Audacity adds a high-pitch noise to playback [SOLVED]

[sizemore]

Hello;

Brand new computer. I had Windows 7 installed, rather than 8 or 10. 16 GB RAM, i7 processor. System sounds all setup normal. Windows Media Player plays all sounds beautifully. Youtube and other sound sources all sound great.

Downloaded Audacity 2.1.0.

Made a bass guitar riff in my DAW (.wav).

That file plays beautifully in Windows Media Player. That same file plays beautifully on my old computer, in Audacity 2.0.5.

On this new computer, Audacity 2.1.0 adds a high-pitched noise to playback of that file.

Uninstalled, then installed 2.0.5. Same high-pitch noise occurs upon playback.

I looked at Audacity preferences --- saw nothing unusual to effect playback.

Please help.

thanks

[Gale Andrews]

What version of Windows does the new computer run? I could not follow that from what you wrote.

What is the make and model number of the new computer?

What device are you using for Audacity playback on the new computer? USB headphones? Built-in speakers?

Have you been to Windows Sound, Playback tab, selected Properties for the sound device you are using and turned off all the sound effects? The sound card may also have a control panel in the Windows Control Panel. Turn off sound effects there too.

Gale

[sizemore]

(1) New Computer: Windows 7; Dell Precision 3620 desktop workstation

(2) old computer (on which Audacity always worked perfectly) was Windows XP

(3) Playing back sounds on the same external set of speakers I have always used on my old computer --- all audio sounds wonderful on the new computer, except when I playback from Audacity

(4) I have not specifically checked anything regarding "sound effects". I will check that, as you have advised, when I return home this evening.

Any other thoughts?

thanks

[sizemore]

Ok, I checked the new computer. The only "sound effect" that was active was the "Windows sound" upon startup. I deactivated that.

Audacity is still adding the high-pitched noise to all bass sounds.

All other audio sources sound perfect on this computer: my DAW, Windows Media Player, Youtube, SoundCloud, plus several other websites where I have my music posted.

Audacity has been an important component of my music-creation process for a long time --- I hope this issue can be resolved.

thanks

[steve]

Does the high pitch noise only happen when there is loud bass?

[kozikowski]

Make it do it's noise thing and then slowly reduce the volume with the Audacity playback slider. Does the high-pitched sound follow you down? If your machine doesn't follow the slider in real time (mine does), stop and start several times at different volume settings. Are they equally noisy just at different volumes?

Fire up the Personal Recorder on your cellphone and see if you can capture any of it.

Koz

[sizemore]

Yes, I slowly reduce the volume, and the high-pitch noise reduces volume in the same proportion as the bass sound.

I have a pretty high-quality 12-sec audio-recording of this issue. small mp3 file.

I will try to attach it here. If that doesn't work, I can email it to anyone who believes they can help resolve the issue. If it's necessary, I'll convert it to mp3 or any other format --- just let me know.

thanks

[steve]

Has this fixed the problem?

Bass Sounds.mp3

(482.78 KiB) Downloaded 54 times

[sizemore]

No, Steve, there has been no solution. If you listen to the audio file attached to my previous post, you will clearly hear a bass sound PLUS a high-pitch noise. That was a recording of a bass phrase wav file being played back by Audacity on my new computer.

On my new computer, I created that bass phrase without any high-pitch noise. When I play back that wav file thru Windows Media Player or my DAW (on the new computer), or thru Audacity on my old computer, or thru any other source, the high-pitch noise is not there.

When I play back that wav file thru Audacity (2.1.0 or 2.0.5) on my new computer, the high-pitch noise is there. Therefore, that high-pitch noise was somehow added by Audacity.

Therefore, I am seeking help to resolve this unacceptable issue.

thanks

[Gale Andrews]

No, Steve, there has been no solution. If you listen to the audio file attached to my previous post, you will clearly hear a bass sound PLUS a high-pitch noise. That was a recording of a bass phrase wav file being played back by Audacity on my new computer.

On my new computer, I created that bass phrase without any high-pitch noise.

How exactly are you creating that phrase? Is it a recording or a synth?

When I play back that wav file thru Windows Media Player or my DAW (on the new computer), or thru Audacity on my old computer, or thru any other source, the high-pitch noise is not there.

When I play back that wav file thru Audacity (2.1.0 or 2.0.5) on my new computer, the high-pitch noise is there. Therefore, that high-pitch noise was somehow added by Audacity.

Audacity does not add real-time effects while playing. So the more obvious conclusion is that the difference is your new computer's built-in sound device, assuming you connect the external speakers to audio out of the computer.

Or are you using a USB sound card to connect the speakers to?

Are you connecting the speakers to the same sound card when you use Audacity as when you use Windows Media Player?

Audacity 2.1.0 isn't even the current Audacity version. I suggest you download Audacity 2.1.2 (EXE installer) from us at http://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/. Half way through the installation, tick (check) the box "Reset Preferences". Launch Audacity and confirm you want to reset Preferences. Then we will know what Audacity settings you have.


Gale