APC40 creating high pitched noise

[Sly One]

Akai told me this was "not an indication of a hardware defect ... [it is] functioning within normal specifications".

So it's pretty standard.

[Tone Deft]

you're telling me what I hear in my own studio? no, Akai told you to piss off and stop bugging them about it.

obviously some people hear it, others don't. read the thread FFS.

[drissa]

This forum makes a similar noise to my APC40...

Decided to investigate further. I'm getting a 'noise cycle' like this -

1. Switch on = annoying 'whine' some people are complaining about
2. Launch Live = whine stops after a set opens, leaving less annoying 'hiss'. This is still a little hard on my ears, but more like the kind of sound you might expect from cheaper electrical gear
3. Quit Live = APC40 becomes silent (as if powered down)

Would be interested to hear if this fits with other experiences, for those with the noise issue.

I'm glad the more piercing noise isn't there when this thing is engaged. I can still imagine careful mixing suffering a bit from the operational noise - there is definitely that 'ahhhh - silence' sound after it powers down, like a CPU/drive fan powering down. But if I can figure out a good workflow, I might let the little bugger live.

[Tone Deft]

LOL @ forum noise.^

in hindsight there's a good possibility that some people don't hear the whine because our hearing cuts out lower than other people. we should mic up our APCs and post at what frequency the whine is.

if that's true then they should put an age on the APC box "ages 35 and up"

[jbone1313]

This forum makes a similar noise to my APC40...

Decided to investigate further. I'm getting a 'noise cycle' like this -

1. Switch on = annoying 'whine' some people are complaining about
2. Launch Live = whine stops after a set opens, leaving less annoying 'hiss'. This is still a little hard on my ears, but more like the kind of sound you might expect from cheaper electrical gear
3. Quit Live = APC40 becomes silent (as if powered down)

Would be interested to hear if this fits with other experiences, for those with the noise issue.

I'm glad the more piercing noise isn't there when this thing is engaged. I can still imagine careful mixing suffering a bit from the operational noise - there is definitely that 'ahhhh - silence' sound after it powers down, like a CPU/drive fan powering down. But if I can figure out a good workflow, I might let the little bugger live.

That's exactly how mine works. (I decided to keep it, BTW.)

I exchanged it a second time, and the third unit I've had makes the noise too. The demo unit at the shop also made the noise.

I've learned to live with it.

I'll bet all of the units make the noise, and some people are more sensitive than others. I can actually hear the high pitched noise emitted from some iPhone app which is supposed to annoy kids. (I'm 29). So, I'm prolly in the sensitive group.

[B-S]

got same noise on my unit. Cant get how this could pass QA tests. Akai people are deaf or what?

telling "it is not an indication of a hardware defect ... [it is] functioning within normal specifications" is just lame excuse. If they would say we had to make bigger profit so we put cheap shitty electronics inside, then it would be fair

[toxictobi]

Decided to investigate further. I'm getting a 'noise cycle' like this -

1. Switch on = annoying 'whine' some people are complaining about
2. Launch Live = whine stops after a set opens, leaving less annoying 'hiss'. This is still a little hard on my ears, but more like the kind of sound you might expect from cheaper electrical gear
3. Quit Live = APC40 becomes silent (as if powered down)

Would be interested to hear if this fits with other experiences, for those with the noise issue.

I'm glad the more piercing noise isn't there when this thing is engaged. I can still imagine careful mixing suffering a bit from the operational noise - there is definitely that 'ahhhh - silence' sound after it powers down, like a CPU/drive fan powering down. But if I can figure out a good workflow, I might let the little bugger live.

yepp, that´s exactly what mine did!
and the noise was also completely gone if there was one row of 8 stopped clips(1 per track) in the button-matrix.
So I wanted to exchange the apc40, went to the store and checked three other models including the floor-model; they all made the same sound as you describe in 1.
o.k., reading the serials they all seemed to be out of one batch...
I decided to take the Maschine instead, and to wait a few months, maybe gettin one from a new batch apcs.
If this new unit will have the same issue, I think I´ll have to get used it, because working with the apc40 (the the three days I had it) was like a charm & I really miss working like that...

[rutgermuller]

I can hear the noise and it's pretty annoying! Do they all hiss?!

[Hermanus]

well mine doesn't hiss right now, it need some rest
sorry for this kiddy joke.

As I often use my headphones, the noise doesn't bother me.
And I really have to stick my ear right on the device to hear it.

This whole thread is devilish, everyone enjoyed the bastard and then we all have read this thread and our minds started their silly favorite job.

But seriously now THE QUESTION IS

is the apc20 involved with the high pitched noise???????

[flippo]

fuck, I've had it for months and only noticed it when I read this thread!! DAMN YOU!!!!

[vicz]

It's Akai's way of telling you you are too young to use an APC http://www.habitek.co.uk/mosquito-youth ... -2010.html

[Tone Deft]

It's Akai's way of telling you you are too young to use an APC http://www.habitek.co.uk/mosquito-youth ... -2010.html

interesting idea, but nope, I stuck a mic up to mine and didn't see any high pitched sounds in Spectrum.

some do, some don't. after 9 pages I'm amazed people are still asking.

[Mindfields]

Suprised they are asking?!

I have had mine exchanged 3 times!
it the same noise. It is really annoing!
today i went in here, hoping to see a reply that said that there had come a new properly built revision.
but i guess not.


I think this will be my first, and last akai product.

but i have come up with a slight workaround!

it seems that the noise is loudest when a new live set is open!, meaning the aapc does not have any light one
if i disable one of the return tracks in ableton (to make sure no sound comes out of it), and when turn alle tracks up to maximum on that send on the apc. MAking all the knobs for that section light up, then the noise almost disappears, and it not annoing anymore!
just 2-3 of the knobs LED ring's has to be turned on for it to disappear

[Hermanus]

Come on ease everybody, this thread is not a masturbating feature.

I go with Tone Deft on this.
THe so called noise only bother some anxious minds.

Those who compose and play music don't have to focus on such a tiny detail, they happily use their apc40.
I wonder if some users are composing with volume set to -inf.
the only way to hear such a ridiculous noise

[Tone Deft]

actually my stance is that people can't yell at each other to tell them what's going on in the other guy's studio. if I don't hear it yelling at me won't change that. if someone else is hearing it yelling at them won't fix it.

some units are doing this, others aren't.