Teenage Engineering Field Device USB Noise

Kultschar · 2023-04-29T17:38:14.606Z

OP-1 Field and TX-6 user here.

Anybody getting USB noise when both USB cables are in use?

I started to get some noise out of nowhere and assumed it was the mixer - however it turned out to be whenever I have both hooked up to USB at the same time (Apple Mac).

The ground function on the Mixer slightly reduces it but does not eliminate the noise. I f I pull out either one of the Mixer USB or the OP-1F USB and it’s silent again.

I have only really just noticed it since I just started using the OP-1 Field USB for MIDI. My current solution is to unplug the Mixer USB since im using the main analogue output into my audio interface but it’s a little annoying as I like to have everything plugged in. I have tried diff USB ports and it seems to make little difference.

Would a hub with isolated ports solve this? I think I need one anyhow to expand my ports

MichaalHell · 2023-04-29T18:55:21.668Z

Is battery charge turned off on TX-6?

Tonemod · 2023-04-29T19:01:40.847Z

Not sure if this helps - the 1.4.5 OP-1F update introduced unacceptable usb noise in my setup. Reverting to 1.4.2 cleared things up.

Kultschar · 2023-04-29T19:05:24.531Z

Yes - tried that

Update - seems to be the OP-1F for sure

Update 2 - think both cause noise but OP-1F a lot more. Pain as no other MIDI input

Kultschar · 2023-04-29T19:05:54.284Z

I am still on 1.4.2

Will try the opposite and update to 1.4.5 haha

Edit: 1.4.5 - same I would say

Tonemod · 2023-04-29T19:28:48.445Z

Crappy, just throwing it out there. USB noise issues are always a pain to troubleshoot. Good luck.

natehorn · 2023-04-29T19:33:41.262Z

I’ve had issues with MacBook USB ports before - I think it was due to the unibody weirdly enough.

Have you tried cutting that out of the equation to rule it out? It sounds like it could be a grounding issue of some kind either way but I’m not familiar with the TE stuff specifically.

Kultschar · 2023-04-29T19:53:24.553Z

Good point. This is on my Mac Studio but will test on Macbook later when back home. Guess I should try unplugging other USB devices also

Kultschar · 2023-04-29T20:37:59.626Z

May I ask what you guys are running approx the main Mixer level at and OP-1F main Vol knob. Come to the conclusion im running things prob too hot regardless of the USB noise

KidYoshi · 2023-04-30T06:10:27.337Z

An audio isolator will solve this problem. It will be cheaper than a usb one. TE sells one but you can find them much cheaper elsewhere: https://teenage.engineering/store/ground-loop-noise-isolator