Does components in the computer affect the sound?

I'm wondering if components such as PSU, motherboard etc. will affect the sound.

 

A bad PSU could, in theory, cause buzzing in your sound or EMI. Motherboard could possibly do the same, if it has any components going bad such as bad capacitors or transducers - if you use your motherboard's on-board sound then any problem with the DAC or chip used could also affect sound.

There are so many electrical components in a PC that it is certainly plausible that it could effect sound.

 

And that is the sum of it, static noise in USB could be problematic on bad motherboards but not much more. Also this doesn't mean that you need an expensive PSU @Gravity, just a good one: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html is a great guide line for buying the right PSU and not having to spend hundreds. Anything in tier 3 and higher is more than fine.

These things tend to be overly brought up on other forums, when bits and bytes do not work that way, as long as the delivery is clean you won't notice real impact.

 

Thanks guys. I'm gonna list my system and would apreciate if you could look at it and see if anything needs tweaking.

Supra LoRad 2.5 CS-EU MK2 (Earth plug) > Supra LoRad MD06-EU/SP MK3 > Supra LoRad 2.5 CS-EU MK2 (Schuko plug) > XFX PRO 750W Black Edition ATX 80+ Gold PSU > Asrock 970 PERFORMANCE Fatal1ty AM3+ motherboard > Supra USB 2.0 > Amanero combo384 > Audio-gd DAC-19 > Epiphany Acoustics Atratus RCA > Cavalli Liquid Carbon.

Both the DAC-19 and LC are connected to Supra LoRad MD06-EU/SP MK3 with Supra LoRad 2.5 CS-EU MK2 (Schuko plug).

Supra website for more information if needed: http://www.jenving.com/

I use foobar2000 with ASIO driver and in the bottom right corner on my screen it says: Digital Output (Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.57)

My PSU is Tier one according to tomshardware that SKiring linked me to, great!

Seems like my motherboad has gotten alot of mixed reviews, alot of bad ones: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157577

 

The motherboard is not great, but that's the only thing that might cause problems. Since you're using USB, just grab a powered hub and use that to connect your DAC to the computer. That should cut down on any noise you hear, and it's fairly cheap.

 

Another option is the Schiit Wyrd if it is USB noise.

 

Yep that's a SeaSonic OEM, fantastic PSU nothing to worry there at all.

Also the Intel Fatal1ty boards of ASRock are extremely well received both on audio front (top 2 DAC/amp implementation of ALC1150s with Gigabyte) and clean USB. I have no idea about the AMD ones however since those tend to usually use more power on the CPU side, it could be the cause of static noise. Wyrd or any usb powered hub would fix this most likely, I'd start there as @Smitty and @The Alchemist suggested.

 

What graphics card are you running in this build? In my experience the graphics card causes the most noise in a system, both due to EMI and from noise injected back into the power circuitry.

 

Adding to what @Smitty asked, what CPU are you running? If you have any overclocks on that CPU it will probably throttle and if it doesn't it definitely will cause the noise issues you might experience. Especially with a high end/power consuming GPU in the build.

 

Do grammer affect the way we read?

 

Yep, I will get a new motherboard anyways in a year or two since I'm gonna upgrade my pc arround that time.

Just to be clear, I don't hear any noise... I think. I can only hear my tinitus when the music is not playing and the DAC and amplifier is turned on. No matter the volume.
I was just wondering if components could affect the sound. Dynamics for example. Maybe I'm just mixing stuff up with something I've heard elsewhere.

Is Schiit Wyrd a poowered hub or are those two different things? But why would that even help me though? Is it because of my, perhaps, not so good motherboard?

Is this a powered hub?: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DIU8/DIU8EN.htm

It indeed looks like a great PSU after reading several reviews and ratings.

Perhaps the AMD version is less good? I don't know.

I'm running a MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Gaming.

My CPU is AMD FX-8350 Black Edition AM3+
I kinda regret not buying Intel though so this is gonna be changed to some i5 when I upgrade my pc in the next year or two I think.

I'm not sure why this has any relevans on this topic but to answer your question, yes it does in my experience.

 

That AudioGD product is an S/PDIF and I2S converter, not a hub. A powered hub is a USB hub with a separate power connection, so that it's not being powered by just the 5v USB line. When I was using onboard audio for my S/PDIF, my gtx 780 was able to inject enough noise to be audible. Granted, I had cheaped out a bit and don't have a metal backplate, but that thing causes some serious EMI.

AMD CPUs draw more current, so it's easier to run up against the rate power for the PSU, which might starve the USB 5V rail, but based on your specs you should be well within the rated power.

@BioniclePhile is commenting that your English has some mistakes, which I assume are related to it not being your native language. Don't worry about it too much, we're all pretty accepting here.

 

I'm just being a dick, pay no heed!

 

Only if they are really bad, or something is not working

Even guys at Hydrogen Audio admit this can be true . I've almost always used a desktop/server-case system; I'm not much into laptops --- but apparently, some of the worst PSUs are those laptop PSUs.

Funny place, the internet... Via an entirely different surfing route, I've just been deciding that my next PSU will probably be a Seasonic! Maybe one of the fanless ones. I wonder though, how these things get on when the ambient is 30C. Anyway, that is not going to be a while... My not physically-silent Corsair is only six months old, and I do not have the cash for "luxury" part replacement. A flood leaves too much necessary spending. Err... like a car.

 

@Thad E Ginathom which Corsair do you have out of curiosity? You might be sitting on Tier 1/2 PSU that needs no changing. Corsair stopped with SeaSonic sadly most are CWT now but their newer models have been getting between 9 and 10s to give you an idea of top of the line.

I have a Corsair AX860 myself which is a SeaSonic, not to be mistaken with the i variants that perform way below the AX760 and AX860.

A few things to consider, SuperFlower, SeaSonic and top end Enermax are about the three best OEMs, with a few newer CWTs gaining some serious ground. EVGA has a ton of SuperFlower PSUs that perform on part to above SeaSonic level.

Two examples: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=454 and http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=452, both exemplary newer grade PSUs that are punching holes in the market.

 

It's an RM650. It was a what have you got on the shelf that I can afford purchase. I wanted the PC working that day. I didn't even shop online. Or go further than the nearest computer shop.

My only problem: I can hear the fan. My PC was never completely silent (what is? unless low-powered and passive cooling) but I did have the sound reduced to not much more than air-movement. Post flood re-organisation, the PC is further away from my ear.

Anyway, this is a bit of OCD from me: there is often a ceiling fan on in the room, or even an old AC machine --- which produces many, many more dB! But also, quite often, like now... there isn't

 

That's peculiar, the RM650 is a zero RPM design meaning that unless your PC is pushing it, it shouldn't even go on unless under heavy load.

I know the feeling though, it should never get higher than my speakers or headphones at all!

 

Peculiar and curious. Maybe this is one instance that calls for sighted testing, as in look at the damn thing to be sure it is spinning, instead of just telling myself it sounds different. I'll feel very silly if it isn't. That's ok: I often feel very silly.

Because no, I don't push it. very little video, no gaming, and modest software usage. Only thing is, though, ambient here tends to be 27-30C (80-86F)

 

Ha! I mean I can understand if it's the CPU cooler due to the temperatures over there having a hard time.

Did you check? Because there's a great warranty on that Corsair PSU, if it does spin it might be worth sending back or at least looking at the options.

 

I see. Is there any benefit of a powered hub if I don't hear any noise? In the future I'm gonna get Intel CPU instead of AMD and then also another motherboard. Is there anything that I should put as a requirement for my local computer dealer regarding that? What would good to have on my motherboard.

Also, I've read somewhere that it would benefit the sound if I close background programs in windows. Is that true, and if so how do I do that?