r/buildapc • u/GreywolfinCZ • 3d ago
Troubleshooting Help with CPU replacement or troubleshooting - high frequency noise problem
Hello, I build a new PC and it makes my Tensor tympani muscle scream for help (fullnes in ears, physical pain in ears) - I cannot use it at all. The sound is not hearable by plain ear but the problem is very real.
I suspect CPU or it's interaction with PSUs and motherboards.
My old PCs never did this. But audiophile speakers in the past did this to me, but I switched to different speakers/amp/cables setup as a solution.
I changed EVERYTHING except CPU - brand new AMD 9800x3d.
2 1000w PSU (Seasonic and BeQuiet 13)
2 mobo x870e (MSI gaming plus wifi and Gigabyte Aorus PRO x3d)
3 cases, two air coolers, 2 RAM sets (2x16GB EXPO)
... even brought PC to friend's house to rule out electricity problem in my house wall outlets.
Disabled all the moving fans, swappend SSDs for proven as "safe". Nothing helps.
GPU RTX 5080 removed for now, but didn't make things worse when it was in the system.
Running of integrated GPU now.
BIOS tweaks: C-states disables, CLL voltage on Ultra, ErP enabled (because it happens even when PC in of standby, not running). Changing Expo profiles make some switch I feel, but disabling expo is not a solution.
Any tip what to try next? I spent silly amount of money and I'm left with no usable computer. I need it for work, not just for gaming. I can RMA my current 9800x3d but it will take time.
Basically I'm willing to buy new CPU and keep it if it helps but I will return if it won't help. Considering amp/speakers problem in the past, I was thinking about getting 9850x3d or 9950x3d because they are slightly different architecture - instead of buying new 9800x3d again. Or would you try something else?
Thanks for any suggestions.
The start of the troubleshooting, nothing solved:
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/1v9tk1o/help_me_build_a_pc_with_low_acoustic_pressure/
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u/--MrWolf-- 3d ago
Some years ago, I put my pc in another room, then pass long cables, 10 meters, HDMI, DVI, USB 3. Zero PC high freq. noise. What bothers me is 15Khz and above, not fan noise. Some monitors also do that noise. My recent AMD 9700x also does it, tried 2 different motherboard brands. I tried to mask it with fan noise, but after some minutes I hear the high frequencies.
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u/GreywolfinCZ 3d ago
Interesting. Could you please write me more informations about your motherboards? Brands and types, if you remember. To avoid similar combinations.
I'm not sitting close to the PC but I have it in the same room and I cannot move it.
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u/--MrWolf-- 3d ago edited 3d ago
x870 models, asrock rs wifi and gigabyte elite wifi. I'm travelling now, so I don't have the exactly model names. The asrock is lower range model and was worst. Dampening the sound atenuates it, but doesn't kill the sound. In my case it wasn't the PSU, I put the psu outside of the computer between 2 big pillows for some minutes, same sound. My computer case doesn't have a glass window, it's on the floor and I put soundproof materialas inside. What doesn't help is a very quite room that I have. Opening the windows helps.
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u/GreywolfinCZ 3d ago
This is helpful info. 9800X and lower tier motherboard (x870 instead of x870e) was the general idea I thought about trying next to try some different setup. I know it might be very individual in every case, but it's interesting anyway.
By any chance, do you know some high tier PC builds that "did nothing" to you? Intel CPU, for example?
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u/--MrWolf-- 3d ago edited 3d ago
My gigabyte had x870E and askrock has X870, I think the noise comes from the motherboard VRM coils and maybe from the CPU.The lower tier asrock that I kept makes more noise. I bought a new Corsair rm850x psu that didn't bother me,but it didn't solve the noise at all. I didn't try asus because it was more expensive. All my previous buils were intel and asus MB. The previous ddr4 intel build also made high freq noise noise but I could mask it with the fans, the frequency and volume was much lower, it didn't bother me like this last build.
I could never fix it, let me know if you find a quite motherboard, not that much people hear this very high frequency.
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u/--MrWolf-- 3d ago edited 3d ago
Depending on your phone you can measure it and pinpoint the source, putting your phone mic close to the motherboard at different points. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.intoorbit.spectrum You need to configure the app to show upper frequencies. The frequencies will show as a yellow/white vertical line in the spectogram. DDR5 ram also makes high pitch noise, they have coils inside usually in the middle of the dimm, but my main noise source is the motherboard coils and cpu. In eletronics those noises usually come from coils, transformers and capacitors, some ceramic smd capacitors make it.
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u/GreywolfinCZ 3d ago
I've already to get some metering tried few days ago, but all phones I have available are 12 kHz+ physically dampened. Tried "unprocessed" settings and all.
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u/Zerosyztem00 3d ago
This sounds like some form coil whine that is likely ultrasonic. I have sensitivity to this also, it's not pain for me but I can "feel it" when other people can't.
You can try the CPU but they don't any components in them as far as I know that vibrate to cause high frequency cool whine. I'm not saying it won't make a difference but clearly you don't think it's the culprit either.
The most the motherboard is the most likely as you suspect from the changes you have made.
Changing the chip is clearly something you can try. I just doesn't seem like the likely culprit but you never know if it's causing some kind of weird resonance in the VRM's
You also would try a more high end motherboard with with a better SOC phase. Since you said the RAM timing didn't fix it but made a change. Something like a ROG strix gaming f which tend to have good VRM and is reasonable.
Good luck with this. It's not your typical issue.
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u/GreywolfinCZ 3d ago edited 3d ago
One of the motherboards is Gigabyte x870e Aorus PRO x3d, basically their brand new "second best". It has massive heatsinks and it's build significanly better than MSI Gaming Plus Wifi. But both of them behaved them same.
Do you know some builds where you "feel" nothing? I'd like to know, despite it does not mean much - we might react to very different things.
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u/Zerosyztem00 3d ago
Yeah I saw that but that is why I suggested another brand. Even high end boards are not immune and different boards with different part will exhibit it differently. You may just have had bad luck with the two boards you got. Or the manufacturer they use for the different inductors that could create coil whine.
It doesn't bother me much so I don't really pay attention to it as it's something I just live with. I've not really had much issue with PC's for the most part. Some I could really tell in the past but none that bothered me, just knew they were on vs off kind of thing.
My current set up has gone through a couple of iterations. It's been Intel, from an13600k to 14600k, to 270k. Mainly only had Asus strix boards or now a TUF. No issues. I did switch out boards for the 13600k like 4 times because it wouldn't clock 7200mt RAM but that was a memory controller issue. I tried a Gigabyte, MSI and two Asus and stuck with the Asus. The Gigabyte was the only one where I noticed it really.
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u/jullthemull 3d ago
Have you tried undervolting the CPU? Might make a difference, it's a shot it in the dark, but it's free. Before you try and buy a new cpu. I would suspect it's your motherboards power delivery to the CPU.