My headset leaks sound from my desktop.

[Picnics]

Here's the problem: When I'm in a Skype call or group chat on discord, (the program I'm using doesn't matter, happens with all of them) other people can hear sounds from my desktop, so if I play a YouTube video, they can hear it like an echo. The audio is NOT going through my headset into my microphone, I know this because my microphone on my headset can be muted via button on the headset cord, which prevents people from being able to hear me talk, but they can still hear my desktop audio.

I've had this issue for a while and I'm hoping the problem is my headset and not my desktop itself.
I bought a headset about a month ago (Turtle Beach EarForce Z11 Gaming Headset) for way under the original price, ($3 USD on amazon from Worldwide Distributors) the original price being around $20 USD. I noticed when the headset arrived, it was missing the splitter that allows me to connect my headset to my desktop. I had to buy the splitter separately, the splitter I bought is Maeline 3.5mm Female to 2 Male Mic Audio splitter.
Now, I know the problem isn't caused by the splitter, as I had purchased a brand new splitter (unopened box) and the problem persisted. So I'm thinking it's either my headset or my desktop.
I'm not tech savvy so I don't know much about computers and how they work, so I'm not certain if it's my computer.

I'd appreciate any help or suggestions. Thanks.

These are my PC specifications:
Processor - AMD FX-770K Quad Core Processor 3.50 GHz
RAM - 12.00 GB
OS - Windows 10 64-bit
Graphics - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950

 

[bailojustin]

right click bottom left volume.
Go to recording Devices
right click your microphone,
go to properties
Listen
Change the default playback device in the catagory, if set to your speakers like some do when they are streaming, it will send the desktop feed through the microphone as well so other users watching the stream can hear the desktop noise as well as the mic

 

[dangus]

turn your speakers off?

 

[Picnics]

right click bottom left volume.
Go to recording Devices
right click your microphone,
go to properties
Listen
Change the default playback device in the catagory, if set to your speakers like some do when they are streaming, it will send the desktop feed through the microphone as well so other users watching the stream can hear the desktop noise as well as the mic

I've tried just about anything that I can with the recording devices popup, nothing worked.

 

[Picnics]

turn your speakers off?

Clearly you haven't read my post. I have stated in the thread that I am using a headset, which means I'm not using speakers.

 

[bailojustin]

right click bottom left volume.
Go to recording Devices
right click your microphone,
go to properties
Listen
Change the default playback device in the catagory, if set to your speakers like some do when they are streaming, it will send the desktop feed through the microphone as well so other users watching the stream can hear the desktop noise as well as the mic

I've tried just about anything that I can with the recording devices popup, nothing worked.

Then most likely its cross talk across your wires. This is caused by your headset going bad. I would double check your sound drivers and everything, since you set it to mute on the computer and it still picks it up means its communication on the hardware level.

 

[dangus]

turn your speakers off?

Clearly you haven't read my post. I have stated in the thread that I am using a headset, which means I'm not using speakers.

yes i clearly did read your post. you didnt mention if you were using speakers so you basically left us to assume you were because most people do. just because you're using a headset doesnt mean i should automatically assume you don't have speakers as well. that's about as far as my help goes with you

 

[Picnics]

turn your speakers off?

Clearly you haven't read my post. I have stated in the thread that I am using a headset, which means I'm not using speakers.

yes i clearly did read your post. you didnt mention if you were using speakers so you basically left us to assume you were because most people do. just because you're using a headset doesnt mean i should automatically assume you don't have speakers as well. that's about as far as my help goes with you

"The audio is NOT going through my headset into my microphone, I know this because my microphone on my headset can be muted via button on the headset cord"

 

[skit75]

If you are muting the mic on the inline cord and it is still happening, you could be describing what is called crosstalk. Basically, the microphone channel is picking up the desktop sound from somewhere along the line in an "antenna-like" fashion. This can happen in poorly constructed cables or where a crimped shielding connection has separated or has been completely disregarded, in the name of cheap goods. It can also occur in the sound device circuit itself.

 

[Picnics]

If you are muting the mic on the inline cord and it is still happening, you could be describing what is called crosstalk. Basically, the microphone channel is picking up the desktop sound from somewhere along the line in an "antenna-like" fashion. This can happen in poorly constructed cables or where a crimped shielding connection has separated or has been completely disregarded, in the name of cheap goods. It can also occur in the sound device circuit itself.

Are you saying it's faulty wiring in the headset? Because I'm honestly just hoping it's not an issue with the desktop.

 

[bailojustin]

If you are muting the mic on the inline cord and it is still happening, you could be describing what is called crosstalk. Basically, the microphone channel is picking up the desktop sound from somewhere along the line in an "antenna-like" fashion. This can happen in poorly constructed cables or where a crimped shielding connection has separated or has been completely disregarded, in the name of cheap goods. It can also occur in the sound device circuit itself.

Are you saying it's faulty wiring in the headset? Because I'm honestly just hoping it's not an issue with the desktop.

Yes. it is crosstalk. Its from the wiring in the headset going bad or shielding breaking in a spot with constant bending or distortion. You need a new headset, I would try with another headset just to confirm.

Typically its not faulty wiring, if it worked before than its fine. It is the way they are taken care of, how they are stored, and how the wire is treated.

 

[dangus]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

 

[skit75]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

Yes, it could be any two points where the desktop sound channel is in close proximity to the mic channel, including the splitter. Just because it is new doesn't always mean it was designed properly. Assuming the design is solid enough you still have the manufacturing process and then QA testing which to be fair, if you are buying a 3$ headset or even a $20 headset, can you really expect that level of scrutiny in the product?

 

[Picnics]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

Yes, it could be any two points where the desktop sound channel is in close proximity to the mic channel, including the splitter. Just because it is new doesn't always mean it was designed properly. Assuming the design is solid enough you still have the manufacturing process and then QA testing which to be fair, if you are buying a 3$ headset or even a $20 headset, can you really expect that level of scrutiny in the product?

It wasn't the splitter cable, as I had bought one at first, and another to see if the newer one would fix it, and just recently found out it wasn't the headset that was messed up, apparently it is my computer (front 2 mic/audio ports). Is it possible to fix that?

 

[bailojustin]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

Yes, it could be any two points where the desktop sound channel is in close proximity to the mic channel, including the splitter. Just because it is new doesn't always mean it was designed properly. Assuming the design is solid enough you still have the manufacturing process and then QA testing which to be fair, if you are buying a 3$ headset or even a $20 headset, can you really expect that level of scrutiny in the product?

It wasn't the splitter cable, as I had bought one at first, and another to see if the newer one would fix it, and just recently found out it wasn't the headset that was messed up, apparently it is my computer (front 2 mic/audio ports). Is it possible to fix that?

The 2 front audio ports all are connected to the motherboard through the front panel connectors, make sure the connections from the case and the mic/speaker are firmly connected to the motherboard, I would reconnect them just to make sure.

 

[dangus]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

Yes, it could be any two points where the desktop sound channel is in close proximity to the mic channel, including the splitter. Just because it is new doesn't always mean it was designed properly. Assuming the design is solid enough you still have the manufacturing process and then QA testing which to be fair, if you are buying a 3$ headset or even a $20 headset, can you really expect that level of scrutiny in the product?

It wasn't the splitter cable, as I had bought one at first, and another to see if the newer one would fix it, and just recently found out it wasn't the headset that was messed up, apparently it is my computer (front 2 mic/audio ports). Is it possible to fix that?

depending on the brand of sound device you're using, you might be able to change one of the ports to a line-in using the driver software. i know some Realtek and Creative cards let you do this....i think it's called "flexi jack"

edit - this might only be on the back of my sound card. im not sure if it operates the same from front panel connectors/ports. mess around with it though. see what your options are.

another edit - again i think i read that wrong. what are you saying is the problem with the front panel ports?

 

[skit75]

couldn't it possibly be the cheap splitter cable, though?

Yes, it could be any two points where the desktop sound channel is in close proximity to the mic channel, including the splitter. Just because it is new doesn't always mean it was designed properly. Assuming the design is solid enough you still have the manufacturing process and then QA testing which to be fair, if you are buying a 3$ headset or even a $20 headset, can you really expect that level of scrutiny in the product?

It wasn't the splitter cable, as I had bought one at first, and another to see if the newer one would fix it, and just recently found out it wasn't the headset that was messed up, apparently it is my computer (front 2 mic/audio ports). Is it possible to fix that?

If the Microphone and Headphone cables that lead from the motherboard header to the Front Panel header are separated or not bundled into a bigger cable, you can attempt to twist them together, like a bread tie. The twist doesn't have to be tight like a bread tie but you should try to keep the twists even and close together. This is called Twisted Pair and has the end result of affecting electromagnetic radiation entering or leaving the channels, which in turn can greatly reduce or eliminate crosstalk.