Ableton Forum

Hiya,
It's often mentioned on the apple forums that powerbook users get a static hiss coming from under the keyboard. If you have your energy saver settings at anything other than highest performance, the noise stops. Which is a big relief. But really highest performance is what you want for music apps like Live. Which is not a good combination: Music software, noise, and recording. Anybody got any ideas? Or alternative suggestions about why this is happening? It isn't the fans, that is a different noise. And no, I don't mean the hordes of screaming fans outside my window, I mean the ones in the powerbook itself.

What soundcard are you using? I get the same high pitched noise using the Firewire 410 on the latest drivers.....but not when using the Echo Indigo DJ.....

Hi Mammalux
It happens whether the soundcard is plugged in or not. But to answer your Q it's a Tascam US122.

i don't have that problem here with osx 10.3.9 with motu 828mk1...

i have noticed some noise on my powerbook as well recently and i got worried it was the harddrive or the computer over heating or something f that nature.

the Missus told me i was losing it. ha .

i am also using the 410.....maybe if i use the included power supply that noise will stop?

I have noticed this problem on my powerbook as well. (17" 1.67ghz, 1.5GB RAM). I first noticed the problem while running my soundcard at very small buffer sizes (Indigo DJ with a buffer of 32 samples) At that buffer size the sound was very pronounced. As I increased the buffer size, the sound got quieter and lower in pitch. At a buffersize of 512 samples the sound was hardly noticeable.
I dont know what's going on, but the sound it was making at 32 samples buffersize was a little distressing!
Has anyone else managed this problem in a similar way with a different sound card?

what sound card do you have?

like i said i had that and i use the maudio 410. i typically hear the sound where the vents are by the bottom of the screen. havent heard it in sometime however which makes me happy.