audio interference in Vegas

Jay Massengill · June 13th, 2015, 10:15 PM

My guess is your former cheap computer speakers and headphones are designed to work from the hotter headphone level signal of the computer's headphone output jack. Your new powered speakers are probably designed to work with a line level signal, so they are more sensitive to the hotter headphone level signal. You're now able to get a lot more amplification and any problems contained in the computer signal become easily apparent.

When you connected to a different device and had no problems, which output did you use?

If you used the headphone out of the different device, it's likely much cleaner than the computer output, which as we've said is very typical.

There are lots of interface boxes and DAC's available. The interfaces have the added benefit of inputs on better connectors for recording, as well as being portable, very clean and not requiring opening your computer.

Paul R Johnson · June 14th, 2015, 02:42 AM

Once you have heard your friends external device, you will want one. These kinds of noises have plagued recording for years and years. The headphone outlet on cheap sound cards - and remember that the ones built into the motherboard are not studio quality devices, they're quite low-fi - often masks these noises with a higher noise floor, limited dynamic range and coloration. Using better quality monitoring, designed to really let you hear what is going on simply reveals the problems. The noises that the data on the busses causes is quite low level, but often there is another reason they are more noticeable. The act of connecting the computer to other devices extends the capture area of the sensitive components - extending the ground of the computer out of the box, and often this allows the internal sound device to hear more of the bus noise. Most computers are susceptible to a degree - laptops even worse because they rarely have a real ground connection and float. Plugging headphones into these sounds ok, but connect them to a studio or PA system and hums, buzzes and the data noise suddenly break free.

Try your friends device and see what happens. I can almost guarantee you will then want one!

Renton Maclachlan · June 14th, 2015, 09:00 PM

Thanks Paul.

Given the apparent certainty of the source of the problem, rather than go into town and borrow my friends, I thought I would buy one...an Asus Xonar U7.

I've just got home and found the courier delivered it but as we weren't here, took it away again! Bother. If the driver is still in the area, I may see it today...hope so...if not tomorrow...

I'll let you know how I get on with it...

Renton Maclachlan · June 16th, 2015, 12:15 AM

So the DAC (Asus Xonar U7) turned up today and the issue appears to be totally solved... :-)

Thanks all for the help. Appreciated.

June 13th, 2015, 10:15 PM	#16
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Re: audio interference in Vegas My guess is your former cheap computer speakers and headphones are designed to work from the hotter headphone level signal of the computer's headphone output jack. Your new powered speakers are probably designed to work with a line level signal, so they are more sensitive to the hotter headphone level signal. You're now able to get a lot more amplification and any problems contained in the computer signal become easily apparent. When you connected to a different device and had no problems, which output did you use? If you used the headphone out of the different device, it's likely much cleaner than the computer output, which as we've said is very typical. There are lots of interface boxes and DAC's available. The interfaces have the added benefit of inputs on better connectors for recording, as well as being portable, very clean and not requiring opening your computer. Last edited by Jay Massengill; June 13th, 2015 at 10:57 PM.

June 14th, 2015, 02:42 AM	#17
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,049	Re: audio interference in Vegas Once you have heard your friends external device, you will want one. These kinds of noises have plagued recording for years and years. The headphone outlet on cheap sound cards - and remember that the ones built into the motherboard are not studio quality devices, they're quite low-fi - often masks these noises with a higher noise floor, limited dynamic range and coloration. Using better quality monitoring, designed to really let you hear what is going on simply reveals the problems. The noises that the data on the busses causes is quite low level, but often there is another reason they are more noticeable. The act of connecting the computer to other devices extends the capture area of the sensitive components - extending the ground of the computer out of the box, and often this allows the internal sound device to hear more of the bus noise. Most computers are susceptible to a degree - laptops even worse because they rarely have a real ground connection and float. Plugging headphones into these sounds ok, but connect them to a studio or PA system and hums, buzzes and the data noise suddenly break free. Try your friends device and see what happens. I can almost guarantee you will then want one!

June 14th, 2015, 09:00 PM	#18
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: audio interference in Vegas Thanks Paul. Given the apparent certainty of the source of the problem, rather than go into town and borrow my friends, I thought I would buy one...an Asus Xonar U7. I've just got home and found the courier delivered it but as we weren't here, took it away again! Bother. If the driver is still in the area, I may see it today...hope so...if not tomorrow... I'll let you know how I get on with it...

June 16th, 2015, 12:15 AM	#19
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: audio interference in Vegas So the DAC (Asus Xonar U7) turned up today and the issue appears to be totally solved... :-) Thanks all for the help. Appreciated.