Mac OS 9 Lives

Digital Audio Workstation & MIDI => Audio & MIDI Hardware => Topic started by: dr bu on March 03, 2014, 05:39:32 PM

Title: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 03, 2014, 05:39:32 PM

when i get rich i will change my setup, and buy better soundcards but at the moment im not and this is an annoying problem. ive got 2 400 mhz pismos and 2 G4s, 400 mhz sawtooth.
all but one G4 (os9.1 on this one; 9.04 or 9.2.2 on the others) have this problem which occurs very much at random. i use the original soundcard on all of these. if something is plugged in from an external source or not does not matter. the "noise floor" (if that is the correct term) now bounces between something like -45 and -35dB. often more on the right channel. cubase, pro tools, ableton... does not matter. im used to having a "bottom" more like -65dB. and then again sometimes, everything is cool.
are they all dying at the same time? or am i having extra terrestrial neighbors?

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: supernova777 on March 03, 2014, 05:50:22 PM

which sound card u got ther dr bu;)  8)

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 03, 2014, 06:05:10 PM

i dont know...how can i tell? the ones shipping. :-[

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: supernova777 on March 03, 2014, 06:10:33 PM

Quote from: dr bu on March 03, 2014, 06:05:10 PM

i dont know...how can i tell? the ones shipping. :-[

oh u mean the built in sound ports?

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 03, 2014, 06:12:29 PM

yep

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 04, 2014, 12:26:22 AM

try removing the power plug (if your battery still works). does it make a difference

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 04, 2014, 02:47:43 AM

 :'( no difference

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 04, 2014, 03:03:52 AM

hmm, you could record a short sample of the noise and upload it somewhere. maybe listening to it will bring some ideas...

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 04, 2014, 07:19:11 AM

does it ring a bell?

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 04, 2014, 09:31:02 AM

kind of.

well it is no hum or static noise. to me it sounds like a capacitor dying shortly. would also explain why it's not all the time. does leave it on for a while improve the situation?

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 04, 2014, 01:09:32 PM

a couple of hours now. dont think so. dying capacitor in the soundcard, do you think? ive taken pismos apart two times and the sound card is in the end of the line...
and i got two sparepart pismos.

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 04, 2014, 01:55:28 PM

well i don't know. i build guitar and bass effect pedals as a hobby and if i get a leaking capacitor in the audio path, it sounds like your recording...that's why i thought.

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 04, 2014, 02:45:32 PM

what do you mean by "in the end of the line"?

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: dr bu on March 04, 2014, 10:05:34 PM

...i mean, i order to reach (and change) the soundcard you have to take out almost everything else, and im still afraid to break something. i dont know... and i dont understand how i can get this problem on three computers at the same time! thanks anyway!

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: lokki on March 05, 2014, 12:18:42 AM

another possible solution would be a driver problem. something like automatic gain adjustment. but i think somebody here would know about that. and it would have happened all the time. not started recently.

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: Graveyard on March 05, 2014, 01:33:44 AM

I can't run the audio file on my iPad right now, but i'll listen to it when i get home. From your description, it sounds like the power management or something like that, turns off the sound chip after a while. I get something that i can't describe as anything else but background noise, whenever i use my amplifier and don't touch the Mac for a few minutes. I have quality cables and the whole sound system is shielded so it has nothing to do with the amplifier.

Title: Re: random soundcard noise
Post by: DieHard on March 05, 2014, 07:52:44 PM

I have 4 milk crates full of pismo parts... if you guys need anything... then message me... I can give some stuff away of charge very little... you have to pay shipping :)