Awful noise through JBL LSR305

[iGPR3]

Recently got a pair of JBL LSR305s. They have a little bit of hiss at idle but it isn't noticeable at all, I have them on 6/11 gain on the speakers themselves and control the volume using Windows. My speakers are right next to my PC, which is probably aiding to this, but there is an insane amount of noise. Whenever my PC goes under any kind of load, they start hissing all the time, and when idling, scrolling or changing windows makes it audibly buzz. Currently, I'm using an unbalanced 3.5mm from my motherboard into a 3.5mm to 1/4" TRS adapter, and from that a TRS to 2x TRS to both of my speakers, all connections are secure. I've tried plugging the speakers into a different outlet and using a USB adapter instead of the mobo's 3.5mm jacks to no avail.

 

People recommend an audio interface because I can use balanced cables, but I don't know if I can justify spending £80 to get rid of the buzz, even as bad as it is. If there are any solutions that don't cost much then that'd be great.

 

Here's a video of the buzz, I'm literally just clicking on and off of Steam, which doesn't do it justice. Any help is appreciated.

 

 

[DARBADARBZ]

I have this issue when using the output from motherboard or APU. When using the monitor or GPU output it went away. Also, low quality PC PSUs have caused me issues with high power speakers as well with interference. 

 

Edit: Control panel sound quality maybe, too high or too low will cause issues. 

Edit edit: check drivers

[iGPR3]

28 minutes ago, DARBADARBZ said:

I have this issue when using the output from motherboard or APU. When using the monitor or GPU output it went away. Also, low quality PC PSUs have caused me issues with high power speakers as well with interference. 

 

Edit: Control panel sound quality maybe, too high or too low will cause issues. 

Edit edit: check drivers

So, I'm using my GPU for my 2 displays but my iGPU is enabled. PSU is an MSI A850GF, GPU RX 6800, CPU R5 7600. Motherboard is an asrock B650M pro RS, with a Realtek ALC897 sound card.

 

But where can I find drivers? I can't seem to find a drivers page on Realtek's website

Edit: Realised I had to get them from my motherboard's downloads section. Didn't fix the hum though. It's most likely related to GPU load, because whenever I scroll on a website or pan about my camera in game, the pitch changes. I never had this issue with my old crappy speakers (sanyun sw208s), which is strange because most of the time I used my motherboard output for those.

Edited April 24 by iGPR3

[OddOod]

Sounds like you need a USB DAC. 

[Sandbass]

If the information I've found online is correct, your old speakers didn't use a grounded power cord. The 305 do, so that's one of the reasons they could behave differently.

 

The second reason is your incredibly janky sounding solution to connect the speakers to your pc. If you can't spend the money for a halfway decent audio interface (which you absolutely should for using studio monitors), get at least the best quality proper cable (3.5mm TRS to 2x 6.3mm TS) - preferably somewhere you can return it, if this doesn't fix your issue.

 

You can also find hum eliminators for unbalanced connections, but if you're going this far, just spend the money for an used Focusrite/Presonus/whatever

[iGPR3]

4 minutes ago, Sandbass said:

If the information I've found online is correct, your old speakers didn't use a grounded power cord. The 305 do, so that's one of the reasons they could behave differently.

 

The second reason is your incredibly janky sounding solution to connect the speakers to your pc. If you can't spend the money for a halfway decent audio interface (which you absolutely should for using studio monitors), get at least the best quality proper cable (3.5mm TRS to 2x 6.3mm TS) - preferably somewhere you can return it, if this doesn't fix your issue.

 

You can also find hum eliminators for unbalanced connections, but if you're going this far, just spend the money for an used Focusrite/Presonus/whatever

Yeah, my setup is pretty janky. I took everything off of the desk and put it in the middle of the floor with no coils or interference and I've got the same awful hum. I'll probably just see if I can pick up a cheap used audio interface. Thanks for the help anyways!

[saintlouisbagels]

Cheapest janky solution would be;

- Apple $9 USB-C to 3.5mm dongle (this is a phenomenal DAC/headphone amp)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K25P3N1

- 3.5mm Stereo Male to 2x 1/4" Male TS connectors (left/right) 

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-3-5mm-6-35mm-Breakout/dp/B07PJTP7DR/

 

If there's still buzzing, then we can rule out motherboard noise and that there may be a ground loop somewhere.

[iGPR3]

5 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

Cheapest janky solution would be;

- Apple $9 USB-C to 3.5mm dongle (this is a phenomenal DAC/headphone amp)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K25P3N1

- 3.5mm Stereo Male to 2x 1/4" Male TS connectors (left/right) 

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-3-5mm-6-35mm-Breakout/dp/B07PJTP7DR/

 

If there's still buzzing, then we can rule out motherboard noise and that there may be a ground loop somewhere.

Will the USB-C to 3.5mm jack be prone to noise, as I’m currently using an unbalanced 3.5mm cable running into a 3.5mm to TRS adapter, then a 1-2 TRS cable to the speakers. Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’m pretty new to audio.

[saintlouisbagels]

6 minutes ago, iGPR3 said:

Will the USB-C to 3.5mm jack be prone to noise, as I’m currently using an unbalanced 3.5mm cable running into a 3.5mm to TRS adapter, then a 1-2 TRS cable to the speakers. Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’m pretty new to audio.

You have too many points of failure, so it's hard to say.

Cable Matters is a trustworthy brand, so I trust them to make a reliable 3.5mm to 2x TS Connector with no issues.

[iGPR3]

So, I’ve checked where I’m plugging it in, and I’m pretty sure that it’s a ground loop. When plugging the speakers into the same extension cord as my PC, there’s a loud buzz. When using an extension cord from downstairs, the hum is much quieter, but still persists. I’ve made sure that the input cables as far away as possible from my PC. I was wondering if something like a Behringer HD400 would do the trick, or one of the cheap 3.5mm hum suppressors on amazon?

[saintlouisbagels]

On 4/25/2024 at 1:24 PM, iGPR3 said:

So, I’ve checked where I’m plugging it in, and I’m pretty sure that it’s a ground loop. When plugging the speakers into the same extension cord as my PC, there’s a loud buzz. When using an extension cord from downstairs, the hum is much quieter, but still persists. I’ve made sure that the input cables as far away as possible from my PC. I was wondering if something like a Behringer HD400 would do the trick, or one of the cheap 3.5mm hum suppressors on amazon?

I came across this thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/ppoo40/comment/hd6d3vk/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

 

[Sandbass]

I think those are two different things. Hum doesn't equal hissing.

 

As I am writing this, I have one "inexpensive" JBL 305p MK II (class D as mentioned above) and two "expensive" ME Geithain RL904 (most likely class AB) in front of me. All three speakers are connected to a Yamaha RX-V663 via XLR to RCA cable (Neutrik XLRs, Sommer Cable Spirit XXL, Amphenol RCAs).

 

Even if I put my ear directly in front of said speakers, there is no hum audible. Hissing on the other hand is indeed present - but if there's a difference at all, the JBL ist ever so slightly quieter (the spectrum is not identical).

 

This hissing is happening completely independent of the way the speakers are connected. It is even present if only the power cord is connected.

 

Hum on the other hand is induced somewhere in the signal chain and can be eliminated by proper wiring. It happens due to tiny parasitic currents over the audio cables (ground loops, interferences).