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EMI from pc in home studio
- Thread starter Raman
- Start date
You're not already? That's almost certainly the issue. The internal ones just aren't shielded, and this is one of the reasons for using even the cheapest (OK, almost the cheapest) external interfaces.
Ok, so the external sound card solution seems the most promising. But I thought, before I rush to buy a new card, maybe I should test the idea out a bit.
Simplest solution is I took my M-Audio internal card out of the PC.
Still the same setup: bass to mixer, mixer to pc; pc to mixer; mixer out to monitors and to headphones.
Except with the sound card out, now I send the PC to the mixer using the back panel's green "out" jack. (Stereo 1/8 headphone male plug to 2 x 1/4 mono jacks into the mixer)
The level of weird noise went down drastically. If I crank the mixer all the way up, I do pick up some noise coming from the PC's onboard sound chip. But definitely less than with the M-Audio card. Which leads me to think the external audio interface might prove a solution worth investing into.
Simplest solution is I took my M-Audio internal card out of the PC.
Still the same setup: bass to mixer, mixer to pc; pc to mixer; mixer out to monitors and to headphones.
Except with the sound card out, now I send the PC to the mixer using the back panel's green "out" jack. (Stereo 1/8 headphone male plug to 2 x 1/4 mono jacks into the mixer)
The level of weird noise went down drastically. If I crank the mixer all the way up, I do pick up some noise coming from the PC's onboard sound chip. But definitely less than with the M-Audio card. Which leads me to think the external audio interface might prove a solution worth investing into.
I ordered a Steinberg UR-12. From Long & McQuade: a rental unit which they're selling at almost half the price (CAD 79$)
Seems like a decent card, though many people report that it clips way too easily when you plug instruments directly into it. Shouldn't be a problem since I plug first into a mixer, and then into the card. In any case, it's all I could afford. Will keep you posted when it arrives and, hopefully, this EMI saga is over...
Seems like a decent card, though many people report that it clips way too easily when you plug instruments directly into it. Shouldn't be a problem since I plug first into a mixer, and then into the card. In any case, it's all I could afford. Will keep you posted when it arrives and, hopefully, this EMI saga is over...
I finally received the little Steinberg UR12 audio interface unit today.
I do get some background noise when I crank up the volume. But it's more of a normal background noise, such as you'll get even from a cranked up amp. I'm especially not plagued by the "Morse code from space" interference anymore! I can kind of hear some of it faintly. And it does seem that some PC noise travels to the card through the USB connection. But it is immensely more tolerable. I think I have to surrender to the fact that I'm in a noisy electrical environment and will always have to reckon with some level of interference. At least, taming it a good deal is a definite success.
As I expected from a couple reviews, the UR12 does clip very quickly when I plug the bass directly into it; or rather my preamp DI, either through 1/4" or XLR. I have to set the input volume below 50% lest it clips, and I can't really turn up the headphones volumes very high to compensate. (I haven't had a chance to test it out on the monitors yet.) Probably a good thing for my eardrums, but I really find it to be a bit too low for my taste when jamming. Recording levels seem fine: it's just the perceived volume in the headphones.
I've tried plugging only into the audio interface. That's when I find the volume to be way too low. So I've tried other configurations using my mixer (Mackie Mix8). Presently, I plug in like this:
Bass (+ pedal chain and preamp) -> Mixer
Mixer Aux Send -> UR12 1/4" line input
UR12 Monitor Out -> Mixer Tape In
Mixer -> headphones and speakers
With this configuration, it's decently quiet if I compare to the amount of noise I was getting. I especially get a good amount of control over volumes through the mixer. By keeping the mixer in the setup, I can also plug in other instruments, which I can then decide to send to the audio interface for recording via the mixer's Aux Send.
Opened to comments if you have better solutions.
I do get some background noise when I crank up the volume. But it's more of a normal background noise, such as you'll get even from a cranked up amp. I'm especially not plagued by the "Morse code from space" interference anymore! I can kind of hear some of it faintly. And it does seem that some PC noise travels to the card through the USB connection. But it is immensely more tolerable. I think I have to surrender to the fact that I'm in a noisy electrical environment and will always have to reckon with some level of interference. At least, taming it a good deal is a definite success.
As I expected from a couple reviews, the UR12 does clip very quickly when I plug the bass directly into it; or rather my preamp DI, either through 1/4" or XLR. I have to set the input volume below 50% lest it clips, and I can't really turn up the headphones volumes very high to compensate. (I haven't had a chance to test it out on the monitors yet.) Probably a good thing for my eardrums, but I really find it to be a bit too low for my taste when jamming. Recording levels seem fine: it's just the perceived volume in the headphones.
I've tried plugging only into the audio interface. That's when I find the volume to be way too low. So I've tried other configurations using my mixer (Mackie Mix8). Presently, I plug in like this:
Bass (+ pedal chain and preamp) -> Mixer
Mixer Aux Send -> UR12 1/4" line input
UR12 Monitor Out -> Mixer Tape In
Mixer -> headphones and speakers
With this configuration, it's decently quiet if I compare to the amount of noise I was getting. I especially get a good amount of control over volumes through the mixer. By keeping the mixer in the setup, I can also plug in other instruments, which I can then decide to send to the audio interface for recording via the mixer's Aux Send.
Opened to comments if you have better solutions.
