- Aug 18, 2013
- 256
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Pretty much what the title says. I've been plagued with background hiss/static and I'm 90% sure it's caused by my computer not being grounded. I've "tried" a few different (cheap) microphones, replacing the cable on my current one, 2 different mobos, 3 different cases, and the only thing that worked was plugging my microphone into a laptop which removed all of the hiss.
It's not as if this is simply quiet hiss, it's almost as loud as me when I'm talking. Also I cannot hear the hiss whatsoever through my headphones.
Is there anything I can do that's relatively cheap to remove this hiss outside of using software? I've been looking at potentially buying a DAC or a simple 3.5mm to USB adapter to see if it at the very least even helps slightly.
Update: Plugged PC into an outlet that has a ground hole, although I don't have the equipment to see if it's actually connected and it's doubtful that it is, and it did not go away. Does make me second guess whether it's actually a grounding issue though.
Update 2:
Purchasing a 3.5mm to USB adapter fixed the hiss/static. However the quiet hum, that I didn't mention, has become far more noticeable. Plugging in my computer into an outlet with a ground does remove around half of the hum. Touching my case also fixes around half of it (resulting in 90% removal when plugged into ground and touching case) and plugging it into my monitor or directly into a mobo USB port doesn't fix any of it and touching parts of my monitor or case results in no change.
The plugging into ground part could also be a result of it being on it's own line instead of being plugged into a powerstrip with my monitors and a harddrive.
Also plugging in a different cable into the mic port results in no humming. So I believe the well worn cable might be the issue. The hum only appeared very recently. Will have to test with a different mic.
It's not as if this is simply quiet hiss, it's almost as loud as me when I'm talking. Also I cannot hear the hiss whatsoever through my headphones.
Is there anything I can do that's relatively cheap to remove this hiss outside of using software? I've been looking at potentially buying a DAC or a simple 3.5mm to USB adapter to see if it at the very least even helps slightly.
Update: Plugged PC into an outlet that has a ground hole, although I don't have the equipment to see if it's actually connected and it's doubtful that it is, and it did not go away. Does make me second guess whether it's actually a grounding issue though.
Update 2:
Purchasing a 3.5mm to USB adapter fixed the hiss/static. However the quiet hum, that I didn't mention, has become far more noticeable. Plugging in my computer into an outlet with a ground does remove around half of the hum. Touching my case also fixes around half of it (resulting in 90% removal when plugged into ground and touching case) and plugging it into my monitor or directly into a mobo USB port doesn't fix any of it and touching parts of my monitor or case results in no change.
The plugging into ground part could also be a result of it being on it's own line instead of being plugged into a powerstrip with my monitors and a harddrive.
Also plugging in a different cable into the mic port results in no humming. So I believe the well worn cable might be the issue. The hum only appeared very recently. Will have to test with a different mic.
Last edited:
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