Hi, I’ve been struggling with USB noise for a while. I have a little from most of my synths (thinking of switching back to midi din cables, even though it doubles the cables to have in and out for each), but when I plugin my digi boxes to a powered USB hub into my Push 3 for overbridge there is a lot of noise (also tried direct to computer via ordinary USB hub and same sound). Using a gate (in AH+FX or Ableton Live) doesn’t really help as you can hear it when the sound comes in.
I just tried using the iDefenderPlusAA Ground Loop Isolator, as well as the iSilencer+ by iFi after hearing them recommended to isolate USB ground loops and noise. I tried the iDefender first at the end of my USB hub going into the Push 3, hoping that I would need to spend $60 for every synth I have but it amplified the noise instead of the reducing it. The same when I attached it to the USB cable from a synth going into the hub.
I returned that and tried the iSilencer between the Push 3 and my computer but it also didn’t help. I’ve been trying to gain stage my signal chain carefully as that makes a difference, and be careful that multiple compressors or saturation isn’t amplifying the noise.
My signal chain is:
- Multiple synths and drum machines including DTII and ST
- Midi goes into powered USB hub, into Push 3
- All audio goes into Octopre audio interface -> Push 3 -> Octatrack -> Analog Heat + FX -> monitors
I could maybe do a better job of separating audio and electric cables.
All music equipment is plugged into one electric socket, via a Furman Power Conditioner, computer and lights on a separate electric socket.
Has anyone else here been able to fix this issue? There is always a degree of noise floor in every studio, but this high pitch frequency is driving me mad!
You may have already done this, but you should try the same set up with a different computer even if it’s not suitable for recording and confirm that the issue isn’t with your PC. Also, trying different cables is always a good sanity check.
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You try putting that iDefender/iSilencer on the Octopre audio interface?
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While I don’t own either (I do have a Push 3) I have dealt with a lot of USB related noise. You’re dealing with a ground loop somewhere and bad news - USB attracts noise and electrical interference very easily. In my case putting one of these in line resolved the issue. In my case it was the Waldorf Iridium making noise, a not cheap piece of gear. Thankfully it only sends MIDI info via USB, so even though the isolator worked great I went to DIN MIDI.
It depends on how much trial and error you want to do to get USB to work. In my case it wound up being more of a pain in the ass than it was worth, and as soon as I see some USB noise I just plug in the DIN MIDI and see if that solves it (and it almost always does). You can try plugging in to different USB ports, isolators, power plugs and see what combination works - but you still might not be able to fix it if your computer’s internal USB bus is what’s at fault.
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I haven’t tried that yet, just searched and found an ADAT port isolator. I may have to try that.
I don’t mention that I also have synths and some Eurorack going into a TE TX-6, into the interface, and I know that euro rack, hot signals can be an issue, and I think the little mixer could also be a culprit. Thanks for all your replies. We’ll have to unplug and isolate and maybe go back to MIDI DIN cables.
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Are you using balanced audio cables (TRS) wherever possible?
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I’m curious if you have int to main (internal to mains) selected in the elektron menu settings? If you have audio going to the mains still, can you try changing the output to USB only just to see if the noise gets better or worse? Is it worse plugged into the wall directly than it is into the Furman?
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If every single piece of gear has interference even when isolated from the other devices there’s something wrong with your electrical wiring. If not I’d start by trying out each device “soloed” (all other devices not plugged in) to check which are exhibiting noise and which aren’t.
Also remove any and all other electrical appliances from the same mains. Especially lights and lamps can cause all kinds of things if they’re being powered from the same source as audio.
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Thanks, in which elektron box?
I think you would want to verify with both of them. I’m just thinking if you only require audio out of the USB right now, even if there’s nothing plugged into the analog outputs, it would be good to eliminate that as a suspect.
The only impact will be the physical headphone jack and main outputs will be disabled in favor of the USB audio only, and you can always change it back.
Otherwise, the other suggestions about testing everything discretely is a pretty labored process but will likely be the most certain path to finding the largest contributor to the noise. If the noise is better when plugged into the Furman, it starts to point at dirty power / ground loops etc.
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Ok that’s helpful. I’ll start eliminating when I have time and report back.
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