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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

High pitched whine

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LittlejonnyLittlejonny Frets: 84
in Studio & Recording
At work I have a soundproof studio (it’s an Amadeus Boxy building) and in the control room there is a Mac, a Scarlett 18i20 and a digital desk (which is just a midi control surface) coming through Yamaha studio monitors. There is a high pitched squealing (a bit like tinnitus) when the audio interface is switched on. This persists throughout the day and gets worse when the desk is turned on. Does anyone here have the electrical knowledge to make a remote diagnosis so that I can try to clean up the sound? Many thanks
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Comments

  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2072
    Just checking but are you using balanced cables between your audio interface and your monitors?

    It's not a competition.
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7202
    Does it come through the recordings or just the monitors?
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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7236
    Can you power your monitors from a separate socket?  A power supply into a multi plug can introduce noise like this. 
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  • FezFez Frets: 472
    How far from Crawley are you it could be my son singing in the shower.
    Don't touch that dial.
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 9752
    Sounds like noise from a power supply, although the switching frequency is way above our hearing lower harmonics can filter in. 
    There's a few things that can make it worse. 

    Powered monitors set with too much gain, and then driven with too low an audio signal. Motorised faders on HUI type moving fader desks for writing automation. Things with sensitive pre amps (especially transformer coupled ) put too close to power supplies. 

    Grounding a large bit of baco foil and then smothering it over devices as they are running can prove a point


    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • LittlejonnyLittlejonny Frets: 84
    Thanks so much for all this help - I really didn’t expect this…

    I am using proper speaker cables - does that mean they are balanced?

    the speakers are plugged directly into sockets on the wall, as is all the gear

    i have the speaker amps up full - I’m probably driving too little signal into them

    I will experiment with different cables and different gain settings tomorrow
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2072


    ...I am using proper speaker cables - does that mean they are balanced?...



    There's some info at the link below:

    https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115005178585-What-is-the-difference-between-Balanced-and-Unbalanced-cables-

    It's not a competition.
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  • BodBod Frets: 1206
    Is it high-pitched whine plus static? 

    I get that if plugged directly into my PC.  If I use the hub in my monitor it's fine.  I believe it to be a ground loop of sorts
    Trading Feedback thread - https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59198/
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  • LittlejonnyLittlejonny Frets: 84
    stratman3142 said:


    ...I am using proper speaker cables - does that mean they are balanced?...



    There's some info at the link below:

    https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115005178585-What-is-the-difference-between-Balanced-and-Unbalanced-cables-

    Wow I’m such a dummy - I didn’t realise that balanced cables have to have tip, ring, sleeve…that’s what I always refer to as a stereo cable!

    the speakers are connected with ‘mono’ ie tip, sleeve cables…so I will replace them asap
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2072
    edited March 2023


    ...I am using proper speaker cables - does that mean they are balanced?...



    There's some info at the link below:

    https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115005178585-What-is-the-difference-between-Balanced-and-Unbalanced-cables-

    Wow I’m such a dummy - I didn’t realise that balanced cables have to have tip, ring, sleeve…that’s what I always refer to as a stereo cable!

    the speakers are connected with ‘mono’ ie tip, sleeve cables…so I will replace them asap
    Your powered monitors and your audio interface both need balanced ports for balanced cables to give improved rejection of interference noise. It would appear from the Focusrite info at the link that your interface has that.

    My audio interface has balanced outputs and I use it with Yamaha HS7 monitors which have balanced inputs, so I can use balanced cables. As you are also using Yamaha monitors, there's a good chance they'll have balanced inputs.
    It's not a competition.
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  • LittlejonnyLittlejonny Frets: 84
    Yes I think they’re HS7s…
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2072
    I can't guarantee that balanced cables will solve your problem, so hopefully you don't go to significant expense and it doesn't work. See link below.

    https://magroove.com/blog/en-us/balanced-cables/

    It's not a competition.
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  • LittlejonnyLittlejonny Frets: 84
    It worked!! Thank you so much!
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