accepted for this reason

 

[Bill_Bright]

I doubt a RMA would be accepted for this reason

The only noise a PSU should make is normal fan noise so I see no reason why an RMA would not be accepted. You might be able to isolate the sound to the PSU by sticking your ear to the PSU's exhaust vent while wiggling the mouse.

You still should check your wall outlet wiring and grounding, and make sure all the connectors (data and power) in the computer are securely fastened, as well as any expansion cards are in tight and secured properly with the mounting screw (which provides direct ground continuity between the card and case). Make sure the PSU mounting screws are in tight too - this is especially important if using a sound/vibration suppression gasket between the PSU and case.

 

[Octopuss]

Well, the shop I bought the PSU from is notorious for its shitty RMA department.

Anyway, what other brands should I look at if it really turns out to be the PSU? I like Seasonic though, their products seem to priced well and I never really had any problem with this particular unit.