I’ve recently chained up all my synths via MIDI and connected them all to my new interface, the PreSonus Firestudio Mobile. However, I’ve noticed that my Moog is causing an annoying problem- both of its outputs (either the out or phones) transmit an annoyingly loud electrical hiss, thanks to the Moog’s Power Supply. I’ve confirmed that the power is causing the problem by having only the power and output cable in; and I’ve confirmed that it’s the Moog as unplugging it from my interface makes the hiss go away.
Now, here’s the thing- the hiss just isn’t on a recording of the Moog’s sound, but rather, it electrifies my interface entirely. Here’s how I have things wired up-
-Surge protector connected to house power
-Moog power cable connected to surge protector
-Moog’s audio output connected to PreSonus Audio Interface
-Audio interface connected to Macbook via Firewire
-Audio outputted through laptop’s sound card.
Even though I’m outputting sound through my laptop rather than the external interface itself, the Moog’s hiss still goes directly out of my Rokit 5 Monitors. So essentially, the electrical noise is so strong that it comes out through the Moog’s audio output, into the soundcard which causes the firewire cable to hiss strong enough that the audio output cable to my monitors hisses.
How can I prevent my slim phatty from hissing so loud?
Do you still hear the hiss if you disconnect the Moog from the Presonus/laptop and listen via headphones? OR if you run an RP5 directly out of the Slim Phatty?
I had a similar problem with another firewire device and it was a ground issue between the laptop and the (an old Edirol FA66 in this case) FW audio device. Running the laptop on batteries also reduced the noise. Turned out it was the Edirol unit.
Not saying it can’t be the Slim Phatty, it would just be good to know it the noise exists without the laptop involved.
Yes, it goes through the headphone output and is especially prominent if I run the output directly into a Rokit. Also, there are other (digital VA) synths using the same power strip, and connected to the same firewire card- and they don’t cause it to hiss. I’ve tried these other synths in the same audio input that the Moog goes into, as well as switched around connections on the power strip including removing all other synths entirely. It is definitely the Moog that is causing the hiss.
Excuse me if this is a double post– I forget if I actually submitted my response and it’s under admin review, or if I didn’t actually hit submit >.>
The problem is definitely from the Moog- the hiss is heard in the headphone output, and especially so when connected directly to one of my Rokit’s. Furthermore, there are two other (digital VA) synths connected to the sound card and the same power strip, causing no issues. Switching around which audio input the Moog is connected to, or which position it’s plugged into on the power strip, does not solve the problem.
It’s modulated and varies with time, so I’m presuming it’s noise from bad grounds. It’s also quite loud.
However, neither of my either two synths nor the sound card connected to the same power source/strip pick up the electrical noise; It’s only the Slim Phatty that transmits it.
My knowledge of electrical wiring is minimal. Is there any sort of way to clean or suppress this electrical noise that doesn’t involve expensive rewiring or a UPS?
I’ve already given this a go. This isn’t a new problem either; the phatty has given off the noise in entirely different areas of the house and entirely different buildings.
I have not, and will look into it. But even if so, this will only solve half the problem- the noise won’t be constantly transmitted to the speakers. It’ll still, however, end up any recording of any of my instruments connected to my soundcard, especially the Moog. I was hoping there was a way to ‘clean’ the power on the way to the Moog, but I’m unsure if this is a possibility.
When you isolate the slim , i.e. you’ve taken the slim, plugged it into the power strip by itself (nothing else connected to the power strip), with only the headphones plugged into the slim (isolate it from the rokits, and the audio interface), you get the hiss on the headphones?
If so, I would agree that you need to talk to moog tech support. If you only get the hiss when you introduce the audio interface, i presume you have a grounding issue between the moog and the audio interface.
Actually, as I type this, i had another thought… does it constantly hiss? or only when its transmitting audio? Is it possible that the noise modulation source has been routed to the filter or something? Although I suppose that wouldnt explain why your other synths also pick up the noise when the slim is plugged in… It might be a problem with the soundcard also. Do you have another one you can try?
It’s a hiss regardless of wether the Moog is generating audio or not, and it happens on any patch. Yes, it happens even if the Moog is completely isolated to its power source and one audio output, be it the headphone out to my headphones independently, or the line out to a Rokit independently.
Alright- So I’ve switched to another, newer power strip and the original noise issues are going away.
However, now there’s a new whining tone and digital noise- and now it is definitely the interaction between the sound card and the Moog that’s giving me the issue. It’s much softer than the noise from before (which I’m presuming came from the old power strip?) but still quite annoying- and it makes my Moog unusable to me.
How can I resolve this issue? None of my other instruments are reflecting this digital noise from the card. I’ve tried the Moog in all 8 audio input ports of my PreSonus, and it occurs no matter which one it’s plugged into. Unplugging the Moog’s instrument cable from the PreSonus, however, solves the problem. I’ve tried multiple instrument cables as well.
So, the problem is the PreSonus sending digital noise to the Moog and the Moog reflecting it back. How can this be fixed? I am very iffy on treating the problem from the sound card end of things- neither of my other two synths cause this issue; only the Moog.
What is your current setup? Do you have a USB mixer? This is very troubling indeed. I’m wondering if a USB mixer would help, because then the audio wouldn’t be going straight into the soundcard. Would the whine be lessened if the audio was coming from a mixer? I have no idea.
The whole purpose of the new PreSonus sound card was so that I could individually route all three of my instruments to separate channels in Logic. USB Mixers with single outputs would be useless to me, and something like the MultiMix8 by Alesis would be the same technology as my PreSonus, with simply faders and EQs added.
