Is there something new PSUs have that older ones don't?

[PieIsAwesome]

I'm having some trouble with the on-board sound being scratchy at times. It isn't continuous, but usually when some new sound comes up, or when there are multiple sounds. In some games I don't seem to notice it, though.

This occurs with two of my comps.

I have removed one comp from its case and ran it in a box to rule out grounding problems, and the problem persisted.

I have updated drivers, disabled unnecessary controllers in bios, tried different speakers, headphones.

Since this is happening to two different computers with different hardware (and different onboard audio controller I believe) I am wondering if it has anything to do with the PSU, since they are both pretty old.

One computer has:
IP35-E
e2200 OC'd to 3.04 ghz
2x1 GB cheap HP ram
PATA/IDE drive
X1800xt

The PSU is a Mad Dog modular PSU (MD-500scps) with 30a on a single 12v rail. It does not have a PCI-E connector so I am using a molex to PCI-E adapter I borrowed from a friend. At first I thought this may have something to do with the problem, but the other comp only has a 7600gt with the same issue.

Other comp is:
ECS 945gct-m or something
e2200 at stock
2x1 GB cheap HP ram
PATA/IDE drive
7600gt

The PSU is an Antec Truepower 380 with 18a on the 12v rail. This one is older than the other PSU and has a 20 pin mobo connector instead of a 24 pin one.

I don't know, but maybe the PCI-E adapter is not enough for the x1800xt, and maybe the 20 pin connector is a problem for the 7600gt, or something else. I guess I can try switching the 7600gt into the other comp to see if there is a power problem.

Both PSUs are stable, tested with a multimeter, and both comps have undergone orthos stress test with no problems. There doesn't seem to be any stability issues.

The reason I believe it may be a PSU problem is because a couple of experiences.

A while ago I had a dying (but newer) PSU with a different 775 system. With the dying PSU, the computer would freeze and restart randomly, but I do not remember any sound issues. When I swapped that PSU temporarily with a friend's I remember having similar sound problems. The PSU I swapped it with was an older one with 26a on the 12v rail and only a 20 pin mobo connector, and I was using a PCI-E adapter for the card, which was an x1900xt.

Another time I switched a 939 system's (MSI nforce 4 board) PSU with an older one, and the onboard sound would not work at all. This system also had the dying PSU previously mentioned, and I do not know if the sound issue may be the result of damage from the PSU. I gave the board away to someone and never heard any complaints, though.

So does this sound like a power problem, or is there something that newer PSUs may have that older ones do not that I do not know about? Or something completely different?

I guess what I will do next is swap cards, and whether or not that works, buy a newer PSU, and if that fails I'll just get a couple of sound cards. If I find a solution I'll be sure to update in case anyone has similar problems.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Well this is interesting.

I tried the 7600gt with the beefier PSU, same thing, but of interest is that I tried an ancient POS lappy from from probably around 1998 with headphones and its speakers, and it seems to be the same. It is a POS lappy, so I will try someone else's comp to be sure. If results are the same, I will take the POS lappy or one of my comps to a friend's house and see how it goes there.

But it seems that unless somehow the ancient lappy, my two comps, and the other computer, depending on how it goes when I try it, all have the same problem, it does not seem that a specific hardware issue is the problem.

 

[wanderer27]

My only thoughts on this.

Try to uninstall and reinstall the sound drivers.

Are your speakers powered (external power supply)? If they are (as I suspect) you're most likely getting some interference on the power line to the speakers power supply - Refrigerator kicking on/off, light switch, Air Conditioner/Heater, Neighbors, etc.

I really suspect the above, but the Laptop experience is confusing the issue.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

The laptop is connected to an outlet without a battery if that means anything.

I think it may be a software/driver related problem, the scratchy sounds seem too consistent, and vary in different OS's. I was in ubuntu using Pidgin and the sounds came out scratchy, but in XP they don't. The laptop is old and is running windows 2000, using whatever drivers are in 2000. I also used a slip-streamed disc to install XP. Is it possible for a bad burn to somehow cause this? I remember my windows security center was messed up with one of my slip-streamed discs (missing graphics).

I have tried unisntalling/reinstalling drivers btw.