P2715Q, AC511 Soundbar makes permanent noise

Hi EvgenyD,

Thanks for posting.  Apologies that your speakers are not performing as expected.

What computer are you using?  Have you tried plugging in the speakers to another computer?  Are you plugging them into the computer or the monitor?  Are you using an extension cable or the one supplied with it?  What audio software are you using?

If you still require assistance and the system is under warranty, you may contact me privately. Be sure to include your personal information (name, address, telephone, email) and your computer's service tag number in your message. Thanks.

If there is no warranty, then you could contact our Out of Warranty team to get a quote for a paid service request. 

Motherboard MSI Z370M Gaming Pro AC
Processor Intel i5-8600t
RAM 16Gb (2x8) Crucial Ballistix Elite
Windows 10 x64 v 1809 b 17763.529

Dual Realtek® ALC1220 Codec

Realtek Audio software.

Intel Audio software for display. Comes with my DELL P2715Q monitor.

My soundbar has only 1 integrated USB cord.

I tried to connect to monitor's and system unit's USB 2 and 3.1 ports.

* Is the noise heard while playing music or when not playing music, or both?
* Set the PC volume to 50%
* Turn the AC511 Soundbar volume knob down to 0%. Do you hear the noise?
* Start playing music. Turn the AC511 Soundbar volume knob up. Do you hear the noise and the music?

The noise heard while playing music AND when not playing music.
The noise is permanent.
The noise is not dependent of   volume level.

In fact, this problem has been known for a long time. I am very sorry that I did not read the reviews before buying this sound speakers.
Now all the friends tell me that I hurried with the choice.
Dell's Soundbars always made a noise.

Have you tested the audio output from the computer through the speaker out jack and not the usb with another device?  Is the noise present through the jack?

If you still require assistance and the system is under warranty, you may contact me privately. Be sure to include your personal information (name, address, telephone, email) and your computer's service tag number in your message. Thanks.

If there is no warranty, then you could contact our Out of Warranty team to get a quote for a paid service request. 

My Pc have no problems with sound ports.
I have tasted AC511 SoundBar with 3 different PCs.
Result is the same.
I hear the noise after several second from connecting to any USB (2.0 or 3.1) port.
It means that it is strongly Soundbar's problem.
I have already sent you my warranry information.

Hi EvgenyD,

Unfortunately I'm unable to locate your computer's service tag with the information you sent.  Could you please provide the Service Tag, and Model of Computer?  (ie: Indpiron, XPS, and the model number like xps 9570)  Thanks.

Why do you ask me about PC's service tag? I have no Pc's service tag. All my PC it not DELL products. I have bought from DELL the AC511 Soundbar. It has 1 year warranty. You have my AC511 serial number.

I have found three different AC511 Soundbars and all of them makes noise.

I see the DELL produces low-quality AC511 soundbars for years.

If DELL does not help me to solve this problem soon, I'll have to buy other speakers (HP NQ576AA) and attach them to the monitor with screws.

Yesterday I bought another Dell AC511 speakers and they had white noise too.
SerialNo CN-0MN008-71623-859-4268
Mfg Date May.Two thousand eighteen
REV A06

In my opinion, in all these speakers there is a mass production defect: when connected to the system (for any type of USB 2.x or 3.(x) they make an irritating white noise. I bought some sound bars and put everything back in the shops. I lost more than a month testing this! I should have read the special forums before buying AC511. In my opinion, this is a mass production defect. Dell considers this noise normal, as "the level of this noise meets the requirements imposed by DELL to the manufacturer of these speakers"! In my opinion, this is generally a monstrously unscrupulous position DELL. I have never seen such ugliness anywhere! I will never buy any more Dell equipment.

In the end, I decided to buy other speakers for my monitor.
I bought a HP LCD Speaker bar NQ576aa.
This sound bar has no background noise and is better controlled.
I had to make my own adapter for mounting the sound bar.
Now the sound bar's issue is solved. I glued the adapter to the monitor and **bleep** the speakers to the adapter. This design looks very good!
In addition to other benefits, the HP speaker bar only has an amplifier, and uses a quality DAC from my motherboard with a signal/noise parameter of 115 dB.
The AC511 has a low quality DAC with a signal/noise parameter of 85 dB.
I would show a photo, but it is impossible to attach a picture in this DELL technical support system. It is too difficult for DELL to implement such an outstanding technical capability at this site.

"it is impossible to attach a picture"

How to post a picture in the body of your reply

* In the body, move the cursor below text to a new line
* Click the Photos icon


* Click Choose Files
* Navigate to the picture saved on your Windows desktop
* Click the picture
* Click Open
* Click Done
* The picture now shows where your cursor was placed previously

DELL-Chris M

I used to try this way to publish a photo but I did not succeed with a few attempts.
Now it looks like I was able to attach a photo.
I must apologize to DELL.

For what its worth I have a AC511 connected to a Dell Inspiron 3847 desktop PC. I definitely hear a faint what I would call digital noise or data noise coming from the PC through the AC511. Its most likely when the hard drive is busy that I hear it more pronounced. Since the AC511 uses a USB connection for powering and audio data connection. I suspect its a issue with the AC511 electronics that is not filtering out this properly. You could try a ferrite core like those little barrels on a PC power source. They can help with noise which is why notebook power supplies have them on their cables. 

Thank you for your answer!

You're probably very close to the truth.
I had a choice. One is to split the USB cable into two wires and use a noise filter. The second is to use known quality HP soundbar and only make a mount adapter.
The first option is not guaranteed in advance the desired result.
I chose the second.

In addition, DELL has not solved the problem with the AC511 soundbar for years, so I decided to pay HP which deserved the fee.

Hi,

I got the same problem (constant white noise when connecting the soundbar to the computer using USB), and I accidentally found a solution.

SHORT ANSWER:
Plug a dummy jack connector into the headset socket in the soundbar. The white noise "magically" disappears. You still get sound out of the sound bar, just without the white noise.

LONG ANSWER:

I noticed that inserting a jack connector into any of the jack sockets (on the left side) did have an effect on the white noise. In one of the sockets half inserting the jack connector cancelled the white noise, while fully inserting the connector had the white noise back. Might have to do with static electricity within the bar.

Before this, I had tried to use only the jack socket (without USB). The bar played sound but the volumen knot was not working, as it seems to be digital and not analogic. That was a no-no for me and I had already requested a return when I accidentally found the solution.

* Worth noting *
My computer is a Mac Mini. I don't think it makes a difference in this case, but I cannot tell for sure.

* Important *
In my case the OS recognized the bar only when I plugged the USB connector directly to the computer, not when connected to the screen's USB switch.

I hope it helps.