I recently had to send in my Digitakt 2 because the power connector was a bit loose. Now, I’m noticing some noise on the right channel when using in-ear monitors (IEMs). It doesn’t happen all the time, but occasionally the noise becomes more than just a light hum.
I’m not sure if this issue is related to the repair or if it was already present, as I hadn’t used IEMs with the Digitakt before sending it in.
I’ve read that similar issues can occur when using audio over USB, which I was also doing the first time the noise appeared. So I wanted to ask:
Has anyone else experienced this? Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
I really don’t want to send it in again. Is there a beta version that includes the latest slicing features, or do I have to wait for an official update?
If there’s any workaround, I’d love to hear about it.
Thanks in advance!
PS. I might add that it’s only with the IEMs on headphone out, not with other headphones or with the L/R out, and when I touch the connector the humming stops, so it must be some sort of ground loop right?
Before trying anything else and assuming that the IEMs go 1/8" to 1/4" via adapter (3.5mm up to 6.35mm), I would try a different adapter. Even if it works fine in everything else, it sounds to me like there’s a problem with your adapter rather than the digitakt but I’m just guessing based on the evidence you provided.
also:
I don’t understand this, is this an unrelated thought? Slicing is already available in the most recent official update which has been out for a month or two now, so no workarounds required, just visit the product support page on elektron.se and make sure your firmware is current.
Thanks, I will try this out, I have to get a new one though, but it could be the problem since the old plug is like 18 years old.
I mean if I would have to use some sort of beta to get rid of the noise/bug, as to how I read in other forums where people had similar issues, but the post were old so I wasn’t sure if I would have alle functions I’m now used to, if I would need to use a beta version for fixing the bug.
I think you’ll want to at least try a new adapter before considering this as a potential bug. The behavior of the main analog volume knob is linked to both the headphone output as well as the L/R main outs, so any sound you hear either right, left, or both, which is coming out of the headphone jack should be coming out of the main outs as well.
For the problem to be isolated to the headphone output either the jack itself has an issue, or something coming out of the jack has an issue. Assuming the headphones work fine in other stuff, the weakest link (and cheapest physical item to replace) would be the adapter. I think if the cost is $3 or whatever, then it’s definitely worth a try.
I would need you to show me specifically where someone says that this is a bug if I were to go down that route of troubleshooting, because if when you touch the connector the behavior is altered, that implies a physical issue.
Now the adapter is definitely in physical contact with the jack, so we can’t discount the possibility that the jack is at fault, but I would say that it’s more likely the headphone adapter is not properly grounding either the smaller plug which is inserted into it, or is not grounding the outside of it meaning it’s not seating properly into the headphone out.
I have one headphone adapter which behaves kind of sketchily and I should really separate it from the others in my kit because they all look the same, but with some gear it behaves oddly and others it doesn’t which is the only reason that I kept it, so to me that’s the first place I would want to cross off my list when trying to resolve this kind of issue and if it doesn’t help, move on to the next item.
That issue you linked (while definitely good thinking) had to do with the inputs so I don’t think that it’s related to your headphone output. Partly because the input itself is on a separate path into the mixer and it’s volume and behaviors are digitally controlled so are not inherently tied to the sound of the output, and then also partly because if they already fixed it several firmware versions ago (a year or longer ago) it’s unlikely to be the same issue now.
If you are currently using the Digitakt’s inputs and you didn’t mention it previously then we might need to reassess this, but I’m running under the assumption that you’re working with it standalone using headphones and that the mixer input is probably turned down to 0 and therefore you wouldn’t hear any static from there.
You never do know with this stuff, but the main indication that it’s a physical issue is that by completing the circuit (when you touch the adapter and it grounds through your body) the noise goes away, and I don’t think that any kind of software will reasonably impact that behavior.
At any rate, in the abstract, if it’s firmware related in the sense that it needs a code update to fix it then Elektron is going to be your only hope on this one so let’s cross that bridge when we come to it and also let’s hope for the best with the replacement piece.
Anyway, let me know what happens for you with the new 1/4" adapter.