AMD R9 290X CFX Coil Whine, interfering with the game sound.

[ZentiX]

Hi there

I have 2x R9 290X in CFX and for a while ago my GPUs got coil whine, yes, both of them. I did not have this problem when I got my cards, but got it while after I installed water blocks on them. I had to take them out of the PC and back in again. And then I got it. Also suspect that my PSU got coil whine to.

But to my problem

When I play games and CF is activated sound from the coil whine is really loud. Game sound is really strange. Loose 50% sound on one ear, and it comes back, but then it happens on the second ear also. Then it comes back with normal sound on both ears. This repeats, really annoying. If I'm on Skype with friends and play games, it's also affected. Sound loss and back to normal, and repeat.

But if I play with CF disabled, all sound is normal.

Could coil whine from both cards affect the sound card? When I play without CF, it's only coil whine from 1 card and then the sound is normal.

System specs:

Asus Sabertooth 990FX R2.0
AMD FX 9950 ( stock clock)
G.Skill ram
AMD R9 290X in CFX ( Stock clocks)
Creative Sound Blaster Z
Seasonic 1000w Platinum
3X WD Red 3TB HDD
Kingston Hyper X 250GB SSD

I'm at the stage where I just want to emty my loop and take out one of the GPUs. Or buy a USB sound card and see if this helps.

I also live near a small power plant/station, where the wires are about roughly 10 meter away from the house.

 

[D1RTYD1Z619]

Do you get that issue with speakers as well? See if the audio acts up with HDMI.

 

[eidairaman1]

Get a UPS which incorporates Isobar

 

[Mathragh]

do you have your PC properly grounded? Seems to me like you've got a bad case of resonating going on, most likely with your 2nd GPU as the culprit.

You might try to in some way tighten or fasten the VRM's on the second card. What manufacturers sometimes do is put loads of glue on (on the sides) the coils that would otherwise have a chance of developing a whine. Maybe you could do something similar with your 2nd card: Put some extra thermal compound on there, or maybe tighten the heatsink a bit more?

 

[eidairaman1]

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/74019-wtf-r9-290x-coil-whine/page-3

Read that

 

[ZentiX]

Do you get that issue with speakers as well? See if the audio acts up with HDMI.

I only use headset when playing games, and optical to my home theater when watching movies. But can try too play some games with the home theater and see. I think the sound problem still going to be a problem. Tried different headsets since I thought my new one was broken.

do you have your PC properly grounded? Seems to me like you've got a bad case of resonating going on, most likely with your 2nd GPU as the culprit.
You might try to in some way tighten or fasten the VRM's on the second card. What manufacturers sometimes do is put loads of glue on (on the sides) the coils that would otherwise have a chance of developing a whine. Maybe you could do something similar with your 2nd card: Put some extra thermal compound on there, or maybe tighten the heatsink a bit more?

I have coil whine on both cards, and EK full cover water blocks on both cards. Coil whine came a while after I had put them on. Had to do some HW swaps and when I turned on the PC again, coil f***** whine. But remove the blocks and take a close look at those coile caps.

Yes, my PC is properly grounded, the guy that owns the house is a electrician. But as I mentioned in my post. I live really close to small power plant/station. And this could also be problem.



I have also checked for solutions, but there is no solutions where sound card is affected and so on. Am I the only 1 experiencing this?

 

[eidairaman1]

Did you read the link i posted

 

[ZentiX]

Did you read the link i posted

Yes, have read it, and it's not helping me alot.

Main problem is that 290X is using sealed caps, so there is not much to fix.

Also tried V sync and other ways to limit FPS, coil whine is still there.

 

[RCoon]

Get yourself a ground loop isolator for 5 dollah.

I had the same problem, and just replaced my GPU with a different manufacturer. Fixing the interference with headphones is easy, but fixing coil whine in the inductors is only possible if you cake them in non conductive heat glue.

 

[ZentiX]

Link RCoon.

But how can a ground loop isolator fix my problem? Sound issue only occurs when I play games in CF mode, and it's working perfectly when I play games using 1 card. It's a really strange problem I have, but I want too try fix it

Caps are sealed, so it's hard to re glue. Unless I tries to remove the cap shield.

 

[RCoon]

Link RCoon.

But how can a ground loop isolator fix my problem? Sound issue only occurs when I play games in CF mode, and it's working perfectly when I play games using 1 card. It's a really strange problem I have, but I want too try fix it

Caps are sealed, so it's hard to re glue. Unless I tries to remove the cap shield.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ground+loop+isolator

 

[ZentiX]

I know how to use google, so pleas spare me for this bull****.

But I want to know how a ground loop could fix my problem, when it only occurs when I play games in CF mode.

 

[Frick]

I know how to use google, so pleas spare me for this bull****.

I have nothing useful to say, but if I could I would thank this a million times.

 

[RCoon]

I know how to use google, so pleas spare me for this bull****.

But I want to know how a ground loop could fix my problem, when it only occurs when I play games in CF mode.

I have nothing useful to say, but if I could I would thank this a million times.

I fail to see how letting someone know that googling something is a terrible thing to do. It would be quicker and easier than asking on here, and you'd find prices on the specific type you need depending on what audio connector you use. I also fail to see how the use of language is necessary, and does not make me want to help you particularly. Politeness is not a requirement, but it sure helps things along.

"Ground loops are a major cause of noise, hum, and interference in audio, video, and computer systems." copied from googling. Even if it doesnt solve the problem, it's always nice to have one around.

 

[ZentiX]

I have nothing useful to say, but if I could I would thank this a million times.

Ur welcome As long as we have Google we don't need forums too seek help on.

But just to make my self clear, I know allot about PC, I have PC as my hobby and I have build a lots of them, but I have NEVER had problems with coil whine screwing with my sound card that is a Creative Sound Blaser Z. I have never had coil whine before either, until a while ago. So before I took to seek out helps on the forums, I have been searching GOOGLE up and down. But there is nothing. Once you have coil whine, you just have to live with it. It's not an warranty issue, they will not help you replace your so called "bad" products.
There is some ways to eliminate coil whine, and that is GPU change or PSU change. I have testet 3 PSU's, nothing helped.

I'm empty for solutions.

 

[ZentiX]

I fail to see how letting someone know that googling something is a terrible thing to do. It would be quicker and easier than asking on here, and you'd find prices on the specific type you need depending on what audio connector you use. I also fail to see how the use of language is necessary, and does not make me want to help you particularly. Politeness is not a requirement, but it sure helps things along.

"Ground loops are a major cause of noise, hum, and interference in audio, video, and computer systems." copied from googling. Even if it doesnt solve the problem, it's always nice to have one around.

It's how you tries to help others. Instead of just telling them to do this and do this, explain more. It would help allot more.

But I have ordered 2 Ground Loop isolators, and will test it. But I think it's a blank shot in the dark.

Going too try a USB sound card later.

 

[ne6togadno]

do you have boost running on your cards or you have fixed clocks

 

[ZentiX]

do you have boost running on your cards or you have fixed clocks

Boost, have not been able to OC them yet. Have tried to adjust the Power Limit without any luck.

 

[Frick]

I fail to see how letting someone know that googling something is a terrible thing to do. It would be quicker and easier than asking on here, and you'd find prices on the specific type you need depending on what audio connector you use. I also fail to see how the use of language is necessary, and does not make me want to help you particularly. Politeness is not a requirement, but it sure helps things along.

"Ground loops are a major cause of noise, hum, and interference in audio, video, and computer systems." copied from googling. Even if it doesnt solve the problem, it's always nice to have one around.

It might not be terrible, but linking to lmgtfy is terrible and should be punished.

 

[RCoon]

It might not be terrible, but linking to lmgtfy is terrible and should be punished.

I do it at work all the time
Pretty much every user in our school is encouraged to broaden their knowledge by seeking out what they can by themselves.

 

[Frick]

I do it at work all the time
Pretty much every user in our school is encouraged to broaden their knowledge by seeking out what they can by themselves.

You see how nicer it is to say that than just linking to lmgtfy?

 

[RCoon]

You see how nicer it is to say that than just linking to lmgtfy?

I still think people need to be encouraged to google certain things that could easily be worked out by themselves in seconds. You obviously want to ask forums how to build a PC and what parts to use, but when it comes to wondering say, what VRAM is, it's possibly easier to ask google.

 

[eidairaman1]

Get yourself a ground loop isolator for 5 dollah.

I had the same problem, and just replaced my GPU with a different manufacturer. Fixing the interference with headphones is easy, but fixing coil whine in the inductors is only possible if you cake them in non conductive heat glue.

Pretty much explained what my link had said

 

[ne6togadno]

Boost, have not been able to OC them yet. Have tried to adjust the Power Limit without any luck.

try to fix clock if that doesnt fix problem try changing clocks with 1mhz (up or down depending when you will see impovement) till whine stop or is reduced at acceptable lvls.
you have ref cards right

 

[the54thvoid]

.... I have never had coil whine before either, until a while ago. So before I took to seek out helps on the forums, I have been searching GOOGLE up and down. But there is nothing. Once you have coil whine, you just have to live with it. It's not an warranty issue, ....

Coil whine (or choke rattle) affects almost every card these days it seems. I had a very bad Powercolor 7970 that i did RMA because of it and the replacement had coil whine too. I had 2 7970's in crossfire and they sang with lovely coil whine. I replaced that set up with a Titan and it had coil whine also! My 780ti classified can whine but it depends on load and fps (and the whine is negligible to be fair). Most folk notice coil whine when they put a water block on as the sound output from the card's fan is removed. The reason you have less coil whine when crossfire is disabled is the fact the second card is idling. Only load will cause bad coil whine and the higher the load combined with higher clocks and voltage will do it too. As will very high fps (the closing title screen in Unigine Heaven is a doozy for it).

Unfortunately there is very little you can do about the coil whine. Reference cards are by far the worst culprits.