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27 Replies Last post: Nov 16, 2009 9:26 AM by Line6Miller   Go to original post 1 2 Previous Next
hwhalen Juststartin'
hwhalen
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15. Aug 11, 2009 3:05 PM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
Re: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Well, I'm not a Mac user but...

 

The issue appears to be USB device related.

This similiar kind of issue causes clicks and pops on USB audio devices in Windows OS on PCs.

 

On a PC, each USB controller can have several USB ports.

They share the controller, but the interrupts  (IRQ on PC) and memory address locations should not be shared with other devices.

On laptops, it is common to have the video driver share an interrupt with a USB port.

This is known to cause problems with USB sound devices connected to that USB port.

 

So...

 

Can you determine if the interrupt for the USB port is shared with another device? If you can and it is shared->

Can you choose a USB port that does not share any resources? If you can not->

Can you install an additional USB controller in the machine? If you can then->

 

I suggest you do that.

If not you need to find a way to ensure that the UX8 is the ONLY device on the USB port in question.

 

I have a Tablet PC on which the internal sound card is very noisy due to the Human Interface Device(HID) being an internal USB port  implementation.

 

If this does not make sense for a Mac user, then I apologise.

 

Good luck.

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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16. Aug 12, 2009 10:39 AM in response to: hwhalen
Re: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hi hwhalen:

 

Thanks for the help! Aprecciate all of your tips guys.

Leaving aside the hideous noise, my studio is a lot better now.

 

I tried taking away all USB hardware, leaving just the UX8, and the noise is there. Mac hardware is not that different now, so all what you said makes sense, but it seems that this noise is not really related to the USB circuit, since it only comes in when activating ToneDirect monitoring software, or audio software through the UX8. It doesn't get into the recordings, making me feel that the problem is due to some kind of interference between the computer and the monitoring system, after the recording phase. I tried powered speakers, and worked fine, I'm beginning to blame the independent "power amplifier-speakers monitoring system", but is a choice I've made since I want to use various kinds of monitors using the same amp in the future. Probably a choice most bigger studios would want, since some engineers like Genelec style monitors, others go to Yamaha NS10's, auratones, Tannoys... you know...

 

I'm guessing that the problem must be MacOS X related. Core Audio sample rate conversions, AD/DA converter software, something that kicks in during the launch of audio applications. I got system sounds, beeps, even finder played audio and vídeos through the UX8 without noise. Maybe I'm barking at the wrong tree, since Line6 didn't write that software, and makes sense that the MBox don't act since it uses their own audio processing software, instead of MacOS's.

 

Thanks for all the USB info though. Good to know.

 

Best!

Gonzalo

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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17. Nov 4, 2009 11:42 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
Re: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Any news on the awful noise? I've managed to get it very low "upgrading-rewiring" my studio, but it is still there, and is very annoying while mixing.

Does anyone got effectively rid of this noise? I need procedures, tips, or any kind of counsel. I plan to make my studio grow up, I need to have reliable equipment. Please!

 

Chalo

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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18. Nov 4, 2009 11:46 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hello,

 

  I still think this is a ground loop issue attributed to the way you have your gear set up. The only thing I can do at this point is offer to get the UX8 back to us here in California so we can have a look at it. Who knows, maybe you do have a hardware problem. Please let me know if you are willing to do this. You can call us directly at the number below to speak to our service department.

 

 

  (818)575-3600

 

 

  Please let me know if this answer has been helpful. Thanks.

 

 

  Line6Miller

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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19. Nov 4, 2009 12:26 PM in response to: Line6Miller
Re: RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hi Line6Miller:

Thanks for the swift reply! Nice!

 

I tried another brand new unit from the local dealer. Still got the noise. I live in Costa Rica, so sending the unit to california is not really worth it. By the way, my absence from the forum was because I went to the dealer with the problem. Nice support from them, they are called Bansbach, and they are doing a great job with the brand here. They gave me another unit to try, as well as a UX2 unit. I didn't get the noise from the UX2, but the UX8 "test" unit from the store still have it. I would like you to hear the sampled noise I've uploaded in the forum, because it doesn't seem like grounding noise, but I'm willing to try fixing a ground loop if you have procedures in order to do that (i'm willing to try anything, by the way). I'm pretty confident now that the unit is fine, and the problem is in my installation. My problem is that my installation is not very different from other user's I've read in other forums. I have a brand new AC grounded installation in my studio, but still have the old installation on the wall. I use a regulated UPS from UPC, in case you need to know. You might be on the right track on the ground loop, because I got some noise from the POD X3 Live as well, a completely different noise, but definitively a USB related noise, because it goes off when I unplug the USB from the unit. But I'm not an electrical engineer or anything like it. Any advice here would be nice.

 

Best!


Chalo

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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20. Nov 5, 2009 8:34 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hello,

 

  Where do you have the clip uploaded so I can hear it?

 

  Does this noise sound sort of like a high pitched squeak? Like a dog whistle?

 

 

  Line6Miller

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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21. Nov 5, 2009 8:40 AM in response to: Line6Miller
Re: RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hello:

 

Sorry, It's in the 8th instance (entry) in this forum. It's a cyclic kind of noise going together with a steady high pitched "dog whistle" kind.

 

Chalo

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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22. Nov 6, 2009 8:24 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

That sounds like an impedance issue. I've experienced it on our UX8 here when I plugged the outputs of the UX8 into our Bheringer mixer. I think it may be a compatibility issue somewhere along the way between these two devices.

 

  Have you tried removing the mixer from the equation and plugging your monitors directly into the outputs of the UX8?

 

 

  Line6Miller

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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23. Nov 9, 2009 8:16 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hello,

 

  Just following up to see if removing the mixer from the chain may have solved your problem.

 

 

  Line6Miller

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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24. Nov 9, 2009 12:33 PM in response to: Line6Miller
Re: RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hi Line6Miller:

Sorry for the delay. I took some time during the weekend to perform some tests.

I've ended removing everything from the signal chain but the UX8 and the computer.

Using my bose personal monitors (the computer kind, self powered) connected to the headphone out 1 from the UX8, still have the noise. A very low version, but is present. Same with the UX8 directly to the Power Amp.

The really odd thing about this is, using my studio headphones the noise is not present. It apparently happens with amplified gear. Even from the mixer, the headphones don't get the noise. You can try that with your system.

It leaks even with the volume of the Power Amp turned to "0" position.

 

Thanks!

 

Gonzalo

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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25. Nov 12, 2009 8:14 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hello,

 

  I can't reproduce this on my UX8 here in the office. One question though, you get this noise when using both the headphone outs and the analog outputs?

 

  Line6Miller

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GonzaloTrejos  
GonzaloTrejos
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26. Nov 12, 2009 4:56 PM in response to: Line6Miller
Re: RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Hi:

Yes, the noise is present but only in the amplified output. It doesn't get on the headphones.

Hope this information helps. I'm suspecting the iMac's sound system, the USB interface, or something around that even software related. The UX8 standalone as a mixer is clean, even using the beringher mixer, phantom power, an everything electrical I can think of going through it. I connected 3 microphones, two of them passive, one with phantom power, an electrocoustic guitar (made some hiss, but because it is a cheap guitar), an electric guitar, both my basses, all of them "live". No noise.

Then I connected the USB, started POD farm, and the noise kicked in.

 

Thanks a lot for your time. I'm getting a little desperate here.

 

Gonzalo

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Line6Miller Line6Support
Line6Miller
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27. Nov 16, 2009 9:26 AM in response to: GonzaloTrejos
RE: High Frecuency Noises from USB connection on UX8 and POD X3Live

Thanks for that information. That tells me that this could have somethign to do with the way the driver is working. The good news is that I have another end user located in Florida that is having the exact same problem as you are. I am going to try and get that unit back to us for further testing. If I discover anything I will let you know. Thanks.

 

 

  Line6Miller

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