Noise on my speakers... any suggestions?

It's been a while since I did anything other than 'lurk' on the site... but some interesting things have been happening to me lately, and I wanted to share, and get some opinions.

For the last three days, I've been hearing noises on my speakers. It is the sort of noise you get when an active mobile/cell phone is placed near a speaker, or music system, and causing electromagnetic interference when it's active. You can get an idea of what I mean here.

On my speakers though, the interference is a lot quieter. As though whatever is causing the interference isn't right next to the speaker system. It is certainly close enough to cause the problem though.

The speaker system is an old-ish Creative 5.1 surround sound system. It's connected to my computer, and near a wi-fi router. My computer is never turned off...

I have turned off the router completely, to see if that had an effect. I've got the sounds on the speakers even when I leave my mobile phone in another room, or when I have totally turned it off and disconnected the battery (it's a very old phone - but it works and I like it). I have tried moving the speakers and sub, but to no avail. I've disconnected them from the computer, and still get the sound. I even shut down the computer and disconnected it from the power supply. Still I get the sound.

I don't use many other electronic devices, and certainly not ones that have the ability to transmit and cause EM interference in speakers such as these.

The only time the noise of interference can be stopped is when the speakers are turned off pysically.

Turning them up or down doesn't make a difference in the volume of the interference.

It's also worth noting that the EM interference noise isn't constant. It comes and goes with no discernable pattern. Sometimes it lasts a few minutes, others it lasts an hour or more. The gaps bettween the interfence happening are similiarly irregular.

I've searched the room for any mobile phones that might have been left behind by visitors to my home, and found nothing.

There aren't any base stations that are very close to my hosue. The nearest is quite a distance from my house and there isn't a clear line of sight to the speakers from the mast.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what could be causing it?

One of my friends suggested I'm being monitored, and it's a bugging device that's transmitting all conversation from my house back to the NSA or GCHQ or something... which amuses me, since I'm wouldn't consider myself someone who's worth monitoring... but who knows!

Any ideas or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated though.

If you're sure it's not a wiring problem, I wonder if it could be interference from a much more outside source...like perhaps a neighbor with a CB. If it strengthens and you start hearing talking, rest assured--you're (probably) not losing your mind, lol. Also wouldn't hurt to look around outside and see if you spot a large antenna anywhere nearby. If their antenna is weak, you might only be hearing the cutting in and out part like in this video:
youtu.be...

Your speaker wire are not coiled right? You can try a using a ferrite choke on the wires

reply to post by dampnickers


This could be a neighbours wireless router or other source of electronic noise, the only thing you can do is check you have shielded coaxial speaker cable and sheilded speakers as the noise can also come through the wire but on that video the noise was probably the magnet and diaphram coil in the speaker responding to inductive energy picked up from the phone and is down to the simple radio frequency induction.
Otherwise a giant faraday cage around your house but honesly try some shielded speakers with metal grills to shield the diaphram coil or alternatively try flat piezo electric speakers (I know they sound tinny but are less susceptible due to the fact they do not have a coil.

Check the ground.

A bad ground can cause speaker noise.

lonegurkha
Check the ground.

A bad ground can cause speaker noise.

It is in the speaker system, in one of two places.

One is the power supply. Next time it happens see what else is being used in the house. Could easily be another piece of equipment like a microwave, hairdryer etc.

The other is the interference is coming in via the speaker leads, try shortening them.. As someone else has noted, make sure they are not coiled. Otherwise check or replace the lead from the computer to the speaker control box, you may have an intermittent earth connection. Earth problems are headaches as has been pointed out above.



P

I think your friend is right. See my posts, but I think they deleted it. I hear clicks, like a mic opening.....

I sometimes get the same noise OP and my hubby doesn't get it on his computer in the room next to where I have mine. Annoying.

reply to post by dampnickers


Wi-fi, can also be a problem, especially when used by neighbours etc.

Are your electronics using different voltages? Maybe through batteries or transformers?

It could be some form of feedback loop perhaps

Not a feedback loop (which can come from a mic being played back out of the speakers), but perhaps a ground loop?



There are ways to get rid of that noise.

Thanks to everyone for responding, and for the excellent suggestions.

I've tried moving speakers, I have checked to see if cables are coiled, or near any source of interference (such as a transformer), all to no avail.

One poster suggested that the use of microwaves or hairdryers could be a problem. Microwaves are banned in my home (I like to cook real food), so that can't be an issue, and currently my gf doesn't live with me, so don't have any hair dryers here.

I tried a separate pair of speakers and these pick up the same interference, albeit much more quietly than my usual speakers. It could be worth noting that these 'test' speakers are much less powerful.

In a bid to check everything I've disconnected my microphone, changed the speaker cables, and even put all channels on the sound card on mute to see if it was that.

Another interesting fact is that I sleep very little. What I have noticed, is that the noise happens at all hours. My closest neighbour has a wireless router, and has had the same one for four years. After checking with him it hasn't moved from it's orginal location, and he hasn't changed it's configuration. He doesn't have any new equipment either. Apparently the last thing he bought was well over a year ago. Which wouldn't explain the last few days.

I even turned off my wireless router just to see if it was that, and the noise is still there.

As I already mentioned, the noise happens at all hours. Not constant, but definitely comes and goes at all times of day. There doesn't appear to be any clear pattern to it, but I suppose that something must be causing it.

If I find out what is causing it, I'll certainly come back here and post about it... for now, it's a mystery.

Once again, thank you all for the responses, and suggestions.

For some time I thought I was going crazy and hearing things. I finally figured it out after some time. My damn speaker system for my PC was somehow picking up some nutty religious station, and transmitting it very very quietly. They are cheap speaksers, I think I paid 60 for the set, comes with a powered subwoofer. Anyways, it keeps happening from time to time, I got to play with the volume dial a bit then it goes away. No idea what causes it.

Is is just your computer speakers, or are the radios in your house affected as well? It could be something on the local power mains. Might want to call your power company and complain to them.





If you know anyone local that may be into HAM radio, perhaps you could ask them for help or if they've had issues. If it's something that also interferes with radio, the FCC can get involved to resolve it.

Fixing line noise is good if you run into it. Not only does it affect radio with interference, but in some cases it can make computers run unstable and shorten the life of certain electronic components.

Personally, I experience a similar problem when I have my guitar plugged in but the volume (on the guitar) turned off. My pickups receive radio broadcasts and I hear very Ghostly voices fading in and out. I would suspect that the wiring of a house would also serve as a crude antenna. Most likely, buried beneath the 60hz frequencies, we are so accustomed to, are all sorts of peripheral frequencies indirectly "captured" by the metallic wiring in our households.

I would say that rather than a haunting, you have a free broadcast service you were unaware of.

reply to post by dampnickers


What model of creative speakers are they? I am guessing they are 'active' ones, ie they include their own amplifier powered by mains. Could be just a duff fuse or circuit somewhere, so the noise is perhaps originating from the creative speakers themselves. Good excuse to go shopping I say!

Theeastcoastwest
Personally, I experience a similar problem when I have my guitar plugged in but the volume (on the guitar) turned off. My pickups receive radio broadcasts and I hear very Ghostly voices fading in and out. I would suspect that the wiring of a house would also serve as a crude antenna. Most likely, buried beneath the 60hz frequencies, we are so accustomed to, are all sorts of peripheral frequencies indirectly "captured" by the metallic wiring in our households.

I would say that rather than a haunting, you have a free broadcast service you were unaware of.

Or this, i often hear radio broadcasts coming from my bedside electric fan, thought I was going mad until I found it. Bizarre but interesting how it happens.

reply to post by doorhandle


I've been very busy for a couple of days, so I haven't been on the computer much, and haven't bothered to look at the model number for the speakers. The sub, is also tucked away behind my desk, so I'd have to crawl under and behind the desk to get the exact details, but will do so in the next day, and report back.

As for the noise... I've been home all day today, and the noise is gone. Not a sign of it at all. I placed my mobile on my desk, next to the speakers, and there wasn't any interference from that at any point today, even when I received a text message. But I will not discount the mobile phone as a source for the interference just yet.

Nothing has changed in terms of items being plugged in, or turned on/off, or operating differently. I've deliberately left everything alone for the last few days to see if anything changed.

I will keep an eye on everything and see what, if anything, changes. I'll report back if I find anything.

reply to post by dampnickers


I hate to link and run, but I'm somewhat pressed for time. The first thing that came to mind was electromagnetic interference. (the same thing that came to your mind I guess)

Usually, to prevent a high energy device from causing interference or a device from experiencing interference they'll have a ferrite bead attached to their cords. You see them all the time on USB cords, game controllers, etc.

Here's a wikipedia article describing them. en.wikipedia.org...