Do external audio jacks use the MOBO sound card ?

AHamsterPig

Prominent
Feb 26, 2017
4
0
510
So I've recently assembled my first PC and hadn't a single hiccup. That is until I tried to use the front audio port. Theirs constant static unless I hold the headphone jack a very particular way and I've read about the witch hunts one can go down to find the source so I haven't tried to fiddle with the hardware itself yet. However, Corsair and Blue decided every peripheral I use should have an 3.55mm jack I guess so I lucked out there.
I've since been using the Blue Yeti headphone jack (usb in the 3.1 port if that matters) but either placebo or the audio gnomes have already gotten to me because I don't think it sounds as good as when I held my headphones at the perfect angle on the front jack. Normally I wouldn't care that much but I specifically went out of my way to get the Asrock Taichi as it had an upgraded sound card and the reviews to boot. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed.

PS: If it makes a difference I also have a Corsair ST100 headphone stand w/ an audio jack that I can try and see if it's maybe just the Yeti port.
 
Solution
Check out this detail. I can't be sure since I can't find a clear set of specs or photos of your headphones.

There are TWO slightly different versions of the "standard" 3.5mm male headphone jack. One type has THREE contacts - tip, ring, and sleeve. For the earphone part these function for Left, Right and Ground. For the microphone part (which usually is not stereo), these are mono mic, (nothing) and Ground. THIS is the type of socket built into the front of your case, and so there are TWO sockets - one for the earphone part (typically light green) and another for the mic socket.

The other system found often on higher-end units, has FOUR contacts on the male plug - tip, ring1, ring2, and sleeve. These function for Left ear, Right ear...
The front case audio jacks usually are the worst with the most noise, this is due to low quality jacks as well as very limited insulated wires that are run to teh motherboard that pick up a lot of electrical noise. The jacks on the back of the motherboard on the IO panel are better but can also have noise from various components placed nearby on the board it self.

Your best budget option believe it or not is to buy a cheap USB to 3.5mm audio converter, this eliminates much of the noise.

Probably the best and most expensive option is to buy a dedicated sound card or external DAC/AMP.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
Check out this detail. I can't be sure since I can't find a clear set of specs or photos of your headphones.

There are TWO slightly different versions of the "standard" 3.5mm male headphone jack. One type has THREE contacts - tip, ring, and sleeve. For the earphone part these function for Left, Right and Ground. For the microphone part (which usually is not stereo), these are mono mic, (nothing) and Ground. THIS is the type of socket built into the front of your case, and so there are TWO sockets - one for the earphone part (typically light green) and another for the mic socket.

The other system found often on higher-end units, has FOUR contacts on the male plug - tip, ring1, ring2, and sleeve. These function for Left ear, Right ear, mic, and Ground. The socket for this system has all those contacts inside, and so only one socket can function to connect the entire headset to an audio circuit. BUT this jack also is 3.5 mm diameter and the same overall length, so it does fit into the sockets of THREE-contacts systems. It just makes the wrong connections!

So, look carefully at the male plug on the end of the cord from your headset. If it has only ONE 3.5mm plug (not two on a Y cable) and that has FOUR contacts, that is the source of your trouble. To adapt that to use with a pair of three-contacts sockets on the front of your computer you need this type of adapter.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882203159&cm_re=3.5mm_adapter-_-82-203-159-_-Product

NOTE that it specifies that its female socket accepts a FOUR-contact plug, and its two male jacks each have THREE contacts. Those two male jacks will have some identifier on each to tell you which is for earphones and which for microphone.
 
Solution

AHamsterPig

Prominent
Feb 26, 2017
4
0
510


Oh ya dumby HamsterPig. THANK YOU! As frustrating it is that that was all the problem was, I would've never thought about the contacts on the jack and that's exactly the problem... I'm using a pair of Sennheiser Momentum Earbuds and one of the big reason I bought them was, at the time, they were the only set of earbuds with a universal iPhone and Android Media controller. Just my luck that'd it'd come to nip me in the butt 6 years after I bought them lol.