Need Help identifying / Correcting PC Audio Hiss

[kelvinwsy]

Lory It would help if you can draw a simple flow diagram your playback chain.

In my system, it is PC based but I did go to great length to filter the power from the ATX PSU and other devices in the PC. HQPlayer / NAA via EtherRegen and IsoRegen and lots of dedicated 5v,12v, DC linear PSU with EMF/RFI filters at the 20Amp dedicated power circuit for digital and power devices Helps A Lot. Actual Analogue HP and Main Tube Amps on a separate 30Amp dedicated circuit completely isolates the digital and almost all the DC power supplies from the HP amps or main Tube Power Amps. Sound has dark silent background! You hissing sound is most like a RCA cable where the negative lead is not securely making contact with the RCA connector on the back of your preamp or amp. Try a diffferent RCA cable I would do that. 

[kelvinwsy]

THe reason I mentioned RCA Cable as the hiss source is that I suffered from this at times. Especially when I re-connect all my cables (you know when you relocate all stereo), I have even WBT screw type connectors, with silver twisted connectors in PTFE sleeving. Then switch on the set AND Hey why the low level hissing rustling noise. Cannot find the source until I touch the WBT RCA screw connectors - Damn DID NOT Tighten them. A half turn - hey Total black silence again. Same with the clamp shell type RCA connectors. Too many times in and out and the pteals on the clamp shell open up too much and the slack gives poor intermittent earth return. Hissing noise. Squeeze the petals back together - TIght fit again over the Female connectors at the back panel of my pre-amp. Total silence againg.

Worked for me!

Kelvin

[kelvinwsy]

Hi LoryWiv - Try something simple yet drastic.

1. If you think it is more Hardware base than disconnect each equipment's power and interconnects and reconnect again. Do a power cold boot. Test and Repeat until you find the culprit.

2. In HQplayer 4.6, I get not a hissing but like a clicking sound -everyonce in a while. I reduce the maximum volume from -3 db to -6 db and it goes away. After a few tracks, I reset at -3 db and it is ok. The clipping indicator does not show any clipping but at the limit of my set, 10700k overclocked 4 cores to 5.1ghz without any GPU, polysinc-xtr-mp on 1st and 2nd oversampling settings tends to create this clicking. Try it for yourself. 

3. Other ideas if it is not a loose RCA screwed connection then is the RCA cable freyed on the inside without you knowing. If the earth shield is freyed, and is intermittently breaking the earthing parth, you will get the low level hiss. I DIY my own RCA cables and  I know that this is possible. 

4. IMHO, the low level hissing is a ground leakage current problem. Do you have a multimeter. See where you can touch your contact points and find the leak?

5. Bypass the Furman Elite Power Conditioner and the Norne Silvergard PC altogether. Use a simple power bar and see if the low level hiss goes away?

6. U say the Shanlling DAPused as a USB DAC connected to your PC still produced the same level hiss>? We must remember that most USB connections also CHARGE the USB device through the 5V power line on the USB Bus conenction. In my FiiO portable HP Amp as well as the older Iphone 6s I still use, Using the IEM while the USB is connected to the PC or a battery charger gives you a hissing sound. So since you are a iGalvanic user, do you have or can borrow their Gemini twin header USB cable. The power leg is separate from the USB signal leg. That can prove to be the acid test if the USB bus in your PC is the culprit.  

7. This is even simpler. Borrow a laptop if you dont have one. Load Hqplayer /Foobar- Connect all your gear and play music with Every piece in your music chain Except for your PC. Try that and tell us the results.

I cannot stand anything but deep black silence in my music playback. In my new 10700k server, all the fans except the CPU /Fan/All - in - One Pump Water Cooler Fans are driven by a separatley powered ATX PSU with a NZXT Sentry 3 fan controller. Evern the Cooler Fans/Pump are all connected using Elfidelity fan filters. So it helps quite a bit.

 

Good Hunting!

Kelvin