Studio Gremlins / Patchbay Issues?

HBIII · 2023-08-28T02:16:28.768Z

So today I hooked up my new moog minitaur and installed the editor. Everything seemed to be going fine but sometimes when I changed the preset on the editor I would get crackling sounds out of the minitaur for the first 5 or so seconds when I played the new preset. While this was happening turning the knobs on the minitaur would also cause crackling.

I was getting ready to send support an email when I bumped the patch cable in my patchbay that was connecting the minitaur to my interface (a samson s-patch plus) and noticed it caused crackling when I wiggled the cable. So I thought it was a bad cable… but a cable tester tested it as good (even with wiggling), and a different cable in the patchbay also caused crackling when I wiggled it.

So now I thought it was an issue with my patchbay (ugh). But then when I plugged the original cable back in there was no more crackling when I wiggled it. And the minitaur hasn’t crackled again since…

So what was the issue here? Any ideas? I thought maybe a poor cable connection to the patchbay, but I can wiggle the cable like a mother now and there is no crackling… and why would changing the preset with a mouse click cause it? I’m thinking wtf lol.

HoldMyBeer · 2023-08-28T02:48:26.667Z

This is a tricky one, since it was more prominent when you were changing patches. I would suggest, that if it comes back again, to remove the patchbay from the equation to rule that out and go from there. Also, if you have been using unbalanced cables, then try balanced, or vice versa.

I’ve had some weird Gremlins pop up with a few Hosa cables in the past year or two. Been replacing them with other brands since.

obscurerobot · 2023-08-28T03:13:11.292Z

Are you using TRS cables in a TS patch bay?

HBIII · 2023-08-28T03:31:30.344Z

Nope, I’m using trs cables in a trs patchbay. Unbalanced equipment is connected to the back with ts cables and the interface can automatically detect this (since it grounds the ring all the way through the chain of cables). Never had any issues with anything doing it this way.

DMR · 2023-08-28T18:46:14.552Z

Is your Minitaur connected to your computer via USB? If so I would try removing it and changing the patch via front panel and seeing if you still have the same issue.

g3o2 · 2023-08-29T00:16:58.096Z

Look! This wasn’t here! There was nothing here! There was a space, and there was a building or something with flames coming out of it, and creatures riding around and they were growling and snarling! And there were flames! And I heard a voice say Zuul! It was right here!

image1280×523 98.5 KB

knobgoblin · 2023-08-29T03:10:02.791Z

Sometimes static can build up in the patchbay. Plugging and unplugging several times usually does the trick

HBIII · 2023-08-29T06:54:53.578Z

It was connected to USB at the time, if it starts acting up again I will try this. That was my very first thought too, that maybe it was some sort of weird USB ground loop or something, but it didn’t quite behave that way (like why would cable wiggling effect it?). Maybe @knobgoblin is right and it was some sort of static buildup causing things to go haywire…