# HyperX Alpha Crosstalk



## VandilFish (Oct 22, 2018)

I'm having an issue where any loud (Correction: Any Sound) sound i hear in my headset also plays through my microphone(Headset mic).
I'm using Sound Blaster Play3! with HyperX Cloud Alpha headset.
It is NOT! picking it up from the headset it is actually playing through the mic, I can mute the mic and unplug it and it will still play through.

I've tried 2 different headsets and is still a problem, I've got stereo mix disabled. Not really sure what else.

Edit: I've figured out this is a issue with the Headset, Currently talking with Support to resolve this issue.


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## Vayra86 (Oct 22, 2018)

Can you fill in your system specs, so we can avoid 867190251 questions about it? Its under your profile name, top right corner.

Most importantly (for this topic): motherboard, CPU and any sort of sound cards you might use.

In addition, screenshot your input/output settings from the Realtek or whatever on-board/sound card you use. There is a chance things are not routed correctly in software. Or, you could dive into those settings yourself. When confused, disable everything and start with the bare minimum, and build it back up one in/output at a time. Keep in mind WIndows also has its own sound settings, and one can override the other. Put everything on Windows Defaults first, then move to your onboard drivers. (I assumed you have Windows)

When software and in/outputs are in order, my next guess would be your headset is broken, seeing as it is only loud sounds.


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## VandilFish (Oct 22, 2018)

I've updated my profile.

CPU : Intel i7-2600K @4.20GHz
RAM : DDR3 Corsair Vengence 1600MHz 16GB (4x4GB)
GPU : EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 GAMING 3GB GDDR5, ACX 2.0
MOBO : ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z
SSD : Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
HDD : Seagate 1.5TB
Monitor : BenQ E2200HD 21.5'' 1920 x 1080, 65Hz
CPU Cooler : Corsair Hydro Series™ H80 Liquid CPU Cooler
OS : Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Headset : HyperX Cloud Alpha With Creative SoundBlaster Play3! (Brand New!)
Keyboard : Razer Blackwidow Chroma V2
Mouse : Razer Naga Limited Razer Green Edition


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## Vayra86 (Oct 22, 2018)

What is this microphone monitoring option in screen #3 of the Play3?

It is under 'Playback'. Try turning it off.

Also, under Microphone in Windows settings, there is a tab called 'Listen'. There are options there to rout microphone sound differently, check those as well. Besides the Play3 options, is there anything else active that has to do with audio? The exclusive mode can cause problems when multiple applications want to use it.

Other than that I'm not seeing too much out of the ordinary.


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## VandilFish (Oct 22, 2018)

The microphone monitoring option is so i can hear myself when i talk. (Not the problem) i have fiddled with every option on everything i can think of.
I'm aware of the listen feature, however that's not causing the problem.
It's actually any level of sound, I've just been using Discord to troubleshoot, Which doesn't pickup sound until a certain preset Db.

I think i might of found what is causing the problem but i'm not 100% sure currently, So the HyperX Alpha uses a 4-pole connector which i have plugged into a splitter cable which came with the headset that is plugged into the Play3!. I think the 4-pole configuration might be different on both devices, not really sure as I've tried a few headsets with the Play3! and all the same problem. i did try my ear phones from my Samsung S8 and they seemed too of worked fine from what i could tell, Not really sure as they have a in-line mic that i couldn't mute so yeah...

Here is an example of what I'm talking about. The Play3! uses the AHJ/CTIA config, where the HyperX might use the OMTP?? But then wouldn't that mean the microphone wouldn't work? I can't find seem to find out what config the HyperX Alpha uses to confirm or deny my theory.


Edit: I just found a comment on the ifixit forums about Cloud II's.
Got a message from Kingston Tech Support they use CTIA/AHJ wiring standard
4- Left Speaker
3- Right Speaker
2- Ground
1- Mic
Not sure if the Alpha's use the same Standard, I'd assume so? It seems like most newer things use CTIA Standard.


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## VandilFish (Oct 23, 2018)

I have contacted Kingston support and they have confirmed all HyperX products use CTIA.

I have also since figured out the problem has nothing to do with the Play3! it is however an issue with the headset.


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## aragorn185 (Nov 20, 2018)

Hello,

i have the exact same problem with Hyper X Cloud Alpha.
Do you find any solution so far ?

Thx


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## VandilFish (Nov 22, 2018)

No Sadly Not, I've talked to customer support and they said it's likely a design flaw. So in other words it might not be fixable with a replacement (Unless they change the internal circuit design), They did tell me i could go for a replacement but i haven't yet. It is very disappointing cause i love the headset in every way it's exactly what i was looking for. I'm just gonna deal with it haha, doesn't bother me only others XD I've also heard that the new cloud II's also have the same problem.

if anyone does find a solution PLEASE! post it in here.


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## Athlonite (Nov 22, 2018)

It would seem the solution would be to return the headset and buy a different make/model from another manufacturer as it sounds like it wont matter if they're replaced with the same type they all have the same problem


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## VandilFish (Nov 22, 2018)

Thanks for stating the obvious hahaha, i won't be returning it to get another as most other headsets are not what i want. This is a great over all headset it just has that one flaw. Which doesn't bother me all that much tbh


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## nik1178 (Feb 21, 2019)

Hello, I have these same headphones but crosstalk has happened on my previous ones as well.

After much frustration I found that uninstalling the audio drivers that I had (in my case realtek high definition audio) and using the stock windows drivers fixed the issue *mostly*. Before this, everyone could hear everything happening on my PC, from music to game sounds, now that I have the windows drivers though my friend had to turn up the volume on his earphones to the max to hear the music even slightly. Definitely better than before.

Hope this helped.


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## roy7 (Mar 3, 2019)

I like my Alphas as well but this drives me insane. The problem is I do some multiplayer gaming with a friend now and then and he can hear everything my PC does. I've pulled my hair out trying to solve it and it sounds like it just isn't possible to fix? It acts like there is a Stereo Mix turned on (although there isn't). I also messed with the echo cancellation settings and those didn't help either. It sometimes seems like it might temporarily fix itself if I toggle the echo cancellation on/off but never for long.

One thought I had was to buy an adapter to convert the 4 pole plug into USB. I think one of the other models of headsets comes with one of those. I didn't know if it'd make any difference, but it was the last thing I could try. I did already return the headset under my Best Buy extended warranty and swapped it for another identical model but this one has the same problem as before.

What's weird is I can see the volume of the PC sounds going over the mic signal (via watching my settings menu in Discord) change if I roll the volume control in the wire up and down. But I don't see how it could be happening in the actual headphone itself, since if I unplug the 4 pole adapter from the cable that runs to the PC, it keeps sending system sounds through the mic signal. This is why I never thought it was an actual Alpha-specific issue?

I don't suppose anyone out there ever found a permanent real solution?

I did find this post that mentions Acoustic Echo Cancellation will solve it (which I recall it did for me briefly, but then it stopped working). Of course this only helps the PC not PS4 or Xbox.


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		https://www.reddit.com/r/HyperX/comments/a1o5z0

Ok, turning on Acoustic Echo Cancellation in the Realtec Sound Manager has (again) fixed this for me. I don't know if it'll survive a reboot though.

I'm guessing this is a trick that Windows thinks it's hearing my speakers through my mic (which it isn't since my headphone is the only thing in use) and tries to cancel it anyway, which works, since the signal really is there just bleeding in from someplace noone knows?


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## Ruski (Mar 19, 2019)

Bought a pair of Cloud Alpha's from Amazon a few weeks back.  Crosstalk issue is driving me nuts in multiplayer as everyone else can hear my in-game sounds.  Part #: HX-HSCA-RD/AM 

Kingston is suggesting it could be a faulty PC extension cable with wires that maybe crossing and causing the issue.  They are going to send out a replacement, so we shall see i suppose.  Most other comments of crosstalk issues say they had to get the headset replaced so i am a bit skeptical but nothing to lose at this point.

In terms of sound quality i find these to be the best of the headsets i have tried (including Arctis 7, Sennheiser G4ME One, HD558s w/modmic) and for directionality in FPS games i find it gives me the best impression of footsteps, etc. similar to HD558s but miles ahead of everyone else IMO.

Would love to keep these and make them my main headset if this crosstalk stuff can just go away!  

P.S. Will by biggest earpads for comfort but its a minor issue.


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## roy7 (Mar 19, 2019)

@Ruski, if you can turn on Acoustic Echo Cancellation in the Realtec Sound Manager it should mostly solve the issue. Windows will behave like you are using a mic + speakers, and try to cancel the crosstalk out. Because as far as I can tell, it isn't internal crosstalk in the heatset or an issue with the drivers, it's some sort of physical fault causing the actual signal to go back into the mic input (as if you had speakers playing the mic could hear).

Please do report back when you get your new extension cable. I think when I was debugging in my earlier post, I saw the crosstalk happening once even when the headset wasn't plugged in. If you want to test this, play a youtube video or something and check your Discord voice settings so you can see the microphone signal meter moving around (from the crosstalk). Then unplug the headset from the extension cable, leaving the extension cable plugged into the PC. This should fool the PC into still thinking your headphones/mic are plugged in and you can see if the crosstalk continues.

I eventually returned my Alpha for a new pair hoping it'd fix the problem, but it made no difference. They sound great and are super comfortable so I don't want to totally change headsets, but I believe the manfufacturing defect might be in the extension cable itself. I have no other extension cable to try unfortunantly, but if you clear it up with a new cable, I'll order one myself (a different brand instead of from HyperX). And for all I know this might fix my mic gain situation where even with a lot of gain added, I'm kinda quiet to others over Discord. Perhaps the two wires being crossed weakens the mic signal.



VandilFish said:


> Thanks for stating the obvious hahaha, i won't be returning it to get another as most other headsets are not what i want. This is a great over all headset it just has that one flaw. Which doesn't bother me all that much tbh



Did you ever happen to try replacing the extension cable?


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## derutatu (Mar 25, 2019)

I can confirm this also worked for me. I own a pair of HyperX Cloud Alpha and have the cross-talk issues (people hear what I am hearing through the headphones) and tried so many things, but this solved my issue. Thanks for the tip !


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