Are all 3.5mm AUX cables the same?

Comixbooks

Comixbooks

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Jun 7, 2008
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I bought a Monster 4 foot AUX and I'm using it for my Katana I ask because I hear a hissing sound at Max volume the one I had was a 12 year old Logitech cable for a old Speaker set I have. They had 8 foot cables and longer but I didn't need that from my monitor to my soundbar from the HDMI from my PS5.
 
They might be largely the same in terms of basic functionality but they would likely not be the same in terms of physical construction. Between different cables, the wire gauge could be different, there may or may not be shielding around the internal wires. The overall durability of the cable could be different (can it survive being run over by your desk chair? etc).

The cable itself would not generate any hiss. It could, however, pick up interference from surrounding objects (which could manifest itself as hiss). Avoid having the cable run parallel to other cables/wires, as that would make it MUCH more likely to pick up interference from that other cable/wire. Avoid having the cable get close to power transformers including small power bricks, USB chargers, etc. Keep the cable away from your monitor. If you can't avoid this sort of thing, then get a cable with good shielding. Longer cables are more likely to pick up interference, so don't use a cable that is longer than it needs to be (but still long enough to allow you to avoid sources of interference).

To a large extent, it's normal to hear hiss especially if you are turning an amp up to max volume. This is about SNR, which is the Signal to Noise Ratio. The "Signal" being the content that you are playing, and the "Noise" being background hiss. A higher SNR will result in less background hiss, but even if whatever you are using as your audio output has an amazing SNR, any interference that is picked up by the cable is effectively lowering that SNR back down. If you are using analog audio output from your monitor, then you are basically using a DAC within your monitor (an inherently noisy environment) and it probably has a pretty low SNR (not a stat most people look at when choosing a monitor). If you have an option to use an external DAC instead (typically very high SNR), I bet that you would eliminate almost all of the hiss.
 
GotNoRice said:
The cable itself would not generate any hiss.
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This may be nitpicking but cables are capable of causing hiss, hum, tick or other noise depending on their connection with the terminating equipment. I have lost weeks of my life from stress trying to figure out where noise was making it into my setups before, cables are certainly at fault sometimes. Especially signaling converter cables like XLR to 1/4".

Cable however as you said is not the OP's problem.
 
I figured it out I had both a USB-C for sound plugged it with the AUX 3.5 they were conflicting for some reason with my Sound blaster Katana V2. So I unplugged the USB-C since my PC already uses the 350DB Edifiers.
 
That_Sound_Guy said:
This may be nitpicking but cables are capable of causing hiss, hum, tick or other noise depending on their connection with the terminating equipment. I have lost weeks of my life from stress trying to figure out where noise was making it into my setups before, cables are certainly at fault sometimes. Especially signaling converter cables like XLR to 1/4".

Cable however as you said is not the OP's problem.
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XLR to 1/4" or RCA isn't a signaling converter, it's just converting the plug. there is no conversion to the signal, it's just straight wires crimped/soldered to the ends.
 
My 3,5mm jack cables not work the same. Some is for something not metal covered because if this happen this cable work like antenna and you can hear sounds like PSU, mouse scroll in your speakers :) To be satisfied you must use shelded cable.
 
jamexartrox said:
My 3,5mm jack cables not work the same. Some is for something not metal covered because if this happen this cable work like antenna and you can hear sounds like PSU, mouse scroll in your speakers :) To be satisfied you must use shelded cable.
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LOL <3

I remember back in the day...Using built-in, cheap motherboard soundcards I could hear interference from the CPU, and PSU. Never heard interference from the mouse scroll though, nor have I seen anyone mention that before. That's a new one ;)
 
LaCuNa said:
LOL <3

I remember back in the day...Using built-in, cheap motherboard soundcards I could hear interference from the CPU, and PSU. Never heard interference from the mouse scroll though, nor have I seen anyone mention that before. That's a new one ;)
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Yep, my old PC from 2005 with good MOBO not have any problems but my pc with mobo from 2011 or 12 have that problem. If i use speakers no problem but when i need to use cable to send sound to my guitar amp i hear that :)
I hope my new PC what I build today with aorus mobo had no problems. I made account to get help with fans but that sound problems had in 2019 i think. Now i use good cable and nothing bad happens.
 
one of my earliest optical mice when the led would pulse you could hear a clicking in the speakers on that old pc. Between that and on board audio consuming too much cpu that started me down the 'using soundcards/dacs' path i never left haha.
 
Darunion said:
one of my earliest optical mice when the led would pulse you could hear a clicking in the speakers on that old pc. Between that and on board audio consuming too much cpu that started me down the 'using soundcards/dacs' path i never left haha.
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My best mouse can be heard in speakers when connect to old PC but cheap mouse isn't :)
 
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