Static noise in headphones

[Darkbound]

I have installed Linux Mint a few days ago and it runs 10 times better than windows on my Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro and I am planning to stick with it.

A problem that I have just discovered is that there is a static noise when I use my headphones and its not ignorable.

What could be the problem?

[jimallyn]

I have a couple of suggestions: first, if you don't already have pavucontrol installed, install it. Then go through the settings and see if there's something that could be causing the problem, like maybe the mic gain is turned way up, when you don't even have a mic attached to the computer. That sort of thing. Second, open a terminal and enter 'inxi -Fxz' (without the quotes). Copy and paste the output here. That will tell the experts a lot about your computer and may make it easier for the experts to help you.

[Darkbound]

I was not able to install pavucontrol. I only managed to clone the contents of its git but I could not install any of the requirements. PulseAudio archive was corrupted, gktmm non-existing webpage (the link on their website at least) and so on.

inxi -Fxz:

darkbound@darkbound ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: darkbound Kernel: 3.16.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.8.2)
Desktop: Cinnamon 2.6.11 Distro: Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaela
Machine: System: LENOVO product: 80HE version: Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro-1370
Mobo: LENOVO model: VIUU4 version: 31900058 WIN Bios: LENOVO version: A6CN49WW date: 03/14/2015
CPU: Dual core Intel Core M-5Y71 CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 5587.36
Clock Speeds: 1: 859.304 MHz 2: 1502.703 MHz 3: 1260.437 MHz 4: 800.023 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics bus-ID: 00:02.0
X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1920x1080@59.9hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Broadwell GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.1.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1: Intel Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Card-2: Intel Broadwell-U Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.16.0-38-generic
Network: Card: Broadcom BCM4352 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter driver: wl bus-ID: 01:00.0
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 256.1GB (35.5% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_MZNTE256 size: 256.1GB
Partition: ID: / size: 25G used: 6.1G (26%) fs: ext4
RAID: No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 181 Uptime: 13 min Memory: 696.2/7900.0MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.2
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.11) inxi: 1.9.17

[jimallyn]

Instead of trying to install pavucontrol from source code, why don't you just use Synaptic or Software Manager to install it from the repositories?

[1.618]

you could also look through alsamixer in terminal and check your levels in there, check to see if 'automute' is enabled

[Darkbound]

Could have been something temporary, now the static noise is gone (altho I did install pavucontrol from the Software Manager as you suggested) and I havent tried if it was still there before the installation but now it is gone.

[Pierre]

if it's not a usb headphones,
then the static could also be from the jack port itself.

[Darkbound]

I have found the problem.

I also have Windows installed. Whenever I boot into Windows and then I RESTART and boot into Linux I have this noise. Then if I SHUTDOWN Linux and boot directly into Linux the noise is gone. Going back and forth between Windows and Linux causes this problem.

[jimallyn]

My mother used to have Windows XP and Xandros Linux on her computer. If I would just restart into Linux instead of letting the computer shut down entirely before booting into Linux, there would be problems in Xandros (been a long time so I don't remember what problems exactly). I decided that Windows left the hardware in some funky configuration and only shutting down the computer completely would reset the hardware to normal.

[platosearwax]

I have found the problem.

I also have Windows installed. Whenever I boot into Windows and then I RESTART and boot into Linux I have this noise. Then if I SHUTDOWN Linux and boot directly into Linux the noise is gone. Going back and forth between Windows and Linux causes this problem.

YES!

A year later and I had to login to say thank you! I've been messing with my USB DAC for weeks (my regular headphone jack is loose and unstable) trying to figure out why it sometimes has static and going through hell getting rid of it. But I read this, immediately shut down the computer entirely, login again and perfect sound.

So thanks, this totally worked.

Edited to add: After further experimenting it seems like ANY reboot and the static is back, even a reboot from Mint to Mint. Shutting the computer down works every time though.

[jmmicmc]

Here is what the problem was for me. When I plugged in my phone to charge it via USB the background noise occurred. When I unplugged it the background noise went away. On my computer the front USB is right beside the speaker jack.

James