Hello again everyone!

I know it's been a while but I hope all the same you guys will help me as well as you have before. D-A-L remains my top help resource when it comes to computer stuff I don't know about so I guess I'd like to open with a thanks for all the previous help you've given.

ANYWAY. I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 notebook with a SigmaTel C-Major Audio sound card (I believe, that's what it said under "name" in the "sound" tab of DxDiag). Today I got some very pretty new speakers, namely these:



Creative Inspire A500 5.1 speakers.

I had to buy two little adapter plugs so that the speakers would actually fit into my laptop and produce sound, after fiddling with those two adapter cables for a while, I found that my speakers were working perfectly, creating all the nicest surround sound I could possibly want. However, as I got more used to the setup and the euphoria of something new wore off, I began to notice a REALLY soft and somewhat static-like ticking noise coming from all of the speakers.

The only way I can really describe the noise is "barely audible pin*****s of sound", I'm just kind of nitpicky when it comes to this kind of stuff and I really want to get this sorted out. I tried fiddling with the adapter plugs some more and it didn't really help.

If there's any information at all you guys can give me as to why this is happening, or preferably... how to fix it... I would be very grateful.

Thanks so much guys,

Downloaded.

Is it something that sounds like a fault or a configuration error with the speakers? Or do you honestly think that it is just perhaps the sound of the speakers functioning? Is it the same at any volume of audio output?

I had the same thing happen on an old Gateway 310S (desktop). I was using the onboard sound (RealTek AC 97 - i845 Chipset). It was an evenly timed click coming through the speakers, very low in volume. I never did determine what caused it. Drove me nuts to the point of installing an "old" Rockwell Riptide audio/modem card which solved it.

argh, yeah it's not just the speakers functioning because you can only hear that when it's really loud and even then, the speakers make a nice static humming sound (the sound of them functioning) this is just an abnormal ticking and I can't decide if it's the speakers or my connection or my graphics card or what, it drives me nuts when they're not playing anything.

That is odd then, because if you can only hear it when the sound is loud, then that mean it is coming through with the audio from the laptop, rather than the actual speakers themselves. It could be worth checking them on another PC if possible and seeing if the same occurs.

You could try updating the audio drivers for your laptop. As Dan said above, it could very much be the onboard sound on your laptop as he had a similar issue.

nono, if the sound is loud you can't hear it. if there's a song blaring through the speakers then you can't hear the ticking. It's only when the speakers are playing really quietly or when they're not playing anything at all that you can hear it... I messed around with the connection cables last night and I think it might be something with the connection. Is that possible?

Thanks so much for all the help and attention you guys are giving this

[EDIT]

Updated drivers and the ticking is still there

[EDIT] x2

Bought a bunch of new cables to connect the speakers to my laptop via the headphone slot and they still make the infernal ticking noise. I think it might be my sound card. I'll ask my friend to bring over his own laptop so we can test that aspect of the situation.

First you said

because you can only hear that when it's really loud

Now you say,

if the sound is loud you can't hear it.

So, just to clarify, you said if the "sound" is loud - so by that, I assume you mean the loud music drowns it out, right?

But what if the volume is turned up but all sounds are off? I agree with Owen, try this on another PC.

Now that you know what sound you are looking for, listen to the Laptop speakers (or headphones) and see if you can hear it.

the speakers make a nice static humming sound (the sound of them functioning)

"Nice static humming"??? Ummm, my first geek obsession (before computers) is audiophile quality electronics so these quinquagenarian auditory apparatuses cringe at the thought of "nice" being used to describe "static humming" - or "static humming" as a possible sound (pun intended) of normalcy. Forgive me, that's my burden not yours!

If you are talking about that "sound of nothingness" when you crank up the gain (volume) with no input, then I know what you mean by "the sound of them functioning." But when there is no signal to the speakers, there should be no "humming". Humming is bad because it often indicates a bad electrical "ground", improper "earthing" to electrical ground, or a bad "common ground" between the components, causing a "difference of potential" between them. If significant, it is "heard" as a 50-60Hz hum (depending on your power grid frequency). A 50-60Hz digital signal through a set of desktop computer speakers may sound like "ticking."

You might want to get a AC Outlet/Ground Fault Indicator Tester and make sure your all your wall outlets are properly wired and grounded.

Everything hooked up to your system should be powered from the same wall outlet. By system, this time I mean computer system, stereo system, home theater system - whatever - just make sure everything in that "system" that connects together to exchange data has electrical continuity to the same grounded wall outlet. You must assume no two wall outlets have the exact same resistance to ground, even if on the same circuit.

This is where a good quality UPS (uninterruptible power supply) with AVR (automatic voltage regulation) comes in. Most have 3 or more outlets with power regulation, plus 3 or more outlets with just surge and spike protection - but to the point here, the UPS provides a common ground for your entire system.

this is just an abnormal ticking and I can't decide if it's the speakers or my connection or my graphics card or what

"Graphics card"? Did you mean sound? If not, what suggests the graphics card? If you meant the sound card, then plug your head phones directly into the card. Try the on-board sound too - with head phones and your new speakers.

yep, that's completely correct. when I have loud music playing, the music drowns out the ticking and yes, the nice static humming is exactly the sound you described when (when the speakers are not plugged in and I have them cranked all the way).

Just FYI, I live in Cairo, Egypt. The electrical current here is 220 volts which means that for a lot of my electronics I need to plug them specifically into either a 110v or a 220v outlet. Having taken a college level physics course I understand what you mean about the potential, but I assure you that almost nothing in Egypt is properly grounded. I'll try the headphones and see what happens.

Thanks for all your help.

[EDIT]

Also, one way I sort of plan on fixing this in the future is by getting a TV in my room for xbox gaming, and then plugging my speakers into my xbox, using WMP 11 to stream my videos and music through the speakers. I have a friend who is using a very similar set of speakers (made by LogiTech) with his playstation 3, though I believe they were originally computer speakers. It IS possible for me to plug these into my 360 so that once it's fixed and I have a TV I don't need to worry about this anymore right?

but I assure you that almost nothing in Egypt is properly grounded

All the more, and exacly why you should make sure all the components in your computer system are at same potential, establish through the bigger guage power cables to a common point (same wall outlet) , and not through the data cables.

Ok, I'll double check that. Any opinion on my xbox query?

thanks,

Downloaded