1 Topic by cupakm (edited by cupakm 2017-12-19 12:53:55)

  • cupakm
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Topic: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

Hi all,

I've got an AIO (rev. 1.4) plugged into Asus PRIME H270-PLUS (rev. 1.02, BIOS 0808 x64, firmware 11.7.0.1229) with Intel i5-7600T and sadly, I can hear CPU load in earphones - for example opening / dragging windows, moving mouse pointer, encoding video, or compiling my DAW from source... total idling results in silence, on any action taken the noises reoccur.
This irregular high-pitched crackling is already present during the boot, in its very soft volume even before OS starts to boot up, just a little while after that one loud click when PC gets turned on.

I guess it is the motherboard, because on its factory settings the noise was quite heavy, but after I sort of desperately disabled all the power-saving and voltage-changing and whatever settings in BIOS, the noise got a lot quieter and somewhat more tolerable, but is still there!
Disabled settings are:
- ASPM (active state power management), PCH DMI ASPM, DMI link ASPM control, etc.
- Intel SpeedStep
- Intel Turbo mode
- CPU C-States
- CPU SVID support
- on-board audio
- MLC streamer prefetcher
- adjacent cache line prefetch
- SGX SW guard extensions
- TCC offset time window
- IOAPIC 24-119 entries
- CFG lock
- serial port
EPU & performance mode: set to Performance mode

I also don't think it has anything to do with my OS Ubuntu Studio 17.10, because I've already had flawless operation under this OS (with AsRock AM1H-ITX MoBo and AMD 5350 CPU in it, though).

What I could try changing are:
- CPU LLC (load-line calibration)
- CPU graphics LLC (I'm using integrated GPU)
- CPU power phase control

But I'm getting pretty skeptic. And otherwise out of ideas. I've tried swapping PCIe ports also and disconnecting CPU fan (I can go fan-less) - no noticeable changes.
Any suggestions?

PS: I also miss Out6 signal (that nice subwoofer rumble) in HDSPmixer - it just isn't there, although HDSP-mixer settings are loaded from the same file from my previous OS install and ALSA-mixer settings are also the same. But the noise is far bigger issue now.

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  • Registered: 2016-12-30
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

i had two HDSP9632 cards and one AIO and had the same problem with all 3 cards,
searching the forum this seems like a frequent problem.

a possible fix is to isolate the metal parts of the card from the metal parts on the PC case with some clear tape

3 Reply by cupakm (edited by cupakm 2017-12-18 23:32:32)

  • cupakm
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

Like this?
http://marekcupak.com/IMG_5696.JPG
http://marekcupak.com/IMG_5705.JPG
Unfortunatelly, it didn't help. No effect, same noises.

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4 Reply by FIXXXER (edited by FIXXXER 2017-12-19 08:49:24)

  • Registered: 2016-12-30
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

damn, this should help in most cases, too bad it does not work for you!

you could try one more thing, if you do not already own a power strip that has a line filter
i highly recommend buying a good one.

as i said i had the same issue with three different cards (and three different PC'S with different hardware!)
and could never fix it completely, sadly RME is also completely ignoring this issue.

  • vinark
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

Do you have the same issue with nothing connected to the card but headphones? So absolutely nothing else like speakers or mic pre etc.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

6 Reply by cupakm (edited by cupakm 2017-12-19 09:07:57)

  • cupakm
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

FIXXXER wrote:

you could try one more thing, if you do not already own a power strip that has a line filter
i highly recommend buying a good one.

I do already have power strip, but with a surge protection only. I was considering giving a power conditioner some try, like for example Furman M-10x E http://www.furmanpower.com/product/10a- … -M-10X%20E, but even that may not help (once I had a faulty USB mouse polluting the bus in a notebook where Babyface was connected, which picked the mouse's noise up - plugged mouse out, noise went away, plugged it back in, same noise back...), but surely can be tried.

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  • cupakm
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

vinark wrote:

Do you have the same issue with nothing connected to the card but headphones? So absolutely nothing else like speakers or mic pre etc.

Yes, exactly this is the way I'm testing it. Stock (unbalanced) cable.

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  • Registered: 2008-01-01
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

- If your BIOS allows to disable the C1 C-state then disable this specifically, often you can only disable C3-7, though. On Windows there is a software called "Throttlestop" which allows to disable C1 during run-time, no idea about Linux.

- If you are using a dedicated graphic-card then try removing it and use the Intel GPU instead. This is for testing only.

- Force the CPU to a much lower frequency for testing, something around 0.8 - 1.0 GHz. Does that lower the volume of the noise.

- Put your ear close to the open desktop and try to locate if you can hear buzzing and chirping from components around the CPU, power-supply or rather from the graphic-card (if present).

- Try a different power-supply.

- Unplug everything from the computer, even the display, mouse and keyboard. This is for testing only, obviously.

  • cupakm
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

Hi Timur! Many thanks for your suggestions.

Timur Born wrote:

- If your BIOS allows to disable the C1 C-state then disable this specifically, often you can only disable C3-7, though. On Windows there is a software called "Throttlestop" which allows to disable C1 during run-time, no idea about Linux.

I've already disabled C-states in BIOS. For Linux there is this for example https://stackoverflow.com/questions/224 … e-c-states (and I didnt' try it yet)

Timur Born wrote:

- If you are using a dedicated graphic-card then try removing it and use the Intel GPU instead. This is for testing only.

No, no dedicated GPU here, I'm on the integrated one.

Timur Born wrote:

- Force the CPU to a much lower frequency for testing, something around 0.8 - 1.0 GHz. Does that lower the volume of the noise.

Yes, this had noticeable effect. Base frequency is 100 Mhz and the ratio can go as low as 8, so I've tried running all 4 cores in sync on 800 Mhz. Noise went away! Only a slight trace of it was hearable when I've boosted both AN1&2 input gain to max, routed it into Phones1&2 and also maxed out Phones1&2 output - the noise of moving windows, mouse pointer, etc. was slightly hearable, together with some gentle hiss. All back to normal, it was just ok. But I'm not fine with CPU running that slow, and unfortunately, as the CPU ratio went back to normal, so did all the noise. Does this somehow shows the MoBo is to blame?

Timur Born wrote:

- Put your ear close to the open desktop and try to locate if you can hear buzzing and chirping from components around the CPU, power-supply or rather from the graphic-card (if present).

Already tried, no such thing.
Paradoxically, when I plug the AIO into my previous setup, which shows some crackling somewhere from the motherboard, near the CPU, its dead quiet and this crackling/pops do not translate into audio.

Timur Born wrote:

- Try a different power-supply.

I'm on a 150W powerbrick + 150W PicoPSU, but yes, I could buy another pair and check. Another idea would be powering the previous setup with them, but that may not be valid test (although doable without buying any new components).

Timur Born wrote:

- Unplug everything from the computer, even the display, mouse and keyboard. This is for testing only, obviously.

Ok, I've tried. No effect. So it does not come from any of the peripherals.

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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

cupakm wrote:

Hi Timur! Many thanks for your suggestions.

Timur Born wrote:

- If your BIOS allows to disable the C1 C-state then disable this specifically, often you can only disable C3-7, though. On Windows there is a software called "Throttlestop" which allows to disable C1 during run-time, no idea about Linux.

I've already disabled C-states in BIOS. For Linux there is this for example https://stackoverflow.com/questions/224 … e-c-states (and I didnt' try it yet)

Sure worth a try. I specifically meant C1E (forgot the E last time). This is a special C-state that is aeons old and may not be turned off by your BIOS.

11 Reply by cupakm (edited by cupakm 2018-03-11 11:42:43)

  • cupakm
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Re: HDSPe AIO gets polluted by MoBo - any remedies?

The problem seems to be solved. It wasn't fault of motherboard or the BIOS settings. The power supply was to blame. I've tried Seasonic SS-400FL2, which whined a little - not under standby, but when the computer was on. And it did even under load, not only when CPU was idle. It was faint, but irritating enough to be returned. Same story for Silverstone SST-NJ520 Nightjar. Then I've tried Fortron Aurum Xilenser 400W, which is indeed totally quiet, and fed by Furman M-10x E power conditioner, strange noises went away.

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