Sound Cards that don't make popping noises.

I'm an audiophile, keep this in mind when you read this... speaker popping noises are very annoying!
Since my onboard ALC4050H codec keeps going into a low power state all the time, causing speaker pop, I've decided to try a sound card to avoid this annoying event. Why a driver low power state is needed on a desktop computer is a mystery to me... but it is what it is.

I tried a new Sound Blaster X AE-5 Plus and it makes a horrible pop when the computer shuts down... very loud. I have to classify this card a failure.

I also have a Sound Blaster Audigy Fx V2 which makes a loud pop in the left speaker during boot... another failure.

Otherwise, these cards do perform relatively well, but they don't seem to have circuitry to prevent the annoying "pops" from happening.
Creative support claims speaker pop is a normal event... I have to dispute their claim.
My last 5 computers have been totally silent with their onboard audio devices... this computer is the first I've had issues with speaker pop and its totally a driver issue.

I also have an old Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty THX Pro card which runs absolutely quiet using the generic Windows 11 High-Definition Audio driver. Unfortunately, the Sound Blaster driver is very old, and it will default to 5.1 mode making odd startup sounds in an attempt to play sounds in surround sound... There's no compatible software for this card that I know of.

Surely there's a sound card that can operate without speaker pop... Lenovo doesn't seem to be interested in fixing the Realtek driver and prevent the D2 power state which is the culprit for speaker pop.

Suggestions are welcome.

HHH03 said:

Suggestions are welcome.

Click to expand...

1. The sound card and/or motherboard "shielding" may be inadequate.
2. Possibly a speaker cables issue.
3. Possibly a speaker shielding issue (if speakers only used on this PC).



If possible, try different speaker cables and/or different speakers. Make sure the speaker cables aren't wrapped around or near power cables. Check for loose connections and proper grounding.


Just to have handy... short list so sorted with highest price first...




Keep in mind that the P620 is a workstation computer. Not really set up for... audiophiles.


Links for some additional reading...

I have a Sound Blaster FX card from 2012 in my Eurocom Scorpius and
when connected to my Klipsch 2.1 if I turn them off (the speakers) I also
also hear a pop although, not a loud one. Not when I shut the notebook
down though. The speakers that I use at the moment (different Klipsch)
do not have a shut off switch but, goes in standby mode instead .
This notebook came with a couple options for sound. Sonar from
SteelSeries and Nahimic 3.

Ghot said:

1. The sound card and/or motherboard "shielding" may be inadequate.
2. Possibly a speaker cables issue.
3. Possibly a speaker shielding issue (if speakers only used on this PC).



If possible, try different speaker cables and/or different speakers. Make sure the speaker cables aren't wrapped around or near power cables. Check for loose connections and proper grounding.


Just to have handy... short list so sorted with highest price first...

Choose A Sound Card - PCPartPicker

Choose A Sound Card

pcpartpicker.com

Keep in mind that the P620 is a workstation computer. Not really set up for... audiophiles.


Links for some additional reading...

5 Best Audiophile Sound Cards (2023): Based on 50+ Test Points!

So, you bought your first pair of expensive headphones and enthusiastically plug them into your PC’s built-in sound card, only to find its high-fidelity sound reproduction flat and dull.

www.realgear.net

How to Fix Crackling or Popping Sound on a Windows PC

Crackling, popping, and other sound problems can occur for a variety of reasons.

www.howtogeek.com

Best DACs of 2024 | The Master Switch

See our guide to the best DACS of 2024, with reviews of top DACs from RME, Chord, Schiit, AudioQuest, iFi and more.

www.themasterswitch.com

Click to expand...

I tried a couple of experiments with the Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus... I tried using the headphones jack vs the L/R jack. To my surprise, nothing was different far as audio performance. Windows nor the Sound Blaster Software acted any differently... like saying I have headphones plugged in. I get the same audio output except the headphones jack seems to have more noise reduction. By using the headphones jack vs L/R jack, my speaker pop is totally gone now and I'm able to run my stuff at 32-bit 384kHz sound! It really sounds great... I haven't heard such good sound since my old B&K amplifier and VMPS speakers.

HHH03 said:

I tried a couple of experiments with the Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus... I tried using the headphones jack vs the L/R jack. To my surprise, nothing was different far as audio performance. Windows nor the Sound Blaster Software acted any differently... like saying I have headphones plugged in. I get the same audio output except the headphones jack seems to have more noise reduction. By using the headphones jack vs L/R jack, my speaker pop is totally gone now and I'm able to run my stuff at 32-bit 384kHz sound! It really sounds great... I haven't heard such good sound since my old B&K amplifier and VMPS speakers.

Click to expand...