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#1 2020-10-03 19:30:45

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Microphone has a static sound in the background

My microphone has a static sound in the background every time it's being used. Recordings with OBS have the sound, Discord has the sound, and online mic tests/recordings have the sound. It's been happening for at least a couple of months. Here's a sample:
https://youtu.be/xpfYdla-qXI

The main microphone I use is the one from my HyperX Cloud Stinger headset, and I've tried it with multiple microphones. I don't think that's the problem though, because the static is there even if a mic isn't even plugged in, so I'm guessing it's a PulseAudio problem.

My version of PulseAudio is 13.0-3


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#2 2020-10-04 01:15:48

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Simple test

arecord -Dhw:0 test.wav #replace the 0 with whatever's the actual card index

if that has static it's not a pulseaudio problem.

In any case post

arecord -l
amixer -c0 #Again, replace with the actual card index
pacmd list-cards
#During a recording attempt
pacmd list-sources
pacmd list-source-outputs

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#3 2020-10-04 01:29:21

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

static noise could also been generated by electrical interference between onboard soundcard and surrounding components or power supply.

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#4 2020-10-04 01:46:30

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

V1del wrote:

Simple test

arecord -Dhw:0 test.wav #replace the 0 with whatever's the actual card index

if that has static it's not a pulseaudio problem.

Recording with that command still has the static. Had to run it like this to get it to work:

arecord --format=S16_LE -c 2 -Dhw:1 test.wav

It gave me this warning when it was recording:

Recording WAVE 'test.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 8000 Hz, Stereo
Warning: rate is not accurate (requested = 8000Hz, got = 44100Hz)
         please, try the plug plugin 

This is most likely from me trying this method from the Arch Wiki. Weird thing is I changed the default sample rate in /etc/pulse/daemon.conf to 8000 and restarted restarted PulseAudio, but it still gave me the warning. Don't know what that's about.

In any case post

arecord -l
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 2: ALC887-VD Alt Analog [ALC887-VD Alt Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
amixer -c0 #Again, replace with the actual card index
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Front',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Surround',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Center',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'LFE',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 64
  Mono: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 46
  Front Left: Capture 46 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 46 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',1
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 46
  Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [-16.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [-16.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Enabled'
Simple mixer control 'Channel Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: '2ch' '4ch' '6ch'
  Item0: '2ch'
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'Front Mic' 'Rear Mic' 'Line'
  Item0: 'Rear Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',1
  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'Front Mic' 'Rear Mic' 'Line'
  Item0: 'Front Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Loopback Mixing',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Disabled'
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
  Front Right: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
pacmd list-cards
2 card(s) available.
    index: 0
        name: <alsa_card.pci-0000_0c_00.1>
        driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
        owner module: 6
        properties:
                alsa.card = "0"
                alsa.card_name = "HDA ATI HDMI"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HDA ATI HDMI at 0xfcea0000 irq 62"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:0c:00.1"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:0a:00.0/0000:0b:00.0/0000:0c:00.1/sound/card0"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.vendor.id = "1002"
                device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
                device.product.id = "ab38"
                device.product.name = "Navi 10 HDMI Audio"
                device.string = "0"
                device.description = "Navi 10 HDMI Audio"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
        profiles:
                output:hdmi-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output (priority 5900, available: unknown)
                output:hdmi-stereo-extra1: Digital Stereo (HDMI 2) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround-extra1: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 2) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround71-extra1: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 2) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-stereo-extra2: Digital Stereo (HDMI 3) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround-extra2: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 3) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround71-extra2: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 3) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-stereo-extra3: Digital Stereo (HDMI 4) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround-extra3: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 4) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround71-extra3: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 4) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-stereo-extra4: Digital Stereo (HDMI 5) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround-extra4: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 5) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround71-extra4: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 5) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-stereo-extra5: Digital Stereo (HDMI 6) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround-extra5: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 6) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                output:hdmi-surround71-extra5: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 6) Output (priority 600, available: no)
                off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
        active profile: <output:hdmi-stereo>
        sinks:
                alsa_output.pci-0000_0c_00.1.hdmi-stereo/#0: Navi 10 HDMI Audio Digital Stereo (HDMI)
        sources:
                alsa_output.pci-0000_0c_00.1.hdmi-stereo.monitor/#0: Monitor of Navi 10 HDMI Audio Digital Stereo (HDMI)
        ports:
                hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (priority 5900, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                                device.product.name = "R240HY"
                hdmi-output-1: HDMI / DisplayPort 2 (priority 5800, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                hdmi-output-2: HDMI / DisplayPort 3 (priority 5700, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                hdmi-output-3: HDMI / DisplayPort 4 (priority 5600, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                hdmi-output-4: HDMI / DisplayPort 5 (priority 5500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
                hdmi-output-5: HDMI / DisplayPort 6 (priority 5400, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "video-display"
    index: 1
        name: <alsa_card.pci-0000_0e_00.4>
        driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
        owner module: 7
        properties:
                alsa.card = "1"
                alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfca00000 irq 64"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:0e:00.4"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:0e:00.4/sound/card1"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.vendor.id = "1022"
                device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
                device.product.id = "1487"
                device.product.name = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller"
                device.string = "1"
                device.description = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
        profiles:
                input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 65, available: unknown)
                output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6500, available: unknown)
                output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (priority 6565, available: unknown)
                output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (priority 5500, available: unknown)
                output:iec958-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5565, available: unknown)
                off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
        active profile: <output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo>
        sinks:
                alsa_output.pci-0000_0e_00.4.analog-stereo/#1: Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
        sources:
                alsa_output.pci-0000_0e_00.4.analog-stereo.monitor/#1: Monitor of Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
                alsa_input.pci-0000_0e_00.4.analog-stereo/#2: Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
        ports:
                analog-input-front-mic: Front Microphone (priority 8500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                analog-input-rear-mic: Rear Microphone (priority 8200, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                analog-input-linein: Line In (priority 8100, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:

                analog-output-lineout: Line Out (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
                        properties:

                analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
                iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
                        properties:
#During a recording attempt
pacmd list-sources
3 source(s) available.
    index: 0
        name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_0c_00.1.hdmi-stereo.monitor>
        driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
        flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
        state: SUSPENDED
        suspend cause: IDLE
        priority: 1030
        volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
                balance 0.00
        base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
        volume steps: 65537
        muted: no
        current latency: 0.00 ms
        max rewind: 0 KiB
        sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
        channel map: front-left,front-right
                     Stereo
        used by: 0
        linked by: 0
        configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 1999.82 ms
        monitor_of: 0
        card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_0c_00.1>
        module: 6
        properties:
                device.description = "Monitor of Navi 10 HDMI Audio Digital Stereo (HDMI)"
                device.class = "monitor"
                alsa.card = "0"
                alsa.card_name = "HDA ATI HDMI"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HDA ATI HDMI at 0xfcea0000 irq 62"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:0c:00.1"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:0a:00.0/0000:0b:00.0/0000:0c:00.1/sound/card0"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.vendor.id = "1002"
                device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
                device.product.id = "ab38"
                device.product.name = "Navi 10 HDMI Audio"
                device.string = "0"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
    index: 1
        name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_0e_00.4.analog-stereo.monitor>
        driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
        flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
        state: SUSPENDED
        suspend cause: IDLE
        priority: 1030
        volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
                balance 0.00
        base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
        volume steps: 65537
        muted: no
        current latency: 0.00 ms
        max rewind: 0 KiB
        sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
        channel map: front-left,front-right
                     Stereo
        used by: 0
        linked by: 0
        fixed latency: 100.14 ms
        monitor_of: 1
        card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_0e_00.4>
        module: 7
        properties:
                device.description = "Monitor of Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo"
                device.class = "monitor"
                alsa.card = "1"
                alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfca00000 irq 64"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:0e:00.4"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:0e:00.4/sound/card1"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.vendor.id = "1022"
                device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
                device.product.id = "1487"
                device.product.name = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller"
                device.string = "1"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
  * index: 2
        name: <alsa_input.pci-0000_0e_00.4.analog-stereo>
        driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
        flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
        state: SUSPENDED
        suspend cause: IDLE
        priority: 9039
        volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
                balance 0.00
        base volume: 6554 /  10% / -60.00 dB
        volume steps: 65537
        muted: no
        current latency: 0.00 ms
        max rewind: 0 KiB
        sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
        channel map: front-left,front-right
                     Stereo
        used by: 0
        linked by: 0
        fixed latency: 100.14 ms
        card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_0e_00.4>
        module: 7
        properties:
                alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
                device.api = "alsa"
                device.class = "sound"
                alsa.class = "generic"
                alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
                alsa.name = "ALC887-VD Analog"
                alsa.id = "ALC887-VD Analog"
                alsa.subdevice = "0"
                alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
                alsa.device = "0"
                alsa.card = "1"
                alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
                alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfca00000 irq 64"
                alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
                device.bus_path = "pci-0000:0e:00.4"
                sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:0e:00.4/sound/card1"
                device.bus = "pci"
                device.vendor.id = "1022"
                device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
                device.product.id = "1487"
                device.product.name = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller"
                device.string = "front:1"
                device.buffering.buffer_size = "17664"
                device.buffering.fragment_size = "2944"
                device.access_mode = "mmap"
                device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
                device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
                device.description = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo"
                alsa.mixer_name = "Realtek ALC887-VD"
                alsa.components = "HDA:10ec0887,104386c7,00100302"
                module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
                device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
        ports:
                analog-input-front-mic: Front Microphone (priority 8500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                analog-input-rear-mic: Rear Microphone (priority 8200, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
                        properties:
                                device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                analog-input-linein: Line In (priority 8100, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
                        properties:

        active port: <analog-input-rear-mic>
pacmd list-source-outputs
0 source output(s) available.

"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#5 2020-10-04 01:47:04

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

solskog wrote:

static noise could also been generated by electrical interference between onboard soundcard and surrounding components or power supply.

How would I know if that's the issue?


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#6 2020-10-04 02:01:29

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

How would I know if that's the issue?

I assume you are on a desktop computer? Open chassis and listen. For a laptop there is no easy way.

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#7 2020-10-04 02:03:36

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

But I can only hear the sound when I'm playing back a recording.


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#8 2020-10-04 02:23:02

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

But I can only hear the sound when I'm playing back a recording.

Still can't exclude hardware interference from inside computer or external speakers. Just for testing purpose, how about using other OS to record?

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#9 2020-10-04 02:24:47

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

I only have Arch installed right now, but I tested on Windows 10 a while back and I'm pretty sure it didn't have the static. Not 100% sure though.


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#10 2020-10-04 02:34:07

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Not 100% sure though.

I would do it again and save the recording from win10 and compare both with program like audacity where you can see the static noise waveforms.

Last edited by solskog (2020-10-04 02:36:50)

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#11 2020-10-04 02:43:05

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

That would require me to install Windows 10, which I'm not too keen on doing.


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#12 2020-10-04 02:48:21

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Well I understand, but sometimes solving a problem require sacrifice and compromise ...

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#13 2020-10-04 10:14:16

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

PopeRigby wrote:

Recording with that command still has the static. Had to run it like this to get it to work:

arecord --format=S16_LE -c 2 -Dhw:1 test.wav

It gave me this warning when it was recording:

Recording WAVE 'test.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 8000 Hz, Stereo
Warning: rate is not accurate (requested = 8000Hz, got = 44100Hz)
         please, try the plug plugin 

This is most likely from me trying this method from the Arch Wiki. Weird thing is I changed the default sample rate in /etc/pulse/daemon.conf to 8000 and restarted restarted PulseAudio, but it still gave me the warning. Don't know what that's about.

As mentioned, that command completely bypasses pulseaudio, so any config in that regard is irrelevant.

FWIW from the information we have, you use the rear mic and your mic boost is at full blast, that's very seldomly what you want

amixer -c1 set 'Rear Mic Boost',0 0

Last edited by V1del (2020-10-04 10:26:11)

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#14 2020-10-04 18:53:56

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Setting the rear mic boost to 0 makes it very quiet, so I'm not super sure, but I can't really hear the static anymore, but I can hear my voice. Am I not supposed to use my rear mic port?

Last edited by PopeRigby (2020-10-04 18:54:21)


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#15 2020-10-04 20:02:47

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

not necessarily but having a mic boost all the way is usually too overblown and will lead to static. If you feel the voice is too low now, play with the mic boost values and use 1 or 2

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#16 2020-10-04 20:09:03

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Unfortunately turning it up to 1 creates the static again, and my voice is still pretty low. I'm guessing it wasn't the boost.


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#17 2020-10-04 21:38:03

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

If it's away with 0 but comes back with an increased boost it seems likely to be the boost. Mic boosts are mostly a hack, that will lead to this. if your voice is too low without it then maybe invest in a good USB mic/headset or so, because you can't really fix it if the boards mic input is bad

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#18 2020-10-04 21:40:46

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

I doubt my board input is bad, because it's a fairly high end motherboard. Are USB headsets generally better than 3.5mm ones? The other thing is, this happened before I got this board, and it didn't always happen with the old one, so I'm not sure if it's a hardware issue.

Last edited by PopeRigby (2020-10-04 21:41:52)


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#19 2020-10-18 20:51:12

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

V1del wrote:

If it's away with 0 but comes back with an increased boost it seems likely to be the boost. Mic boosts are mostly a hack, that will lead to this. if your voice is too low without it then maybe invest in a good USB mic/headset or so, because you can't really fix it if the boards mic input is bad

Do you know what I should do now?


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#20 2020-10-19 08:29:29

solskog
Member
Registered: 2020-09-05
Posts: 407

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Well, again. before investing any new hardware (maybe usb headset), I would definitely install other OS (e.g. win10) and take a recording using Audacity and compare the wave form Arch recording.

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#21 2020-10-19 09:06:02

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Though I doubt it will help much, what happens if you up the rear mic vol without the boost?

amixer -c1 'Rear Mic',0 100%,100%
amixer -c1 'Rear Mic',0 unmute

Regarding the other question for USB mics, I'd not say that they inherently are, but they are a distinct soundcard so you aren't going to run into electrical interference issues and the hardware can be better optimized/finetuned to what the manufacturer intends. In the 3.5MM case you have to have a good mic AND hope that the ADC of your soundcard doesn't suck (... and even if the MB was expensive (.. and the price actually justified based on production cost and not to have a huge sale margin) still doesn't guarantee that the onboard audio card is going to be good). On a related sidenote, make sure the plug is properly plugged in, if it's not all the way in the jack it's possible that it's technically recognized but has problems like this

Last edited by V1del (2020-10-19 09:16:17)

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#22 2020-10-19 23:37:17

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Device 1 doesn't have a Rear Mic:

amixer: Unknown command 'Rear Mic,0'...

I also just checked, and the cable is plugged in fine.


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#23 2020-10-19 23:57:29

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

Well pick the device you've mentioned that is plugged. It was 1 in your previous post but these can change.

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#24 2020-10-20 01:12:09

PopeRigby
Member
Registered: 2019-10-19
Posts: 110

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

That's strange. I do have a "Rear Mic" under device 1. Is the syntax for the command you gave wrong?


"I even found myself driving by convenience stores... that weren't on the way home."

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#25 2020-10-20 06:36:24

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,431

Re: Microphone has a static sound in the background

ah whoops sorry,

amixer -c1 set 'Rear Mic',0 100%,100%
amixer -c1 set 'Rear Mic',0 unmute

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