Audio Output Jack / AC - Distortion Feedback

I don't know the extend of the static you guys are getting. The biggest speakers I attached to it was my computer speaker (Logitech Z4) and I have no problem (well no large static, but I do hear static when the HDD is active, or even when I move my mouse). But I am not here to say that.

All I want to say is that, the problem you guys have is not because Dell sucks per say... it's really common on onBoard sound cards, as not only the sound card on onboard sucks to cost nothing, that it's too close and has static but it is as Jhon said. It affects even high-end desktop motherboards. Heck mine does like if everything was coming out from Transformers... beside the static when computer activity and when you move a window/mouse etc... really cool at first, but annoying on the long run. Discrete solution is needed. You have many choices available .

Creative has it's laptop sound card that you can add via ExpressCard. And if you want superior sound and drivers, ASUS Xonar, which is in USB: http://ca.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=147
Creative X-Fi: http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=17988

 

I'm not sure but isn't this the same issue everyone who had ever used a laptop for audio as a DJ or for Ableton encountered when playing in a club? The solution is too ALWAYS plug your laptop in a non-grounded extension otw you'll always get that interference/static. This could be solved by laptop manufacturers by seriously enhancing the insulation in the laptop itself but everyone wants lighter and thinner laptops and that kind of shielding/insulation is the first to go.

Again, not sure if it's the same problem because i don't notice any using it at home (also not in home studio) but in a club where it meets the whole lighting setup etc. even when it's not on the same group you'll get that hum.

 

Maybe it has to do with grounded wall plugs or not, just a guess, of course.

 

Yeah that's what i mean....use a non-grounded plug just for your laptop and it might be completely gone

 

Guys, not to be a "now-it-all" by any means - but - I am 95% sure that this has nothing to do with ground issues.

Again let me explain it as clearly as I possibly can:

The key term here is DC offset - your laptop runs off of DC, most power supplies out there today do a poor job of rectification [converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC)] - it is a sacrifice that most consumers will never notice. Consumers want smaller sized power supplies therefore one of the tradeoffs is the potential for more ripple which overlaps the DC output of the power supply. We call this the 30 kHz ripple which most smaller power supplies have inadequate filtering of.

This ripple or "noise or hum" is then amplified by the system pulling any analog signal from the laptop. (larger wattage AV receivers, PA systems) You won't find this happens with 99% of headphones or smaller computer speakers - why? - because they aren't strong enough to amplify the 30 kHz ripple.

If you still don't believe me or just don't understand, I want you to try something for me. Head on down to your local Radio Shack, pick up a few normal AC capacitors & a cheap output cable if you don't already have an old spare laying around. Proceed to solder one cap on each matching color wire, then put some electrical tape around each splice just to prevent shorting. Reconnect the laptop to your AV equipment and crank up the sound - first with nothing playing, just listen - the noise or hum is gone. Now turn on some music or movie, etc - notice how poor the depth of the sound is? That's normal for this elcheapo experiment, but it proves that we have blocked the the noise. We've basically created a elcheapo DC blocker.

If the noise or hum did go away, you've certainly got the DC hash problem I mentioned in an earlier post. If it doesn't, then it is AC noise, and you need to look at ground loops and other strangeness. But given that, with some laptop power supplies, you're isolated from a ground anyway (those without grounding plugs), I'm betting DC hash.

Another note: this bleedover of ripple does not take place through digital connections only through analog connections. Hence you can have this problem through the analog headphone jack but not through the HDMI or Display Port.

I was really hoping that Dell had stepped up their quality control with power supplies but they are still relying on quantity rather than quality. The old "tried and true" 90w power supply has had this problem for years - the 65w is by all intensive purposes the same. The 1730's brick to my knowledge is a better PS and doesn't have this issue. As I mentioned earlier Mac spent a little more money to creat a compact PS that had enough filtering to block out the ripple with the new unibody.

Wanna try something else? Buy if available for your laptop a car adapter (cigarette lighter) power plug - then purchase a home DC converter box that accepts a cigarette lighter attachment to power your laptop - Voila - you have a weird looking setup but absolutely no noise!

Two words that do not go together with power supplies: CLEAN & CHEAP

Update: and if all else fails, buy a few extra batteries and keep them charged and ready.