Computer Issues

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a_skeleton_03

<Banned>
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Aye, formatted a few times.

I'll definitely try testing each drive individually. Again, I don't want to screw newegg over here but feel like I don't have much of a choice - it's either PSU, Drives (SSD/Mass Storage, don't have optical) or RAM if it's indeed a component problem (otherwise case if grounding is an issue, but I have that shit screwed in properly, so who knows).

Thanks for the feedback, just wanted to make sure there weren't any gaping holes in my troubleshooting.
I know you have done a few formats but are you installing from the same ISO every time you do so? Might try grabbing a different install that yours might be corrupt, it's a long shot but your hardware sounds ok in all your other posts.
 

a_skeleton_03

<Banned>
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So either Bels computer is now a burning mass of metal and plastic or it's fixed?

What's the status Bels, it's been 3 days
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Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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Does anyone know the best way to diagnose ripping/distortion noises when playing certain games and/or watching movies?

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD595, CX300, and CX500. All three exhibit ripping noises. I bought a Fiio E10 thinking it was my shitty onboard sound...nope. Happens with both.

Some good examples of when it happens. Blowing shit up in SC2. Blow up a building, especially terran, makes a ripping noise. That HoTS mission where you have to shoot down gorgons is especially bad. There's a certain type of pistol in Borderlands(1 & 2) that will exhibit ripping noises. For movies, not that expect many people have watched Killing Them Softly, but that scene where a shotgun is fired(only time) is especially bad. I seem to remember it happening in Django Unchained too, but I can't remember exactly where.

Operating system has been wiped and reinstalled at least twice since I started noticing this.
 

Joeboo

Molten Core Raider
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And it's only with those Sennheiser headphones, and not your regular computer speakers?
 

Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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I don't have regular computer speakers.

Just a couple more random thoughts on this:

I can watch an in-game cinematic and experience distortion. If I watch the same cinematic on youtube, no distortion. Granted, the quality of youtube might be removing the sound frequencies that are actually causing distortion.

I'm new to using a usb decoder/amp. But I thought you should keep the system volume at full so that your decoder got the full dynamic bit range. Wrong thing to do?
 

Joeboo

Molten Core Raider
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Hrmm, then my main guess would be that there is too much bass going to the headphones, they can't handle it at whatever the normal volume level is that you are using, and the extreme bass is causing the distortion. Try going into your sound settings and jacking with the equalizer and turn down the low-end frequency a bit, and definitely don't have any sort of "bass boost" enabled. I have to think that certain games/sounds/movies are hitting a really extreme low-end frequency that the headphones just can't handle at whatever volume you are using.

Worst case scenario, you maybe already blown out the speakers in the headphones, and all bass is causing that ripping/distortion noise now.

Sennheiser headphones are generally known for their quality, and not being overly bass-heavy, like Beats are, so if you were really trying to crank the bass at some point you might have damaged them. They aren't made to really push bass, they're supposed to be a truer sound, more balanced.
 

Deathwing

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I don't know, same distortion across all three products(1 headphones and 2 earbuds)? I put the movie on my tablet just now, jacked the volume to full and plugged in my 595s and CX500s, no distortion.
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
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Are you putting your PC's volume at full then going into the DAC? My guess would be that is why, but I can only wonder.

As far as the tablet is concerned, it's probably actually using less of a dynamic range than your PC's soundcard which is probably why you aren't hearing any distortion. I would try 50-75% on the PC volume. Due to the fact that it's a solid state system I think you're causing some breakup.
 

Deathwing

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Tried that already. Lowered system volume to 25% and boosted the headphone amp to compensate. Still sounds the same.
 

Gorestabb

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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It could be a resource conflict or the on-board sound could have packed up, have you tried disabling it in the BIOS rather than just using the external device? Do you get any kind of stuttering when the distortion happens, or are the games smooth apart from the sound?
 

Gorestabb

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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Well based on what you've said above you've eliminated most of the diagnostic possibilities. A few more questions: Are you using the same drivers every time you've reinstalled or downloading the latest versions? Do you have ffdshow installed? Has this been happening since you bought the machine, or did it just start doing it one day?
 

Deathwing

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Same drivers, probably not. Drivers for what exactly? The usb decoder uses some generic windows driver, don't think I could use a different one if I wanted to. The onboard sound definitely used different drivers.

Don't think I have ffdshow installed since I've never heard of that codec package. Should I have that installed, or not?

It's happened since Borderlands 1/SC2:WoL. That's where it's most noticeable. I've just gotten the itch to fix it again because of HoTS. Really can't remember noticing it elsewhere. So, I believe I've updated my hardware(mobo/cpu/video card/ram) since BL1 came out. I was hoping the new mobo onboard sound would fix the problem, it didn't. That would lead me to believe it's the headphones. No idea why the CX500 earbuds, which I've never plugged into my computer until just a few days ago, would exhibit the same problem though.
 

Kithani

Blackwing Lair Raider
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This past week my laptop has started stuttering, or freezing for a second or two pretty often. If I am watching a video or listening to music, the video/sound will keep playing but my cursor will lock up and I can't use the keyboard. After a second or two usually it will go back to normal. Sometimes just the touchpad will lock up and I can still alt+tab and type things. I'm pretty sure this problem also affects a USB mouse but I haven't had time to extensively test that.

It's a Y580 that I bought a year ago and put a Crucial M4 SSD in that I only use for school, no gaming or anything like that on here. Any idea what the issue might be? It hasn't been a huge issue but we take our tests on our laptops at school and it would be a pain in the ass if it starts locking up during exams.

Good example, I've finished typing this post but my cursor is locked up and I can't click post for 30 seconds
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