Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops at DVinfo.net

Josh Bass · May 5th, 2013, 01:57 PM

Hey guys. Not too long ago got a sound devices 302 off ebay. Checked it out when it first came, seemed like everything worked flawlessly. Used it once to help with some music recording, no issues. Was using it today and while monitoring the recording devices (a Tascam DR07) through headphones, kept hearing these little "crackle" or "pops". Thought it might be the rubbery stuff on the headphones. . .nope. . .I was actually seeing it on the mixer's meters. Thought it might be interference on the Sennheiser G2 lav I had hooked up to the mixer. . .nope, still saw the pops registering on the mixer's meters. Finally, unplugged/turned off everything except the mixer. . .it was the mixer itself! I had nothing hooked up to it, but I could still see the meter registering the little random clicks/pops. So it was something inside the mixer? Then I turned it off, and when I turned it back on, it stopped doing that.

Anyone ever heard of this? This is the first time it's done this to me. Battery light was green (using AAs).

Warren Kawamoto · May 5th, 2013, 02:26 PM

Have you tried turning the input gain knobs one by one to see if that was the source of your pops? Those pots could be dirty and may be the first culprit.

Jeffery Magat · May 5th, 2013, 03:13 PM

Can we hear it?

Did you try changing the batteries?

Allan Black · May 5th, 2013, 04:40 PM

If all else fails, contact Sound Devices support they're very helpful ..

Support | Sound Devices, LLC

Cheers.

Rick Reineke · May 5th, 2013, 04:46 PM

Likely will need to be sent to the mother ship for repair.
Move the trim and faders to hear if that changes.

Josh Bass · May 5th, 2013, 07:13 PM

Damn. That sounds like the issue. I had adjusted the coarse trim before recording. Although just to be clear, this popping was AFTER i had made my adjustments. I was not touching the knobs at the time. Man...i dont wanna nuffin to the mothership. That sounds expensive.

Melvin Baggs · May 5th, 2013, 08:09 PM

Praying that my SD 442 does not experience those or any other problems which was also purchased through ebay.

Rick Reineke · May 6th, 2013, 11:01 AM

I would call SD Josh.
I vaguely recall those symptoms being reported on a 302 at another forum.

Josh Bass · May 8th, 2013, 12:06 AM

Thanks. Just emailed their support. Like all the best problems, I could not recreate it. When it happened that time I mentioned above, I turned it off and back on, and it was gone. I did some recording and every time I checked the headphones (couldn't wear 'em all the time cause I was acting in this thing) I didn't hear it. Even tried screwing with all the channels' coarse gain pots. . .nuttin. It's like the first act of a horror film for sound guys where nobody believes the ghost is real.

Ty Ford · May 8th, 2013, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Damn. That sounds like the issue. I had adjusted the coarse trim before recording. Although just to be clear, this popping was AFTER i had made my adjustments. I was not touching the knobs at the time. Man...i dont wanna nuffin to the mothership. That sounds expensive.

Josh,

What's expensive is not being able to use broken gear (if it is broken). Sound Devices, as a company, is one of the best out there for service. I own a 442 and a 744T and have known them almost since they started. Do yourself a favor, reach out to them TODAY and get back on track.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Josh Bass · May 10th, 2013, 01:11 AM

Ok, this may well have (surprise!) been pilot error. Looks like I had the inputs on channels 2 and 3 which weren't being used at all switched to phantom power instead of DYN. SD folks said that might have done it.

Ty Ford · May 10th, 2013, 06:31 AM

Josh,

Thanks for bothering to return with that info. I'm sure others will also find it helpful!

Who'da thunk it.

Regards,

Ty Ford

James Kuhn · May 10th, 2013, 07:59 AM

Josh, et al...Thanks! I haven't had any 'issues' with my SD-302, but I didn't know SD recommends leaving 'unused' channels switched to 'DYN' position rather then 'Phantom +48 vdc'. That is now part of my "switch-list".

Ty..."Who'da thunk it?" Indeed!

Best regards,

J.

Josh Bass · May 10th, 2013, 08:49 AM

No problem. It's not FOR SURE that that's the issue. . .but it very well could be. Hopefully. I guess I'll know if it happens again and the unused channels are on DYN!

Allan Black · May 10th, 2013, 04:24 PM

First time I've heard of that one. Try Googling around eg: ..

SD 302 Phantom Power Crackling Sounds - Equipment - JWSOUNDGROUP

Cheers.

May 5th, 2013, 01:57 PM	#1
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Hey guys. Not too long ago got a sound devices 302 off ebay. Checked it out when it first came, seemed like everything worked flawlessly. Used it once to help with some music recording, no issues. Was using it today and while monitoring the recording devices (a Tascam DR07) through headphones, kept hearing these little "crackle" or "pops". Thought it might be the rubbery stuff on the headphones. . .nope. . .I was actually seeing it on the mixer's meters. Thought it might be interference on the Sennheiser G2 lav I had hooked up to the mixer. . .nope, still saw the pops registering on the mixer's meters. Finally, unplugged/turned off everything except the mixer. . .it was the mixer itself! I had nothing hooked up to it, but I could still see the meter registering the little random clicks/pops. So it was something inside the mixer? Then I turned it off, and when I turned it back on, it stopped doing that. Anyone ever heard of this? This is the first time it's done this to me. Battery light was green (using AAs). __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 5th, 2013, 02:26 PM	#2
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Have you tried turning the input gain knobs one by one to see if that was the source of your pops? Those pots could be dirty and may be the first culprit.

May 5th, 2013, 03:13 PM	#3
Jeffery Magat Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 186	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Can we hear it? Did you try changing the batteries?

May 5th, 2013, 04:40 PM	#4
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,937	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops If all else fails, contact Sound Devices support they're very helpful .. Support \| Sound Devices, LLC Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

May 5th, 2013, 04:46 PM	#5
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Likely will need to be sent to the mother ship for repair. Move the trim and faders to hear if that changes.

May 5th, 2013, 07:13 PM	#6
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Damn. That sounds like the issue. I had adjusted the coarse trim before recording. Although just to be clear, this popping was AFTER i had made my adjustments. I was not touching the knobs at the time. Man...i dont wanna nuffin to the mothership. That sounds expensive. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 5th, 2013, 08:09 PM	#7
Melvin Baggs Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lathrup Village, MI Posts: 59	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Praying that my SD 442 does not experience those or any other problems which was also purchased through ebay.

May 6th, 2013, 11:01 AM	#8
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops I would call SD Josh. I vaguely recall those symptoms being reported on a 302 at another forum.

May 8th, 2013, 12:06 AM	#9
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Thanks. Just emailed their support. Like all the best problems, I could not recreate it. When it happened that time I mentioned above, I turned it off and back on, and it was gone. I did some recording and every time I checked the headphones (couldn't wear 'em all the time cause I was acting in this thing) I didn't hear it. Even tried screwing with all the channels' coarse gain pots. . .nuttin. It's like the first act of a horror film for sound guys where nobody believes the ghost is real. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 10th, 2013, 01:11 AM	#11
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Ok, this may well have (surprise!) been pilot error. Looks like I had the inputs on channels 2 and 3 which weren't being used at all switched to phantom power instead of DYN. SD folks said that might have done it. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 10th, 2013, 06:31 AM	#12
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Josh, Thanks for bothering to return with that info. I'm sure others will also find it helpful! Who'da thunk it. Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

May 10th, 2013, 07:59 AM	#13
James Kuhn Major Player Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Merritt Island, Florida Posts: 865	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops Josh, et al...Thanks! I haven't had any 'issues' with my SD-302, but I didn't know SD recommends leaving 'unused' channels switched to 'DYN' position rather then 'Phantom +48 vdc'. That is now part of my "switch-list". Ty..."Who'da thunk it?" Indeed! Best regards, J.

May 10th, 2013, 08:49 AM	#14
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops No problem. It's not FOR SURE that that's the issue. . .but it very well could be. Hopefully. I guess I'll know if it happens again and the unused channels are on DYN! __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 10th, 2013, 04:24 PM	#15
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,937	Re: Sound Devices 302 weird clicks/pops First time I've heard of that one. Try Googling around eg: .. SD 302 Phantom Power Crackling Sounds - Equipment - JWSOUNDGROUP Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.