Extremely weird issue with usb microphone disconnecting on new pc build when I get up from my desk

Mr.Fally · March 12, 2023

Hello,

I'm at a complete loss, I don't know what is happening, I'll try to describe the issue as briefly as I can.

I've recently built a new pc. I will add the specs at the end and also list my peripherals.

Almost everytime I get back to my desk after getting up for something, my microphone disconnects from the pc. I mean I can see it disappear from the device list. Mostly I can see that easily when I'm in a discord chat, if I go the input list it's missing. It takes roughly 5-6 seconds for it to reconnect. I can't tell for sure if this is happening to other usb devices but they all just reconnect faster or just the microphone. I'll say it's just the microphone for now. The microphone is on a boom arm that is fixed on the table.

What I can only speculate is that it's some sort of static electricty issue.

I get electrocuted a lot when touching my keyboard, my headphones, basically anything metal. Sometimes the keyboard would flash the lights when I do that.

The problem is, this was always going on, even with the old pc where this issue didn't exist. I also have a power strip that's bolted to the underside of the table right where I sometimes hit it with my leg but it has nothing connected to it that goes into the pc. It just goes into the same UPS as the PC and other things.

EDIT: While I was writing this trying to figure out what some USB cables are, I've realized that the speakers are plugged into the powerstrip that I hit it with my knee. I've relocated it to the same power strip as the pc. The difference from the old pc and the new one is that now I've let my speakers on all the time. I used to turn them off with the remote when I wasn't using them. I'll report back if this was the issue. My logic here (I mean more like hope) is that them losing connection briefly resets all the audio devices but the mic is slowest to reconnect.

EDIT 2: That wasn't it.

I don't know what else to do. I'd rather not change more components unless I'm sure of what the issue might be.

Here's everything I've tried to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Changed the microphone. Had a Blue Yeti, changed it to a Thronmax - Mdrill One Pro.

2. Changed the microphone cable because the new one came with a different one anyway.

3. Changed the motherboard. I thought it was a faulty one but happens on the new one as well, maybe a bit less often but still pretty often.

4. Disabled USB power settings that could disable usb ports.

5. Tried fiddling with legacy support and other usb settings in the bios.

6. Made sure my bios was updated to the latest version.

7. Changed computer power cable.

8. I put the pc and the monitor on a separate power strip that goes into a different port of my UPS.

9. Ran a malware check.

10. I've reinstalled windows two times.

11. Made sure all the drivers were updated to the latest versions and also tried reinstalling some of them.

12. Checked event viewer in windows for crashes and other problems. Nothing remotely useful.

13. Tried changing usb ports.

14. Added ferrite to my microphone cable and my keyboard cable. (Read a reddit post about someone having weird issues)

15. Tried connecting the microphone to the front case usb ports.

Here is my build:

1. Corsair 5000D Airflow TG white ATX case

2. MSI MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI Intel Z790 Socket 1700 ATX motherboard (previously had an ASUS PRIME Z790-P, Socket 1700 which I've returned because I thought it was a faulty motherboard because of the usb issues)

3. Intel® Core™ i9-13900KF Raptor Lake, 3.0GHz, 5.8 GHz turbo, 36MB, Socket 1700

4. G.Skill Ripjaws S5 XMP 3.0 White 32GB, DDR5-6000Mhz, CL32, Dual Channel

5. be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000 Watt BN335 PSU

6. Inno3D GeForce RTX 4090 iCHILL X3 24GB GDDR6X 384-bit

7. AIO Be Quiet! Silent Loop 2 360

8. SSD Samsung 980 PRO 500GB PCI Express 4.0 x4 M.2 2280

9. SSD WD Black SN850X 2TB PCI Express 4.0 x4 M.2 2280

Here is a list of my peripherals:

1. Keychron Q1 Keyboard (it's made of metal)

2. Logitech G502X mouse, wirelessly connected with the dongle.

3. FiiO K3 USB DAC in which the headphones go.

4. Hifiman Sundara Headphones

5. Elgato Streamdeck MK.2

6. Thronmax - Mdrill One Pro Microphone

7. Monitor Dell Alienware AW3423DW connected to usb for alienfx lighting i guess, i dunno

8. Logitech Brio Webcam

9. Klipsch R-51 PM Speakers

mrtk · March 17, 2023

Hey!

I know the issue and it's source, because I have the same microphone (thronmax mdrill one pro) and same problem (short power-down or similar thing - green led icon becomes red for a while and default audio devices activate and I need to wait a bit for reconnection of the mike, and change audio output fast from trhonmax to default during the online meetings). Every serious movement on a chair ends with a short reconnection of the microphone.
Why am I sure this is the microphone? Easy! I've connected it to my phone via usb-c plug and it activated, I've moved on my chair and same thing happened!

I'm giving it back. I'm not willing to ground myself or other weird stuff - this is the only periphery device that is having this problem.

PS: It's static electricity for 90%, because I shake my desk, stomp hard and nothing. Only when I slide from my chair a bit and get up I get this weird behavior. I wear 95% cotton pants and the chair ( It's Ikea Malm ) is probably from similar material Also I sit on a carpet in socks. Carpet is not touching anything except floor tiles which are stone. So I'm not touching anything except carpet and chair and slide away from a desk and same thing still happens

PS2: At one huge PL e-shop there is a lot of issues mentioned by customers describing similar behavior in comments. I will only leave a part of URL, cause I don't want to get banned or else - this is not my store, I've bought it there. "567265-mikrofon-thronmax-mdrill-one-pro-jet-black".

Mr.Fally · May 23, 2023

Hey, I've recently found out about the static discharge caused by gas actioned chairs so this is the main problem. I don't think the microphone is the main issue. I've had this problem with the blue yeti too. It also sometimes, rarely though, affect my usb sound dac. The issue stems from the static discharge. I've yet to find ways to properly ground it. I'm just living with it now.