Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Grounding Issue with USB Audio Interface?

  • 02-11-2008 9:42pm
    #1
    ArmCandyBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 201 ✭✭


    I recently purchased a Behringer UCA202 for my laptop (Dell Inspiron) but I've discovered a low frequency hum which disappears whenever I touch one of the metal sockets on the box. That's a grounding issue, right?! Does anybody know how to get rid of it, other than by holding the box whenever I'm listening to music! Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    Soundman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    Hate to be so honest but most Behringer equipment has some sort of noise in it. Even their "Pro" gear is notorious for it's frying bacon sounds. The saying that a lot of people use in conjunction with Behringer is "You buy cheap you buy twice".


  • #3
    bnt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,076 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Often, it only happens if nothing is plugged in to that input, and goes away when you plug something in. If the noise persists, you might be too close to a transformer or a CRT monitor.

    Otherwise, if connecting two powered devices, one thing you can do is to watch out for ground loops: you should avoid using different AC sockets for the laptop and the other audio device. Plug them both in to the same wall sockets or power strip.

    Or, if you're recording from e.g. guitar, it might be a shielding problem - it's hard to say from here.

    You are the type of what the age is searching for, and what it is afraid it has found. I am so glad that you have never done anything, never carved a statue, or painted a picture, or produced anything outside of yourself! Life has been your art. You have set yourself to music. Your days are your sonnets.

    ―Oscar Wilde predicting Social Media, in The Picture of Dorian Gray



  • #4
    Fuzzy Clam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,293 ✭✭✭Fuzzy Clam


    Soundman wrote: »
    Hate to be so honest but most Behringer equipment has some sort of noise in it. Even their "Pro" gear is notorious for it's frying bacon sounds. The saying that a lot of people use in conjunction with Behringer is "You buy cheap you buy twice".

    I have 3 Behringer mixers (not USB) and find them all to be very quiet. Even used in high rf enviroments, Ive never a problem with them.


  • #5
    Soundman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    You've been lucky then.

    Though I have used their equipment only in Pro Live Audio scenarios. Not Good!


  • #6
    Overheal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,729 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Could be anything. When I was using a refurbished power supply for my laptop it turned out to be the source of some AWFUL emf.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    alansweeney100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 263 ✭✭alansweeney100


    If you've ruled out / solved the grounding issue, try using some clip-on ferrite beads, you can get them cheap on ebay.


  • #8
    ArmCandyBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 201 ✭✭ArmCandyBaby


    Cheers for all the help. In the end I wired up a plug with just the earth connected and attached it to one of the phono sockets. It seems to have worked but it's a **** ugly solution. A lesson to consider when buying cheap in future.


  • #9
    RichyX
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,221 ✭✭✭RichyX


    I have a set of reasonably good (€50) folding Sennheiser headphones that I use with my Dell Inspiron.
    Always seem to get a large amount of hiss that I don't notice when used with other equipment.

    Is it the fault of the laptop?
    Irritates the hell out of me, have to take them off whenever I'm not listening to anything.


  • #10
    ArmCandyBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 201 ✭✭ArmCandyBaby


    RichyX wrote: »
    I have a set of reasonably good (€50) folding Sennheiser headphones that I use with my Dell Inspiron.
    Always seem to get a large amount of hiss that I don't notice when used with other equipment.

    Is it the fault of the laptop?
    Irritates the hell out of me, have to take them off whenever I'm not listening to anything.

    Yeah if you didn't upgrade the soundcard when you were buying your laptop then I'd be certain that's it. The standard one is rubbish - I had the same problem with mine, that's the reason I bought the Behringer.


Advertisement