This audio problem is driving me insane. I can't take it anymore. :'(
 

I don't think there's a solution. I keep hearing this high-pitched whining/hissing sound. Some times it's when characters start speaking, other times it's completely quiet except that sound.

There's no pattern to it, it just comes and goes.

In every fansub I had this problem, it happens at the exact same time and in the same way - so it's the file. I've also just built a new computer recently. I haven't watched anime in a long time so I just started a fansub episode now and it's back! Yep, nothing changed. I tried my Pico amp/dac to bypass my X-Fi card, and no difference. Of course it's worse when I'm using my headphones as I can hear it even clearer.

The same sound is in DVDs and some iTunes TV episodes and movies, but not even close to the same degree as anime fansubs. Is it just that fansubs usually have low-quality sound?

I think I'll just stick to anime DVDs. Sigh. I'm not sure if that'll solve it though. Like I said I havne't watched anime anime, fansub or DVD, in a long time. Hopefully it's not a problem on DVDs.

BTW, I'm using media player classic, zoom player sometimes, and the latest cccp pack for Vista. I had the same setup under XP last time and had the same problem so I'm not sure if this will help.

Also, to give you an idea of the sound, it's probably higher than 16kHz:

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

The sound in certain fansubs is relatively high quality (AAC 5.1 surround), it depends what series you're watching.

You mentioned that you built a new computer recently - what components did you carry over from your old one? I'm also wondering if there isn't some sort of electrical interference causing issues. Do you happen to live near power lines or have any high-power devices around?

I started this thread after trying to watch Seirei no Moribito. I just clicked on a random episode, 17, to get an idea, and there was the sound. If you have that episode to to the 8 minute mark and listen for 6/7 seconds. The computer is completely new, I didn't carry anything over except the optical drive and the OS, Vista. It can't be an interference issue either as it only happens with select files and on the exact time. Everything else is fine. I think it's just my hearing. Maybe most people just can't hear those high-pitched sounds. This really sucks. :(

Oh and I also tried the sound through optical SPIDF and to a JVC SU-DH1, it's a Dolby Headphone adapter, and got the same result. There's no doubt about it, it's the file.

Open the file in a program with some kind of spectral analyzer (Adobe Audition comes to mind but there are several free alternatives, I think Nero's wave editor can do it) and look at the spectrum to see if there's any fishy things in the upper part of the spectrum. If there is, check roughly what frequency the noise seems to start at and note that down.

Then open the ffdshow audio decoder dialog, tick "FIR filter", select type "lowpass" and type in the cutoff frequency in the box. That will filter out everything above the given frequency. You could also just try doing this with a cutoff of, say, 15kHz or so and see if it helps, and lower the cutoff if it doesn't.

This of course assumes that you are using ffdshow as the audio decoder, but even if you aren't there are ways to load it into the playback chain.

Awesome! This worked. I edited in a new max frequency and the sound stopped.

Can you tell me how to display a file's audio frequency in Adobe Audition though? I downloaded the trial version and I'm completely lost. I'd like to see where each file peaks and such to get a better idea of what audio I'm cutting as opposed to going back and forth and reducing/increasing the frequency.

Thanks again for your help. :)

Edit: oh wow, it's... back? Editing the frequency max back to 48000 didn't bring the sound back in the video file I tested. I thought it was stuck or something. I brought it back to 15000 and tried a fansub, and it didn't work this time. With the fansub no matter what the frequency was the sound stayed there, I even tried it at 5000 and nothing changed. For what it's worth the high-frequency sound was different in the first video file I tested, it was a constant one, and it in the fansub it was going on and off and had different intensities.

Whatever, I'm tired of this.