Hissing Noise

[MadShadow]

"Rig":
Asus Z97I-Plus (motherboard w/ integrated audio)
Superlux 668B
No external amp
No external DAC

Whenever I play music at high volumes (windows 100%), I can hear a noticeable hiss in the background of music. When there is no music playing, there is no hiss, so it is definitely related to the music. Is this normal for music in general or is there a way to stop this? Would an external Amp/DAC help at all (like a FiiO E10K)?

I've tested it with Spotify Premium and with high quality CD Rip FLAC files.

Do excuse me for all of the music related questions this week

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

right... here's what you are going to do... Get one of the benchmark thingies like let's say valley... plug in your headphones turn the volume 100% then run valley muted. If you hear hissing that's EMI and the external amp/dac would resolve that

 

[SPS]

This normally happens if you've got a separate volume control on your headphones which is all the way down but Windows is 100%.

Higher impedance headphones and an AMP will probably help.

 

[MadShadow]

right... here's what you are going to do... Get one of the benchmark thingies like let's say valley... plug in your headphones turn the volume 100% then run valley muted. If you hear hissing that's EMI and the external amp/dac would resolve that

Okay, I'll do just that, thanks man. I'll let you know what happens

This normally happens if you've got a separate volume control on your headphones which is all the way down but Windows is 100%.

Higher impedance headphones and an AMP will probably help.

There is no volume control on the headphones and the impedance is 56 ohms. Perhaps an amp would help here as I feel like onboard doesn't drive then to their full potential.

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Okay, I'll do just that, thanks man. I'll let you know what happens



There is no volume control on the headphones and the impedance is 56 ohms. Perhaps an amp would help here as I feel like onboard doesn't drive then to their full potential.

56Ohms are a joke to drive!

 

[MadShadow]

56Ohms are a joke to drive!

Yes, but its higher than your average headphone, which onboard is probably designed for.

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Yes, but its higher than your average headphone, which onboard is probably designed for.

That's not entirely true nowadays.. Most middle-high end motherboards can drive 600Ohm headphones

 

[SuB]

That's not entirely true nowadays.. Most middle-high end motherboards can drive 600Ohm headphones

um 250 maybe(and I mean maybe), but not 600 at any kind of decent volume without some distortion from the motherboard.

 

[MadShadow]

I'm guessing my onboard isn't the best. It's an ITX motherboard, so there's probably not much space for audio stuff. Anyway, I'll consider getting an E10K

---

Guys, do you hear hissing on this track when you turn the volume up?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcL---4xQYA

If you do, then I can conclude that this hissing is down to the audio tracks and not my setup

 

[Warchild]

No hissing can be heard on my pc/headphones.

 

[MadShadow]

No hissing can be heard on my pc/headphones.

Really? No static-sounding sound at all? Even at high volumes?

 

[SPS]

At work I can hear lots of hissing on that track.
I'm just using onboard with basic headphones.

 

[MadShadow]

At work I can hear lots of hissing on that track.
I'm just using onboard with basic headphones.

Do you think its due to your setup at work or the track itself?

 

[SPS]

Do you think its due to your setup at work or the track itself?

It's the setup because I've noticed the noise elsewhere.

The headphones I'm using are designed for mobile devices and the onboard sound completely destroys them. I have to have the windows sound less than 20% unless I want to go deaf.

 

[SuB]

Yeah loads of hiss in that track, sounds intentional or as though from the original recording. (sounds old and not 'remastered') using onboard and DT770 pro 250 ohmers at work

 

[MadShadow]

Yeah loads of hiss in that track, sounds intentional or as though from the original recording. (sounds old and not 'remastered') using onboard and DT770 pro 250 ohmers at work

Okay, Im less worried now

Thanks for the reply

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Yeah loads of hiss in that track, sounds intentional or as though from the original recording. (sounds old and not 'remastered') using onboard and DT770 pro 250 ohmers at work

Can confirm DT990Pro and fiio e10k

 

[MadShadow]

Can confirm DT990Pro and fiio e10k

Thanks dude!