Xbox One on standby power connected to DAC causes screeching sound through headset

[Travercraig]

I recently bought one of these DAC’s so I can have sound coming from my Xbox One X Toslink port to my line-in port on my PC, and finally to my headset plugged into my PC. So it goes like this: Xbox One X → Toslink cable → DAC → 3.5mm cable → PC line-in → PC line-out → Headphones.

 

The sound works fine but there is a problem. When I turn my Xbox off and it’s just on standby power, there is a loud screeching / popping sound, coming through my headset, as there must be some signal / interference coming from the Xbox or DAC.

 

If I turn the Xbox on or turn the power plug off the sound goes away, it’s only occurs if the Xbox is in standby power.

 

Is this the fault of the DAC? As it was a pretty cheap one. Or it could it be something else?

 

Thanks.

[Arttu89]

It would likely be the DAC.

 

Toslink is a fibre optic interface and transfers data with light, it doesn't create an electrical connection between the devices, so it's very unlikely for it to create any kind of interference when the console is in sleep/standby, the easiest way to double check it, would be to unplug the toslink cable on one side and checking if the sound in the headset persists, that will give you a definite answer.

 

As a workaround, just turn off/disconnect the DAC from the PC when you put the console in standby.

[CrazySnake96]

or you could use the official headset which came with the xbox?

[Travercraig]

21 hours ago, CrazySnake96 said:

or you could use the official headset which came with the xbox?

One i didn't get one, and two it would be shit compared to my proper senhieser headphones. Plus I doubt an xbox headset would even plug into my PC.

[Travercraig]

21 hours ago, Arttu89 said:

It would likely be the DAC.

 

Toslink is a fibre optic interface and transfers data with light, it doesn't create an electrical connection between the devices, so it's very unlikely for it to create any kind of interference when the console is in sleep/standby, the easiest way to double check it, would be to unplug the toslink cable on one side and checking if the sound in the headset persists, that will give you a definite answer.

 

As a workaround, just turn off/disconnect the DAC from the PC when you put the console in standby.

Yeah it seems to be the DAC. I did your test by unplugging the toslink cable from the DAC and the sound persists, so it must be the DAC. Could this be because it's a cheap DAC?

[ShearMe]

Probably something with the cheap DAC mixed with using the line-in on your computer. Try unplugging power from the DAC while this is happening.

 

Alternative setup would be to get an optical input for your PC, and skip the digital-analog-digital-analog conversion you're doing now. Here's a cheap USB soundcard with optical in.

[Travercraig]

2 hours ago, ShearMe said:

Probably something with the cheap DAC mixed with using the line-in on your computer. Try unplugging power from the DAC while this is happening.

 

Alternative setup would be to get an optical input for your PC, and skip the digital-analog-digital-analog conversion you're doing now. Here's a cheap USB soundcard with optical in.

I see, I could try that. Thank you for the suggestion. If only the Xbox One just had a 3.5mm audio out port, it would make life so much easier.