Processor Noise in Headphone Output? [Inspiron E1505/6400]

I just received a replacement laptop from dell after having had an issue with annoying and strange noises coming from the laptop -

Well, that problem's fixed everything's much better! (although in this case I had to go into the BIOS and change the HD to performance mode to get the computer to speed up from an absolute CRAWL, whereas the old HD worked just fine on Bypass mode - anyway, glad I figured this one out before having to contact dell, and everything's just as snappy as it should be now )

However, here's my question for other Dell E1505/6400 users:

How noisy is your headphone output? I don't just mean "noise" as in normal background very quiet whitenoise, as expected in less-than-pristine-quality digital audio conversion like in a laptop such as this, but I mean an actual whirring medium-high pitched sound. Try listening with headphones on both with the CPU up to full capacity and throttled down to 1.00 GHz - in my case, the noise is much less noticeable at 1.00 GHz, but still very much there, but more annoying by far at 1.83 Ghz (my CPU's full frequency capacity). Not affected by sound volume or mute - I'll try it with different headphones to see if that has any effect.

Do you experience the same thing as I'm experiencing? If you are, then I think I can live with it, I guess (not terrible like my other problem), but if you're not, that means it's time for ANOTHER return... or I guess I could try to fix it but I doubt that would be successful.

Thanks for sharing the info!

 

Hello Rellik,

It's been a while since you've posted this, but anyway... I'm experiencing exactly the same problem, the CPU whirring noise only noticeable when using a headphone on an E1505.

Mute, volume level, nothing affects the noise, which gets worse when CPU utilization goes up. I can live with that, but it's starting to bother me.

Did you find a solution for that? I'm wondering if you have the SoundBlaster Audigy drivers installed, I do have them, but I didn't had the chance to uninstall them and check if the problem goes away...

If you guys have any clue...

Thanks,
edabe.

 

I don't know if you guys are having the same issue as me but when I use my M1210 while plugged in, I hear a loud buzzing sound coming from either headphone jack. When I take off the AC Power, it stops.

WEIRD!

Anyway, this XPS is on it's way out for sale and I will just pick myself up a D420 since I don't do any gaming....

 

Good point, Island.

The strange processor whirring or buzzing sound only happens (or at least I can only hear it) when the laptop is plugged in... It is very noticeable, as soon as I plug the AC adapter I can hear the noise. Unplugging it makes it go away... Indeed very weird.

I still haven't gone through uninstalling my Audigy drivers to see if it goes away, though... Do you guys have any other clue?

Thanks,
edabe.

[edit]
I've uninstalled the whole audio stuff, from SB Audigy down to Sigmatel... With no audio driver I can still hear a little buzzing with the headphone, but much less noticeable. Reinstalling Sigmatel didn't increase the noise much, so I'm sticking with this setup. Definitely the noise was much worse when SB Audigy was installed, but that might be due to some previous settings rather than the SB Audigy software itself.

Well, my guess is that the integrated headphone amplifier in the Sigmatel 9200 chip is passively amplifying interference from other circuits (maybe CPU and ATI?). Unplugging the laptop will drop clock and voltage, which might minimize interference in the audio circuit. In any case, if the 9200 chip doesn't support gain control, there might be no solution for the issue

But I'm still confident that there might be someone with a real explanation (and fix) for that
Cheers,
edabe.

 

wow same issue with 1520. wake up dell... this problem is old'd

 

I only get background noise when I am running from the Mains power, it's fine on battery.

 

when i mute there is NO sound
when i unmute sound at 10% nothing
sound at 50%+ ya there is a buzzing/whatever you wanna call it
try it with your desktop. i am certain to 98.9% that it will be A LOT MORE static....


yes, when i unplug the AC there is no more noise
no i do not know how to fix it

using MS drivers since Vista automatically got me my drivers
the static is the same in XP


Cheers

just live with it....like all the other flaws in the laptop. which EVERY laptop and laptop maker have.