[Solved] Ground/USB noise with my Sub37

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

I’m not understanding what’s happening… I have ground/USB noise/whine on the track my Sub37 is connected to.

I have a fairly complex setup. A Xone 96 with my synth and gear plugged in. The Xone goes to a UCX RME pair of audio inputs, and the UCX is connected via USB to the computer.

Now, only on the Sub37 track do I get this annoying noise. Even when it is not connected via USB to the computer. All other tracks, synths (a M, OB6, Nord Drum 3P, Syntrx, Digitakt) are clean. I tries turning everything OFF but the Sub37, Xone and UCX, I still get the noise.

I tried using another input pair on the Xone for the Sub37, same. So it’s not coming from the Xone channel.

Any idea? Would their be a ground/earth issue with the Sub37?

#2

It sounds more like a fault with the sub37 if as you say you don’t have any noise on other channels and the noise is still there when you plug into a different channel.

#3

Indeed. But still, I just tried and when the computer is OFF, there is no noise. The synth still makes sound because the UCX works standalone.

#4

I thought you said the noise was there with the usb cable disconnected at the computer end? I which case it wouldn’t matter if the computer is on or off?

#5

Sounds obvious but start at the xzone with a pair of headphones if poss. Unplug everything and start with just the sub37 plugged in. Can you hear noise in the headphones? If not then plug the xzone into whatever comes next in the chain then finally the computer checking as you go. Process of elimination

#6

That’s what I’d think as well, but it’s like that: Computer ON and USB disconnected, I get the noise, computer OFF, I don’t… That’s what I really don’t get.

Even if I disconnect the active USB hub from the computer, and only the UCX is connected via USB to the computer (directly, not through the hub), the noise is still there.

So I’d think the noise comes from the UCX. But not, because it only happens on the channel of the Sub37… :confused:

#7

Yeah I’ll have to do that. I don’t have the courage right now to dismantle everything but I’m afraid I can’t avoid it…

For now, bypassing the UCX entirely, headphones plugged into the Xone, I get the noise, same as before, only on the Sub37 track…

Hey, thanks for the support!

#8

Where in the world are you? I’m just wondering if you’ve got a grounding issue. Do you know you’ve got a good earth? Computers can Introduce a lot of noise into any ground/earth wiring

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#9

Berlin Germany. I have a ground, is it good, no idea.

Having the headphones plugged into the Xone, no sound goes through the UCX, but if I disconnect the USB cable going into the UCX, the noise is gone. Meaning that the noise definitely comes from the computer through that USB cable, and travels through the audio cables.

The mystery is, why only on the track of the Sub37…

#10

Could also be a loose connection.

It might be good to to a fresh disconnect/reconnect. Plus a wipe down of all the connections.

Sometimes a cable works itself loose, or dust/corrosion makes some small interference.

Edit. Also I got a usb with ferrite cores. Might help.

#11

I suspect the sub37 is the only thing you’ve got going into the xzone with a direct earth connection. Stuff fed by wall warts/external PSU’s is inherently isolated from mains earth wiring. If that’s the case you could try a Di box with ground lift between the sub and the xzone input.

If the above conditions are met you could well have a ground loop problem

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#12

Check you are using unbalanced jacks on the sub. If you are using balanced cable then there is a non terminated earth in your sub.

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#13

Is everything - including your computer - connected to the same power outlet? If not - try that.

#14

The Xone itself, and the OB6 also have a direct earth connection.

I’m using unbalanced jacks for the Sub37 also.

I might try a USB cable with ferrite cores.

And yes, everything’s connected to a single power outlet.

Damn! :slight_smile:

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#15

This is a good idea… even just a new usb might help, since they usually go bad before audio cables.

Plus, this is a good thing, you got a problem and now you got some solutions… it will get fixed eventually. All of these are good suggestions.

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#16

There’s got to be something going on with the sub tho as you say, every other channel is silent which would discount the usb cable itself otherwise there would be noise on all channels? Can’t see a ferrite sorting that out?

#17

I like the positive stance, thanks! :pray:

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#18

As others have said check your audio cables too. I take it you’ve tried different cables on different channels with the sub too?

#19

That’s what I also think. Nonetheless, I’ll try a ferrite USB cable, got to get one, just in case…

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#20

I hadn’t but now I have. Took the audio cables plugged into the M, plugged one (output of Sub37 is mono) into the Sub37 and the noise was there.

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