Loud buzzing noise through microphone

Question

Whenever I have my microphone plugged in, it makes this noise: https://vocaroo.com/i/s0w66Ay95zpG

While it is possible to hear my voice if I talk, it's almost impossible due to the noise. It's not my headset that's the problem (I've tried it on other devices with no issues), but it's an attitude one Tunguska 2.0. The microphone still somehow picks up some noise even when it's unplugged. The noise sounds like whenever you give a speaker power and then touch the jackstick(?), so I'm guessing it's a faulty soundcard somehow, but I may be wrong. I also have to re-plug my headset on every startup. I'm using the free version of Driver Booster by IObit, so it shouldn't be due to an outdated driver.

Thanks for any help in advance, just ask if there's any information you need.

EDIT

If I unplug the microphone jack and go into controlpanel>sound and open the properties of the microphone and turn on the "listen to this device" it still makes noise. It also doesn't disappear from the list of recording devices whenever I unplug it. It's a relatively recent problem, it just sort of happened. I'll try to find another microphone to test with.

EDIT

Well, while I don't have another microphone with a jack to test with, I did plug a ruined USB headset in, and there were no problems with the mic. It doesn't matter whether I plug my microphone in from the front or the back, as long as it's a jack it'll make noise. It also seems like the buzzing is something it lays on top/beneath any other mic input since my mic does pick up my voice, though it's very difficult to make out.

EDIT

There are times where the microphone simply doesn't register in controlpanel>sound.

EDIT

Well, I decided to open up my pc and see if I could figure something out, even with my meagre pc experience, and found that I don't have a sound card, but instead just the motherboard. My motherboard is a good, like, 5-6 years at this point, so I'll just be getting a new pc, since majority of my parts are just as old. Thanks for the help, I'm guessing it's the motherboard being faulty do to use.

Solution

I'm guessing you are in Europe, or some country/region that uses 50Hz AC power. That sounds like 50Hz hum, also known as "ground loop hum". I'm in the US where we use 60Hz AC so our ground loop hum sounds slightly higher pitched.

Ground loop hum is a very common symptom of faulty analog audio connections, and is usually an indication that a little AC current is leaking from one audio device to another over the analog audio cables. This often happens if the two devices are grounded differently, causing there to be a voltage difference between the ground levels of the two devices, causing some current to leak from one device to the other via the grounded shielding of the audio cable. Because analog audio levels are measured relative to ground, if your ground levels are oscillating at 50Hz (due to AC current leakage over the grounded shield), you will hear a 50Hz buzz in your audio.

So there's definitely a physical/hardware problem in your system somewhere, but it's hard to know exactly what the problem is without opening up your PC and your headset and connecting a multimeter to check out what's going on.

By the way, it's not uncommon to hear a faint 50Hz hum when listening to an analog audio input with nothing plugged in. That's usually an indication that the analog audio input circuitry is inductively picking up some 50Hz electromagnetic interference (EMI) from your power supply.

Comments

[Dave]

The microphone still somehow picks up some noise even when it's unplugged.... What does that mean? Are you saying with out the mic plugged in, when you press record you still hear noise?

[Dave]

It does seem like a sound card issue. They are very cheap. That is the easiest way to test it, buy one and see. Unless it is in warranty.

[Aulis Ronkainen]

Is it possible for you to try another microphone/headset if it has the same problem?

[Matias]

If I unplug the microphone jack and go into controlpanel>sound and open the properties of the microphone and turn on the "listen to this device" it still makes noise. It also doesn't disappear from the list of recording devices whenever I unplug it. It's a relatively recent problem, it just sort of happened. I'll try to find another microphone to test with.

[Matias]

Well, while I don't have another microphone with a jack to test with, I did plug a ruined USB headset in, and there were no problems with the mic. It doesn't matter whether I plug my microphone in from the front or the back, as long as it's a jack it'll make noise. It also seems like the buzzing is something it lays on top/beneath any other mic input since my mic does pick up my voice, though it's very difficult to make out.