That damn hiss and static

- ask away
miniKAT
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

That damn hiss and static

Post by miniKAT »

This is an old problem that I'm sure a lot of peeps have battled. I'm battling it right now. Would really appreciate some advice.

I get a relatively loud hiss in my speakers at louder volumes. Also faint static when turning up channels 2 and 3. Static is more prominent when mix volume is turned up (obv). Its also more prominent in the headphones. It cam also sometimes be heard duringa quieter part of a track thats playing, when there's less sounds or no bass.

Has anyone encountered this? Does grounding help this, if so what should I ground to, or how?

Thanx
Last edited by miniKAT on Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
prussell
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 444
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:55 pm
Location: detroit
Contact:

Post by prussell »

please detail your entire signal path, otherwise, we're just guessing (could be many different causes).
i.e., what speakers, mixer(s), sources, soundcard/interface, cables, etc, you're using....and how they are all hooked up, and in what order.
miniKAT
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Post by miniKAT »

prussell wrote:please detail your entire signal path, otherwise, we're just guessing (could be many different causes).
i.e., what speakers, mixer(s), sources, soundcard/interface, cables, etc, you're using....and how they are all hooked up, and in what order.
Ok, sorry, wanted to see if anyone was gonna lend a hand before getting into all that.

I have 2 decks(no ground wires) going into Xone 4d using XLR to go to KRK monitors and a hi-quality (gold-tips) USB cable going to the comp and digital out to a reciever. Also a Kontrol49 and APC40 going to the comp, but doubt that has anything to do with it.

Like I said the hiss and static is much more prominent on channel 2 and 3 and when the mixer is set to soundcard, same when set to phono.

Any Ideas?
User avatar
Pettro
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:16 pm
Location: Mexico

Post by Pettro »

Any grounded cable can make the noise. Mine was the one from the laptop.
I get rid of it and it fix it.
miniKAT
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Post by miniKAT »

Pettro wrote:Any grounded cable can make the noise. Mine was the one from the laptop.
I get rid of it and it fix it.
Well, right now nothing is grounded, I mean I dont even know what to ground. The xone has a ground plug or rather a metal screw, but what do I ground to it? The decks dont have ground cables.

or are u saying I shouldnt ground anything?
User avatar
Pettro
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:16 pm
Location: Mexico

Post by Pettro »

I'm talking about the third middle pin that sometimes comes with power cables. The longer one...I got rid of that one to fix my hiss.
miniKAT
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Post by miniKAT »

Pettro wrote:I'm talking about the third middle pin that sometimes comes with power cables. The longer one...I got rid of that one to fix my hiss.
Yea I heard about that, hmm. I use a desktop at home and I mean theres a lot of power cords in the whole set-up, I dont think I'm gonna start yanking out the ground pin on all of them.

Any other ideas?
ekwipt
mnml mmbr
mnml mmbr
Posts: 124
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:25 am

Post by ekwipt »

Have you tried unplugging your laptop power supple and run it straight from the battery? Most laptops have poorly grounded supllies.

I live in Australia so you cut simply cut the third pin from the supple otherwise your set for a big bang, fuzzy hair and smoke poaring out of your ears.

I bought one of these and fixed it fixed my problem. My setup: PC laptop, NI Audio 8 soundcard USB, running audio into a AH Xone 92, out into a stereo amp and into stereo speakers.

There's still a little bit of hiss, but it minimally caused by the laptop rather than the build up of all the electrical components, running digital to anaolg to digital multiple times.

http://www.belkin.com/au/IWCatProductPa ... _Id=418487

http://www.belkin.com/images/product/F5 ... L014au.jpg
Post Reply