Ableton Forum

i know this isn't specifically ableton related, but i don't know where to turn.

i just purchased two mackie MR5 studio monitors and have set them up but there is some noise....like a ghostly high frequency drone and a few scattered very high frequency, but relatively quiet clicks.

the audio is coming from an Edirol FA-66 interface via 2 balanced TRS to XLR cables. The interface is connected to my macbook pro via firewire.

the noise is not present in the monitors when i turn the interface off. also, i do not hear the noise in headphones connected to the interface's phones output.

a weird thing i've noticed is that in the split seconds when i'm opening/closing/switching through tabs in firefox the noise goes away.

please please, if anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it

This may sound really stupid, but I had a similar issue years ago and someone told me to try this and it worked! Not sure where you are based, but if the plug into your laptop power supply is earthed (in a three prong plug), opening the plug and removing the earth wire (disconnect and tape it) cold solve the issue. As I said, may sound stupid and may not work for you, but it did actually fix my issue.

Had this exact problem with my first laptop setup. Your getting a voltage interferance. Basically your electricity is coming through your speakers, more or less. A good way to test this is unplug your lappie, the noise should go away.

If so, you need this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HumX

Most power conditioners with not do the trick. That was my first try. Just make shure the Hum-X is in between the power cord of the laptop and the outlet.

Hope that helps

trevox wrote:This may sound really stupid, but I had a similar issue years ago and someone told me to try this and it worked! Not sure where you are based, but if the plug into your laptop power supply is earthed (in a three prong plug), opening the plug and removing the earth wire (disconnect and tape it) cold solve the issue. As I said, may sound stupid and may not work for you, but it did actually fix my issue.

yes!!! that totally worked! the macbook power cables come with a 2-prong adapter, so I put that on and the noise went away.

thank you so much!!

actually, i just noticed that there are still a few very faint clicks coming through, but most of the noise is gone. i guess i will indeed have to get that HumX thingy

Vector_Zero wrote:

trevox wrote:This may sound really stupid, but I had a similar issue years ago and someone told me to try this and it worked! Not sure where you are based, but if the plug into your laptop power supply is earthed (in a three prong plug), opening the plug and removing the earth wire (disconnect and tape it) cold solve the issue. As I said, may sound stupid and may not work for you, but it did actually fix my issue.

yes!!! that totally worked! the macbook power cables come with a 2-prong adapter, so I put that on and the noise went away.

thank you so much!!

No worries - guess it wasn't so stupid an idea after all!! Glad it worked.

Vector_Zero wrote:actually, i just noticed that there are still a few very faint clicks coming through, but most of the noise is gone. i guess i will indeed have to get that HumX thingy

Crap - I'll get my dunce cap back out of the bin