Getting rid of Computer Noise

[mkygod]

Ok, here's the deal, I own an athlon64/nforce3 computer with an Audigy2, and whenever i enable my mic input, i would get horrible background noise, plus weird noises whenever i move the mouse around/scroll/move windows around.

Im running a Shure SM58 through a behringer composer pro-xl mdx2600, and from there, directly into the mic input on my audigy2. I notice that my mic volume/noise ratio is quite low, the compressor gain helps make it louder, but the noise gets increased also. I have recently ordered an M-audio DMP3 mic preamp to help with that.

Ive tried many things to minimize the sound, only one of which helped, which was to plug in my compressor to a different outlet. I also want to say that there is NO GROUND in my room nor do I have any easy means of installing a ground. Does this contribute greatly to the background noise that I'm experiencing.? I was thinking about getting a good line conditioner, but i dont really know how effective they are in an outlet with no ground.

Another thing ive tried to do is install the audigy2 card on a different PCI slot, which had no effect. I checked the system properties and the sound card is not sharing an IRQ with any other devices.

Do you guys have any ideas or solutions?

 

[musicman1769]

i think you need to first start by trying to groung your equiptment. i have had this problem in the past and a simple ground gets rid of the noise....

 

[melodiousmonk]

From what I understand you said, you plug all your stuff into a PCI card in your computer to get the sound in. I would first try to listen to the output of your behringer without going through the computer if that's possible. If the noise is present there you probably just need to ground that. Otherwise you either need to ground your computer (you should do that anyway, it's important) or try using an external input device with firewire or USB. I had to do the latter with my setup and it worked out nicely. Computers, some more than others, are very loud inside and the noise gets into your mix. But if you use an external device to make the sound digital, all that noise stays in your computer and you don't have that problem anymore. Hope I helped. Good luck.

 

[distortedrumble]

the behringer has its own noise..believe me... i just bought an athlon 64 3000+ and i havent plugged in my monitors or my mixer or anything...i just have my old multi media speakers hooked up to it and i get that noise. it seems to have dissapeared when i hooked up my second computer monitor. i wonder if it was because i had all my wires bunched in together and the mouse cable was wrapped around the keyboard, monitor and psu cable. none the less...its gone now.....try seperating your keyboard and mouse cables from your monitor and psu cables....

 

[mkygod]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I tried only hooking up the Behringer, w/o the computer on and the noise was virtually gone, so i don't think it is the Behringer.

Does anyone know of an easy way to ground a computer, or to ground my room w/o ripping a hole in the wall and driving copper spikes into the ground?

Right now, I am set on keeping my audigy2 card for recording, and dont wish to spend more money on a breakout box. I wish to use some of the EAX effects for games and recording, its got builtin EQ and reverb/echo effects and ability to record what you hear, which i like.