Audio static is an obnoxious problem for every gamer. An audio static can be unbearably painful to hear as it continuously takes your attention away. The cause of mic static can be because of various issues. If you can identify the source of the static you can solve your problem easily.
Mic Audio Static Situations I Have Face
I have a PC running Windows 10, 64-bit that I purchased about a month or two ago. I have a headset with a microphone that was operating correctly a few days or a week ago. The mic abruptly stops working and begins emitting an annoying static sound that is persistent.
It doesn’t recognize my voice or anything else but the continual static. “Realtek High Definition Audio” is the microphone specified in Sound, then recording.
When I start playing games while speaking to folks on Discord, for example, they say they can hear a static noise coming from my mic. This buzzing also persists in my headphone. I heard a buzzing or static noise in my headphone while gaming. It stops when I end the game and resumes as soon as I restart it. What may be causing this? I’m using the onboard soundcard and the most recent Realtek drivers.
So, I’ve searched on the internet to solve this problem and found myself in the midst of many others who are already facing the same issues. But the source of the problem & solution varied from user to user.
So, in this article, I’m gonna break down the source of the audio or microphone static while playing video games & how to solve them.
How do I Stop Mic Static When Playing Games (Reasons & Solutions)
1. Coil Whining:
Coil whining may cause the audio or mic static noise while in a game session. To understand what is a coil whine you can read this section of the article.
There is no actual solution to the coil whine as this is a natural thing for the GPU or PSU Coil to do while in stress.
Coil whine can be reduced by using an Aftermarket Sound Card. But it is advised to not purchase a low-quality sound card. Always use a branded sound card for your system. Creative Sound Blaster AE-7 Hi-Res Internal PCIe Sound Card can be a great addition to solve your coil whining problem.
2. Turning on Vsync:
Enabling Vsync on your graphics control panel can also eliminate or reduce the mic static. This solution differs from user to user.
If your static noise is produced by GPU coil whine & only audible while playing games, turning on the Vsync will solve this problem. If it does not solve your audio static then this solution will at least reduce the noise a little.
3. Ground Loop:
If you have a three-prong power plug (2 power and one ground) in your speaker and a power strip hooked into a nearby outlet. A ground loop isolation issue may arise as a result of this condition.
The solution is to go to Home Depot and get a 3 to 2-prong converter for 50 cents to $1. Use it to connect your speaker power. The issue with mic static when playing games will be resolved.
Some people just rip the ground out of the three-prong connector with pliers, but I discovered that investing a little extra money to avoid damaging my speaker power cable is a better deal.
4. Using a DAC:
Despite the fact that a DAC will increase the quality of your music, one of the most significant changes will be less visible at first. A high-quality DAC will assist you in achieving a cleaner audio backdrop, which will improve the overall soundstage of your listening setup and create a broader, deeper listening scape.
Using a DAC will remove the static noise produced by your mic. And if not eliminate the problem it will surely reduce the less audible noise.
5. Using a different Port or USB Devices:
If you’re using the front jack to insert your 3.5mm cable of your mic & having the issue of mic static, you can try using the back panel 3.5mm port to solve your problem.
The onboard mic port delivers better sound quality & produces less noise. But if it didn’t help to deduce your problems try to purchase a mic that is communicated with a USB cable. A mic with USB cable or Type-C cable can deliver the best sound quality at a cheaper price range with Zero audio static.
6. Re-installing Device Driver:
Uninstalling the Audio, Video, and Network driver in Device Manager and manually reinstalling the driver (.INF) from the official website of your Motherboard manufacturer will entirely resolve your issue. The DPC latency may be reduced from 1000s to 500s by reinstalling the drivers. And you can game all day without becoming buzzed or stuttering.
7. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI):
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems are widespread in environments with a large number of electrical equipment interacting with one another. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues can arise because units, circuits, and cables can never totally contain electricity.
Your EMI problem may be solved by using a shield over the wires and maintaining the gap between cables of various signal levels. Using a DAC may also help to minimize EMI and resolve your concerns with mic static noise.
Conclusion:
Distraction while gaming is never desirable. But if you face distractions like mic or audio static while gaming you have to solve the problem. If the above-mentioned solution doesn’t solve your issue can try to Enable the enhancements in the Windows audio or in your Audio drivers control panel.
You can also try enabling the Acoustic Echo Cancellation in your microphone control panel as enabling this one will solve various problems related to your microphone.
With the above-mentioned methods, you may easily resolve your issue and eliminate mic static noises. Whether you’re gaming with headphones or speakers, you can relax knowing what the main causes of static noises are and how to fix those specific issues.
Hopefully, this guide has assisted you in saying goodbye to headphone static.