Ok sorry for not posting all the details up. I didn't do it because I thought it would likely generate more questions and possibly unwanted debate but I will post everything up now as people are a bit frustrated with my vague reference to my hardware.
I'm running Snow Leopard (10.6.5) on a gigabyte ex58-ud5 motherboard with an intel i7 920 processor overclocked to 3.81GHz. My sound out is through 2x 3.5mm (headphone jack style) connector cable to RCA which are connected to the computer through a 3.5mm double adapter and run to 2 separate amplifiers (both of which are roughly 30 years old). The first amplifier is a NAD 3020 and is connected to a pair of KEF Concerto SP1004 speakers. The second amplifier is a Technics SU-C 03 and is connected to a pair of Akai SW-A25 speakers. I play my music through iTunes but I don't believe the problem is software related since it occurs during many different things (fluctuates with web page add animations, occurs at varying intervals in different games (particularly in movie sequences) and occurs when encoding is using the CPU). It is possible that it could be interference in the cables but I think this is unlikely due to the fluctuation during different activities unless the interference is from the power cable. I do have S/PDIF out but my amplifiers are of course not compatible with it. I think I've provided all the possible info now. Glad at least that James and Carlo led Reg onto the the MacBook optical output. Ruben > > Hi Ruben, > > You have not given enough information for people to assist you, we are > 'pushing in the dark' (pardon the pun). > Ray Forma asked you previously: >>>> Ruben, >>>> >>>> difficult to give any advice because you don't give any information about >>>> your >>>> Mac (PowerPC/Intel) or your OS or the programs that generate the music. > > OK, we now know you are running OS X 10.6.5, but on what? What Ports are you > using? And what software is running the music? > What Amplifier, Speakers, etc. Give all the information required so people > can assist you. > > Its like 'pulling teeth' sometimes on WAMUG. Emails back and forth, trying to > drag information out of people. > People expect us to be 'Mind Readers' … we aren't! > We can't see what you have and what you are using, you have to give us all > the information to be able to give you informed advice. > > Cheers, > Ronni > > > On 13/01/2011, at 2:50 PM, cm wrote: > >> >> Hi Ruben, >> >> Perhaps you are picking up static with the cable from the computer to the >> amplifier. Depending on the version of Mac you have, you may have an optical >> digital audio out jack. In provisioned models this comes from the same >> headphone jack as the standard headphone out. One just needs a optical >> digital cable and, of course, the correct input on your home theatre or >> amplifier. I can't tell from your inscrutable, unexpected hardware whether >> you have optical digital audio out or not, :-) but later model iMacs and >> MacBooks have this. >> >> Cheers, >> Carlo >> >> On 2011-01-13, at 13:53, Dark1 wrote: >> >>> >>> Thanks for the advice guys. The main thing I don't like about my current >>> setup is that I sometimes (depending on what the cpu is doing) get an >>> annoying scratching sound coming through the speakers. It's not terribly >>> prominent and is usually covered up by music or sound in video except where >>> the soundtrack is at a quiet point and it can also be reduced by turning >>> the volume down on my amplifier and the computer volume right up to >>> compensate. Basically I'm just after a device that won't give lower >>> quality sound to what I currently get and will also get rid of the >>> scratching sound, allowing me to control my volume completely through the >>> Apple Volume Control. >>> >>> I'm running intel 10.6.5 at the moment but my hardware is probably not what >>> you'd expect. I do have USB2. firewire 400 and pci slots available. >>> >>> Thanks >>> Ruben >>> >>>> >>>> Hi Ruben, >>>> >>>> If your current set-up (output jack to amp to speakers) is working OK - >>>> then >>>> perhaps telling us what you DON'T like about this setup (ie what you are >>>> hoping to improve) may help people make suitable suggestions/comments. >>>> >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Neil >>>> -- >>>> Neil R. Houghton >>>> Albany, Western Australia >>>> Tel: +61 8 9841 6063 >>>> Email: n...@possumology.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> on 13/1/11 7:07 AM, Ray Forma at r...@smartchat.net.au wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> Ruben, >>>>> >>>>> difficult to give any advice because you don't give any information about >>>>> your >>>>> Mac (PowerPC/Intel) or your OS or the programs that generate the music. >>>>> >>>>> On 13/01/2011, at 3:41 AM, Dark1 wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi Everyone. >>>>>> >>>>>> I've been considering getting a sound output (either card or USB) for my >>>>>> computer since my built in one can have an annoying scratchy sound when >>>>>> cpu >>>>>> is being used. I'm currently using a 3.5mm output jack to a fairly >>>>>> decent >>>>>> quality old amplifier connected to good quality but again old speakers. >>>>>> My >>>>>> main audio use is listening to music and although I'm not an audiophile >>>>>> I'm >>>>>> definitely a fair bit more picky than the average user. At the moment my >>>>>> current consideration is the ADS Tech Instant Music for Mac since I can >>>>>> be >>>>>> sure it will work on Mac OS and it's reasonably priced. Like many other >>>>>> products it has inputs to allow for recording from vinyl or other >>>>>> sources but >>>>>> I'm only really interested in the output. >>>>>> >>>>>> Does anyone have any experience with this USB device or perhaps other >>>>>> possible devices I might be interested in or maybe just some advice for >>>>>> me? >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks >>>>>> Ruben >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> Ray Forma >>>>> Tel +61 (0)8 9335 6568 >>>>> Mob +61 (0) 428 596938 >>>> >>>> > > > > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
