I can hear my PC think through my speakers

[Rainier939]

Hello,

I've been looking through the forums but nothing hit this topic the way I was hoping so I'll ask more directly.

I can hear my PC think through speaker. I have my Topping E30 hooked up to my PC and the pc noise comes through.

When streaming from the wiim mini there is no knoise to be heard.

Any help is welcome.

 

[Soniclife]

Using USB? You probably need a usb isolator.

 

[Rainier939]

Using USB? You probably need a usb isolator.

Any suggestions on which one? The ones I find are not cheap

 

[DEF]

Any suggestions on which one? The ones I find are not cheap

Topping HS02 is quite cheap for only 119.99 EUR

 

[staticV3]

Any suggestions on which one? The ones I find are not cheap

A cheaper solution is to use Optical to connect your E30 to the PC.

Many PCs have Optical output built-in, but if yours doesn't, then you can add that with a $20 Cubilux SPDIF converter.

 

[Rainier939]

A cheaper solution is to use Optical to connect your E30 to the PC.

Many PCs have Optical output built-in, but if your's doesn't, then you can add that with a $20 Cubilux SPDIF converter.

The Wiim already ocupies my optical input on the dac. Don't want to switch the cables every time.

Does the jutterbug isolate any of the PC noise those are only €50

 

[effj]

A USB isolator is one potential way to solve the problem. A DAC and amp with balanced connections is another potential way to solve it. What amp do you have? If your amp has a gain setting on the back, another potential solution is to lower the gain as low as acceptable to you. Similarly, if your amp has a master volume control knob on the front, another potential option is to disable the preamp mode on your DAC and use the volume control in your amp.

 

[staticV3]

Does the jutterbug isolate any of the PC noise those are only €50

No.

But you can get proper USB isolators for $50 as well:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_opZRTJ5
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005001927948863.html
https://www.tpdz.net/productinfo/733226.html
https://hifimediy.com/product/hifime-high-speed-usb-isolator-v2/

 

[Soniclife]

Hifimediy USB Isolators - Made for audio to prevent ground loops

The USB Isolator protects your device against electrical noise and surges. Full-, high- and SuperSpeed models available for all kind of devices.

hifimediy.com

If you don't care about the highest sample rates.

 

[Rainier939]

A USB isolator is one potential way to solve the problem. A DAC and amp with balanced connections is another potential way to solve it. What amp do you have? If your amp has a gain setting on the back, another potential solution is to lower the gain as low as acceptable to you. Similarly, if your amp has a master volume control knob on the front, another potential option is to disable the preamp mode on your DAC and use the volume control in your amp.

This is in the upgrade path but for now it the E30 and a a tube amp since my Atoll IN80 broke and is out for repair but With the atoll it was pretty bad with my new speakers. The tube amp is not so bad since the gain is so much lower.
The plan is to get a icepower 2000as2 kit amp and a smsl d6s when the atoll is sold after repairs.

But doesn't balenced solve noise comming into the upstream device but what happens when it's alread on the signal comming from the DAC.

 

[Rainier939]

Hifimediy USB Isolators - Made for audio to prevent ground loops

The USB Isolator protects your device against electrical noise and surges. Full-, high- and SuperSpeed models available for all kind of devices.

hifimediy.com

If you don't care about the highest sample rates.

CD is 44/16 and that sounds pretty good so idc about high res. I stream spotify anyway.

 

[Timmy]

the pc noise comes through

Uhm ... Personally I wouldn’t tolerate any PC setup as part of my audio gear that produces unwanted noise.

Here is my »noiseless« setup:

8GB-Win11-Laptop, with player app Audirvana Studio (mode »Kernel Streaming«) ►(USB)►DAC S.M.S.L SU-1 ►(RCA-Cinch)► AMP Denon PMA-1600NE

 

[DEF]

Uhm ... Personally I wouldn’t tolerate any PC setup as part of my audio gear that produces unwanted noise.

Here is my »noiseless« setup:

8GB-Win11-Laptop, with player app Audirvana Studio (mode »Kernel Streaming«) ►(USB)►DAC S.M.S.L SU-1 ►(RCA-Cinch)► AMP Denon PMA-1600NE

Laptops have the noisiest USB ports though

 

[staticV3]

Laptops have the noisiest USB ports though

Blanket statement

 

[antcollinet]

This is in the upgrade path but for now it the E30 and a a tube amp since my Atoll IN80 broke and is out for repair but With the atoll it was pretty bad with my new speakers. The tube amp is not so bad since the gain is so much lower.
The plan is to get a icepower 2000as2 kit amp and a smsl d6s when the atoll is sold after repairs.

But doesn't balenced solve noise comming into the upstream device but what happens when it's alread on the signal comming from the DAC.

It isn’t. It is on the ground connection (ground loop noise). The balanced cables prevent the ground loop noise from interfering with the signal at the input to the amp.

 

[antcollinet]

The Wiim already ocupies my optical input on the dac. Don't want to switch the cables every time.

Does the jutterbug isolate any of the PC noise those are only €50

Your other option would be a toslink connection followed by a toslink to spdif/coax converter, powering the converter separately from the PC. Still a small risk of a ground loop between the converter and the DAC in this case, but pretty unlikely.

Or a two input to one output toslink switch/merger. If just a merger, you’d have to switch off the output of one of the two devices.

 

[ppataki]

@Rainier939
You can quickly check if you really have a ground loop issue coming from the PC (USB) by lifting the ground of your PC
This is strongly not advised under normal circumstances but it is a good method for testing only before you order anything

I also have a Topping HS02, I could strongly recommend it btw.

 

[antcollinet]

@Rainier939
You can quickly check if you really have a ground loop issue coming from the PC (USB) by lifting the ground of your PC
This is strongly not advised under normal circumstances but it is a good method for testing only before you order anything

I also have a Topping HS02, I could strongly recommend it btw.

An easier and safer test is to simply use a toslink connection temporarily. Earth lifting also not guaranteed since there can still be magnetic field type paths back to ground, or direct connections to other devices such as monitors.

 

[phofman]

@Rainier939 : What is your amp, does it have balanced inputs?

 

[Hear Here]

Hello,

I've been looking through the forums but nothing hit this topic the way I was hoping so I'll ask more directly.

I can hear my PC think through speaker. I have my Topping E30 hooked up to my PC and the pc noise comes through.

When streaming from the wiim mini there is no knoise to be heard.

Any help is welcome.

When I suggested here a couple of weeks ago that PCs should never be part of a true hi-fi system, I received a load of unsubstantiated and hostile rebuke from some here!

I agree with you - PCs are not built with solely audio in mind and therefore should be used only for control purposes. Load your control app onto PC, iPad, phone, or whatever, but ensure the audio signal remains from start to finish within equipment designed solely for audio.

I'll await more hostile reaction - presumably from those who use their PCs for streaming, DAC, etc. It's a pity as most members at other audio forums will also avoid general-purpose PCs in their systems. Lots of modern hi-fi include elements from the PC industry but these are built specifically with audio in mind. I'll stick with "proper" hi-fi!