Weird noise...

[UnworthyJobba]

I recently bought a Yamaha MM6 synthesiser (is that how you write it? ) and I have it connected to my mixer (behringer xenyx1002, pretty bad, I know) on a stereo channel, and the mixer is connected to a behringer UCA202 sound interface (again, pretty bad, I know ). Anyway, when I'm playing my synth without any programs running, the sound is just fine. However, when I open something that uses audio like Audition, Live, Reason, or even Myspace music or iTunes a strange noise appears, and it only goes away if I turn off my synth. This doesn't happen with any other instruments like the microphone or the clavinova piano. Here's how it sounds:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1895938/NOISE.wav

[Tifstorey]

Woah, warning to anyone else who might listen to that - don't turn up the volume too much! Those cymbals nearly made my ears bleed.

Have you tried connecting the synth directly to your 202? It's obviously interfering with any other audio running through the card. I couldn't tell you why i'm afraid, but hopefully someone might be able to give you some ideas.

[EdRyan]

That sounds potentially like an aliasing issue. I dont ahve speakers on the pc anymore.

Check that your hardware is on an identical sample rate, and that your software is also using the same rate. Ideally, it would be clocked to your external device as well.

Other normal/potential problem is when you have software and hardware monitoring going to the same output. This is effectively a feedback loop, and will introduce distortion accordingly.

[UnworthyJobba]

Originally Posted by EdRyan

That sounds potentially like an aliasing issue. I dont ahve speakers on the pc anymore.

Check that your hardware is on an identical sample rate, and that your software is also using the same rate. Ideally, it would be clocked to your external device as well.

Other normal/potential problem is when you have software and hardware monitoring going to the same output. This is effectively a feedback loop, and will introduce distortion accordingly.

It could be the last thing you mentioned, but the problem is it only happens with the synth, the noise isn't noticeable when it is turned off or when I use my other piano or the microphone.

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by UnworthyJobba

It could be the last thing you mentioned, but the problem is it only happens with the synth, the noise isn't noticeable when it is turned off or when I use my other piano or the microphone.

Random but could potentially be a loop on the midi cable or are you going via USB ?

[UnworthyJobba]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Random but could potentially be a loop on the midi cable or are you going via USB ?

I'm using USB, but the noise I'm talking about isn't from that, it comes from the actual audio cables

[JAYDMF]

Yeah just grounding rubbish dude. i get the same thing off my blofeld if i need to crank my inputs on the motu, just picking up low level crap that would normally be buried under the actual synth. i used to get this on my fa101 running from my old desktop, if i grounded it the sound dropped off a fair bit. but on a synth i doubt theres a way to ground

[UnworthyJobba]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Yeah just grounding rubbish dude. i get the same thing off my blofeld if i need to crank my inputs on the motu, just picking up low level crap that would normally be buried under the actual synth. i used to get this on my fa101 running from my old desktop, if i grounded it the sound dropped off a fair bit. but on a synth i doubt theres a way to ground

So what you're saying is that I'll have to live with this? :P

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by UnworthyJobba

So what you're saying is that I'll have to live with this? :P

Yup. pretty much. put your synth on a power conditioner or a good surge protector and you may find that it drops off significantly. i live in an old cottage and before it was rewired i used to get terrible noise on everything, guitar amp being the worst, sitting a good surge protector on the amp used to help loads (although it didnt kill it completely) all my studio gear is sat on belkin surge protectors atm apart from my tg33 and theres a huge difference in the noise level from the wall.

[UnworthyJobba]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Yup. pretty much. put your synth on a power conditioner or a good surge protector and you may find that it drops off significantly. i live in an old cottage and before it was rewired i used to get terrible noise on everything, guitar amp being the worst, sitting a good surge protector on the amp used to help loads (although it didnt kill it completely) all my studio gear is sat on belkin surge protectors atm apart from my tg33 and theres a huge difference in the noise level from the wall.

What I don't understand is how the noise only appears when there is something that produces audio on the PC... Maybe if I buy another sound card or audio interface the noise will disappear. Well, thanks for the help guys.

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by UnworthyJobba

What I don't understand is how the noise only appears when there is something that produces audio on the PC... Maybe if I buy another sound card or audio interface the noise will disappear. Well, thanks for the help guys.

Turn your pc speakers up loud enough and you'll hear the same noise when theres nothing playing out, people with laptops will notice this much more when plugged into speakers. probably some internal loop that makes it worse when other stuff is playing back.

[UnworthyJobba]

I've just found the solution... If I remove the USB Hub to which the synth is connected, the noise disappears! Who would've thought...