Noise problem!!!

Hey guys.

I have a serious problem. I just bought new laptop to play with at my gigs (i play in small clubs now). I am using classic Traktor -> external sound card -> external mix setup (no Midi controllers yet). The problem is, when the laptop is connected to electric power there is significant noise coming out of the master volume. Of course it dissapears once i switch to battery mode in my laptop and disconect the main power.


Is there any solution that can ofset the noise?

I have M-Audio fast track pro external soundcard. Interesting thing to notice is, i have never experienced this problem in such extent in my old setting with desktop computer.

Does anybody have some experience in dealing with such a problem?
Can somebody help me with an advice?

you need a ground loop isolator

alternatively you can live life on the edge and snap the ground pin off your laptop AC adaptor. I picked up a ground loop isolator from my local JB Hifi in Australia for about $30 - in the car audio department, the guy knew exactly what i wanted when i said ground loop isolator.

It's basically a little box that has Stereo RCA in and out and you run it in line on your sound cables.

EDIT: here's the exact one i have.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5/stingerst7120sv1.jpg

yup that will do the trick, i dont believe its "youre" setup but the club where you are playing at that cause this issue.

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Originally Posted by JesC

yup that will do the trick, i dont believe its "youre" setup but the club where you are playing at that cause this issue.

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bah, no. It's the same in club and at home.

Thanks for the info, but do I have to get 2 isolators? one for each Cinch cable coming out of sound card to mixer? or will it work when i isolate the "master"? thats just a bugget question . Anyhow i will buy just one for starters and then experiment with it...

should only need one between your master out and the amp/speakers.
this one i have has those brown wires coming out of it, they are for grounding on your mixer - but it was not necessary for me, just the RCA inline box eliminated ALL noise.

I also live in Australia and was looking for a decent ground loop isolator so I might head over to JB. Does this effect sound quality in anyway??

Heres a question for you guys. What is the best way to connect some pa speakers using an xlr connection, to an audio 8. Keep in mind the ground effect.

direct box. get a rca to 1/4 stereo adaptor, put it into the direct box and plug the XLR in.

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Originally Posted by shedg

I also live in Australia and was looking for a decent ground loop isolator so I might head over to JB. Does this effect sound quality in anyway??

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Not from what I can hear, I originally purchased it for a small club gig for my mates birthday and it went down without a hitch.
btw, you have a mad Psy scene up there in Cairns :D

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Originally Posted by luv2xra

Heres a question for you guys. What is the best way to connect some pa speakers using an xlr connection, to an audio 8. Keep in mind the ground effect.

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I don't know much about XLR connections but when i was researching ground loop information i'm pretty sure i read that one of the pins in the XLR cables is a ground pin. Perhaps you can eliminate the problem at that point somehow.
If your laptop doesn't make the noise when the AC adaptor is removed you could still eliminate the ground on its power. This is considered somewhat dangerous though as the metal chassis of the laptop won't be grounded and there is risk of electrical shock.

I also read it's possible to eliminate ground in a USB cable of a soundcard so maybe that's possible for firewire too.

Start googling! :)

EDIT: or what djalexlaine suggested above, but i was assuming you wanted to maintain the single XLR connection.

Thanks for the help everybody, I have the same configuration djalexaine suggested and others. Somehow, I feel this forum is the ultimate word, when it comes to audio opinions.

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Originally Posted by Wuz

Not from what I can hear, I originally purchased it for a small club gig for my mates birthday and it went down without a hitch.
btw, you have a mad Psy scene up there in Cairns :D

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Ok I might give it one a try. Yeah the psy scene up here is huge. Big raves every weekend out at the beaches. Im trying to push the fidget/electro, but theres no chance at the raves. So Im always in the clubs.