Friend's microphone snap crackles and pops

A friend recently has switched microphones, going from a table top microphone, now to a headset (mic + headphones).

All was gravy the first day she got it, chatted for hours with no problems.

That is till she logged in today, now whenever she talks her voice is full of snap crackle and pop! Now I don't know about you, but i'd like to not have my rice krispie's when I hear my friends talk.

But down to business, I can still HEAR her, it's very difficult over the snap and pops. She has told me she has made no software or hardware changes in the last 24 hours, so that rules it out. I have walked through with her, and everything in SL and in Windows is set correctly to allow her to talk, but the popping noises persist.

I'm not ready to rule out that her microphone could easily be shorting out, but she's owned it for 24 hours?

I don't know, any help would be much appreciated.

Sometimes the obvious is overlooked. Are the plugs all plugged in tight? The audio card properly seated? Has some appliance been placed close to the computer (like a fan or some other like object)? Maybe she's in an apartment and someone near her has a new something or other that they just bought and started using?

It would be so much better if the party having the problem would post instead of a proxy.

It's not as if the microphone needs a windscreen. It's actual POPS and SNAPS when she is talking, it's difficult to describe.

And while yes, it would be better if she were posting, but her computer knowledge is very low, so this is the situation we are in .

But neither of the possible causes are apparent in this situation.

I should also add that this is a laptop running XP, and again no hardware or software changes in the last 24hours.

could be the plug is too small or the jack is too loose

the standard size of a audio jack of that type these days is 1/8th of a inch + or -

if the jack is too small it will move more freely,... which leads me to guess # 2

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could be just a dirty contact in the laptop

as your bud moves around, and we all do even when trying to sit still, the round connection moves a bit

if theres dirt / corrosion inside the jack, snap crackle pop

what you could try is using a rolled up piece of tissue, dipped in rubbing alcohol, stick it in the jack and twist it around a few times in a circle ... i would recommend going the same direction as the twist, as to not get a piece of tissue stuck in there (alto its very unlikely)

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another thing to consider, a ton of laptops have their audio jacks conveniently placed near the battery connections and hard disk, both cause noise

those cause interference electrically, the longer wire going to the headset makes a better antenna

theres nothing you could do in that situation as a "regular user" but its electronically easy to filter out

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lastly it could just be a crappy headset, as the user moves the boom vibrates and causes it

ie if your fingers are dry, rub them together, nothing, now do the same right next to your ears ...

The audio jack is of correct size, we aren't trying to use a cell phone headset here. I already advised her to clean the mic jack. And we used it for HOURS the previous night with no problem, why would a battery and hdd noise interfere now? And the sound of those interfering with a microphone are not near as loud or as 'serious' as the sounds i am hearing.

The more I think about it, I'm leaning closer and closer to a short in the microphones wire.

Electrical noise is tranmitted just like a radio or television signal is transmitted. Anything close enough to your mic/headphone cable could be recieved as if it were your radio or TV. Snapping and popping are a common sounds of outside electrical interferrence........so is crackling. It could be an inadequately shielded cable on the headset. The source of the noise could be something other than the computer......like the fan I mentioned or the neighber with brand new heating pad for his aching back. A cell phone being charged on the shelf above the computer. Even the clock in the bedroom.

I would suggest trying a different headset. Try to find one with a shielded cable.....they have them for that very reason.