Just got a new AudioInterface, something really weird is happening..
my sound card arrived today, got a Lexicon Alpha sound card, (cheap, like 50pounds).
I’ve connected it by USB to my macbook pro, and and the sound card’s RCA line outputs to my krk speaker rca slots, and basically,
I have a second monitor, a DELL 21" screen, which i’ve connected my macbook pro with mini displayport to VGA, and when i drag say an internet page over to my 2nd display, my speakers start making a loud buzzing noise!?! im using google chrome, ive opened up a couple of tabs, one with youtube and then DJTT forums, theres no buzzing noise when im using my internet/apps on my macbookpro’s screen, but when i drag the page over to the dell screen it just starts buzzing, like really buzzing, ive just opened up logic, and was fine on my MBP, but when i dragged it over to the other screen buzzing noise started again, now what the heck is up with this?
Any help would be really welcome as i obviously plan on using my dell monitor, and will most likely always have logic open on there…
Is this maybe because i have connected my MacBook pro to my dell pc monitor with mini displayport to VGA, and its making a buzzing noise when i drag it to the pc screen because of the analog connection? Or is it literally because ive brought a £50 sound card? Will ir go away if I spend about £150 on a better one, like a Focusrite scarlett 2i2 or?
@SlvrDragon50 - Well it only makes buzzes when i drag stuff over to the dell monitor, and I’m only using it as a 2nd display so i can literally only just drag applications and anything from my macbook onto it, it doesnt make noise when i just move the mouse over to it, i just right-clicked and created a ‘new folder’ on the 2nd monitor and was fine no noise… i even just opened a new internet tab and dragged that over to the dell screen on its own, and it still produces loud buzzing noise from my monitors..
It says ‘designed by Apple California’ etc on the back. Lads, i’m really f*cking worried that maybe my macbook cant handle having the sound card, mouse, & mini displayport all plugged in at the same time? like and if I need to plug my MBP charger in too.. Will this not cause an explosion (your welome to laugh) or some electric shock maybe… Or even blow up my monitors and cause a really loud deafening bang/noise?
I dont know if this could happen it does worry me lol… When i just straight unplug the soundcard it does make a quite loud ‘pop’ noise, is this all normal? I’m going to take a picture or two of everything plugged in, and like my set up atm, is everything too close to one-n-other or…?
1: of the set up you can kind of see how everything is, close-ness wise.
2: the sound card USB, mouse USB,(which i will someimes unplug and connect maschine or my mid keyboard USB too), mini displayport, all plugged into my MBP.
3: behind my macbook the rca cables from soundcard to to speakers all hanging around, the soundcard usb cable and mouse cable.
Where did you buy the VGA adapter from? Most of the Chinese fakes have managed to copy the “designed by Apple” incredibly accurately and you wouldn’t really be able to tell from the outside if it’s a genuine one or not.
I use the StarTech Mini DisplayPort to VGA from Amazon which gets better reviews even than the one made by Apple and it has worked perfectly so far.
Is there any way you could switch certain components in your setup e.g. an alternative monitor, laptop, audio interface, or VGA adapter?
Its my dads, ill ask him asap. I was actually thinking of just buying a mdp to DVI adapter and a DVI cable instead, as my dell pc screen actually has a DVI input, i heard that DVI digital will give me a much better picture then the VGA analogue im currently using, true? Becasue whatever i drag onto the dell screen, does not look at all as good as my macbook display!
Back on, erm, what exactly do you mean by this mate? Like a ‘new/different’ laptop, monitor, cable, sound card? I cant afford too lol, i have 1 other sound card its a £20 thing i got with my behringer midi keyboard, its a behringer u-control uca222 or something, i could just see if using that still gets a buzzing noise when dragging stuf from MBP screen to dell screen…
DVI should definitely give you a better picture than VGA.
I’m just suggesting that if you have another computer, monitor etc. you could swap them into your setup to narrow down what’s causing the problem. The Behringer UCA222 would be a good start.
go ahead and grab yourself a power conditioner. i’ve been to some UK studios and discovered that the power is not as clean and constant as here in the states. Besides it is just a really good practice to use a power conditioner all the time. I recommend go ahead and make the speakers buzz, then just start moving wires, pushing stuff around, unplugging stuff, try to isolate the problem.
@makar1 - Okay im going to switch to DVI for visual quality. And try what @031999 said and get a power conditioner, < is just a more expensive better quality extention lead right? Becasue I have a power outlet with two plug sockets, and im using 3 extention leads (all have 4 sockets on). one going straight from 1 of the plug sockets, and thats got my two speakers, dell pc monitor and then my mbp charger all plugged into it, then the other plug socket has an extention lead plugged into it, which has just 2 turntables plugged into it, (will plug my other 2 turntables into that when i set them up) and then THAT extention lead, is being plugged into the 3rd extention lead, which has my xone 92 mixer, powered USB hub, traktor audio 10, and of course the 4th socket is taken up by the 2nd exten lead.
Is this bad? Two many plugs? maybe for starters i should get just 2 extention leads or 1 with enough sockets for everything?
I only have the 1st ext lead turned on when making music cos i only need my MP speakers etc, everything else is USB powered.
@Mojaxx - Okay, ive been hearing about ground loop a lot, should i get one of them (item you posted) to connect my soundcard and my speakers? The male RCA end into my soundcard and then connect another RCA cable to the female end and plug them into my speakers?
Thanks for your help guys. Going to rty usig different RCA cables and play with leads see if i can isolate the buzz as much as i can.
VGA is analogue whereas DVI is digital and allows the video card to control each pixel on the screen precisely. Upscaling has nothing to do with it, and does not increase quality itself.
Super, as long as you aren’t drawing too much current through either socket it should be fine. The number of things plugged in should not be causing the noise anyway. If you only have 1 lead turned on, it’s not likely to be a ground loop since everything has a common ground point.
Did using the UCA222 affect the noise problem at all?
@03199 - cheers, what exactly does this do? Like a more safe power outlet or?
@balakoth - what do you mean dude? I think my monitor has got VGA, HDMI & DVI inputs, using Mini DisplayPort to DVI would be pure digital and a much better picture quality then the VGA analogue I’m currently using?
@makar1 - going to test the uca222 soon as I’m back in the studio mate, will let you know as soon as
Okay, well my brother just so happened to get his new TV today, wel he thought it was a TV, it was actually a samsung led computor screen… LOL, anyway it happened to have RGB/VGA input, so i hooked it up to my macbook same way as before, and there is no buzzing noise at all when i drag stuff from the MBP to the samsung monitor…
Must be my dell monitor then? I would buy this screen from him, but it hasnt got DVI, and you also cant adjust the screen position, like tilt back/forward :S its already at a quite forward position so, ugh.
Must have to get a new screen then, problem solved me thinks, will see if problem still occurs when i put my old monitor back up.
Might be worth trying DVI through your Dell before you buy a new one. Even if you get a new monitor you’ll still want to use a better connection like DVI instead of VGA.
Right, hooked my dell monitor back up, buzzing noise came back. But, I used the VGA to VGA cable that came with my brothers samsung screen, and the noise was MUCH quieter, was still there but really was a lot less loud…
I’m thinking its the VGA cable that im using (was used for the dell monitor when it was downstairs for family)
So yeah, Im going to order a mini displayport to DVI adapter and a DVI cable, and try that, yep if i do need to get a new monitor at least ill have DVI.
one thing quick, the DVI bit on my dell monitor is like "poking out’ a bit, which leads me to think ill need to get a male to FEMALE dvi cable, and connect the female end to the dell screen? Or is DVI just like that? Will any DVI cable just slot into it?
