USB 2.0 isolator, this thing works!

[icarus88]

After a deep research on the internet, I found that the USB connection between my computer and my audio interface (focusrite solo gen3) was producing noise, I didn't think there was galvanic isolation in cheap interfaces. I ordered a USB 2.0 isolator, this thing almost completely eliminated the ground loop hum, now only the hissing noise problem remains, there is no hum noise even at high gain!


There is no humming sound even though I don't touch the guitar, it grounds the system to a lamp inside it!
radical solution

I think it's an opto-isolator, but customer service advised me not to use it for long periods during the day.

This device works at an average of 400 Ma (500 Ma is reluctant)

If your interface uses 500mA it may not work, but my audio interface is simple and small

https://a.aliexpress.com/_oDeNPMh

 

[bholder]

After a deep research on the internet, I found that the USB connection between my computer and my audio interface (focusrite solo gen3) was producing noise, I didn't think there was galvanic isolation in cheap interfaces. I ordered a USB 2.0 isolator, this thing almost completely eliminated the ground loop hum, now only the hissing noise problem remains, there is no hum noise even at high gain!


There is no humming sound even though I don't touch the guitar, it grounds the system to a lamp inside it!
radical solution

I think it's an opto-isolator, but customer service advised me not to use it for long periods during the day.

Interesting. Must investigate further.

 

[icarus88]

Interesting. Must investigate further.

This topic is discussed in detail in the audio science review forum, but they use a HIFI system.

 

[bholder]

This topic is discussed in detail in the audio science review forum, but they use a HIFI system.

Ordered. Will report back.

 

[icarus88]

Its working principle is summarized as follows: you no longer need the grounding of the house, it provides a separate grounding connection.

 

[CryingBass]

They are used in hifi systems, and some are very $$$. The good ones, $ and up, do work. YMMV

 

[icarus88]

They are used in hifi systems, and some are very $$$. The good ones, $ and up, do work. YMMV

USB 2.0 versions (western brands) are expensive but this one is made in China

 

[rorofosho]

now only the hissing noise problem remains

Sorry if I missed seeing you mention, but is this a hissing you hear when you turn the preamp knob up when plugging into the hi-z input on the front? If it's anything like my old gen 1 scarlett 6i6, that's just the low quality preamp being driven hotter than it should... they quote that it has a ton of gain for the preamps, all manufacturers do, but pre-amps in most interfaces get noisy when driven hard - only one I've used that gives you the full advertised range of clean pre-amp gain is RME.

 

[icarus88]

Sorry if I missed seeing you mention, but is this a hissing you hear when you turn the preamp knob up when plugging into the hi-z input on the front? If it's anything like my old gen 1 scarlett 6i6, that's just the low quality preamp being driven hotter than it should... they quote that it has a ton of gain for the preamps, all manufacturers do, but pre-amps in most interfaces get noisy when driven hard - only one I've used that gives you the full advertised range of clean pre-amp gain is RME.

My hissing sound mostly comes from the Joyo EQ pedal (I use it with a power bank), there is probably no solution for this, the only solution is not to use the Joyo brand

I am working on high gain (master volume on pedal at medium level)

 

[rorofosho]

My hissing sound mostly comes from the Joyo EQ pedal (I use it with a power bank), there is probably no solution for this, the only solution is not to use the Joyo brand

I am working on high gain (master volume on pedal at medium level)

hmm so it's not there when you bypass the pedal? You can always EQ after it's gone into the computer. If you need the pedal, maybe try it with a battery so that part of the chain is isolated. I hate using batteries in pedals but it can really cut down on ground interference. I've never used a Joyo pedal, but in general the more pedals the more noise.

Could just be that specific pedal however. But yea try using a battery to isolate if you really need it - maybe a loose connection in the cable or pedal? If not see if you can get away without it - once it's inside the computer you can do anything to the sound, EQ is trivial. Figuring out noise and ground loops is such a headache, it's all a meticulous process of elimination, of trial and error, until you figure out what's causing the problem. Good luck!

 

[icarus88]

hmm so it's not there when you bypass the pedal? You can always EQ after it's gone into the computer. If you need the pedal, maybe try it with a battery so that part of the chain is isolated. I hate using batteries in pedals but it can really cut down on ground interference. I've never used a Joyo pedal, but in general the more pedals the more noise.

Could just be that specific pedal however. But yea try using a battery to isolate if you really need it - maybe a loose connection in the cable or pedal? If not see if you can get away without it - once it's inside the computer you can do anything to the sound, EQ is trivial. Figuring out noise and ground loops is such a headache, it's all a meticulous process of elimination, of trial and error, until you figure out what's causing the problem. Good luck!

The AC DC adapter itself is also very noisy.
i use a cheap powerbank( no adapter noise), thanks so much

I don't really understand how to adjust the sound on a computer. I've tried a few free software, but I didn't like it at all.

 

[TexasHeat]

For years, I had a gawd-something-awful buzz whenever I plugged my keyboard into my interface. I eventually just gave up trying to figure it out and just worked around it. Finally, I got smart (probably while drinking or something) and did a little testing. Yup, it was my UPS. The computer and interface were plugged into the UPS, the keyboard was not. There was a small voltage difference between the two circuits and the stray voltage would travel down the grounding shield of the instrument cable. Probably not a good thing.

 

[rorofosho]

The AC DC adapter itself is also very noisy.
i use a cheap powerbank( no adapter noise), thanks so much

I don't really understand how to adjust the sound on a computer. I've tried a few free software, but I didn't like it at all.

are you recording to a DAW? I use Ableton but have been producing long before I even owned a bass, so probably wouldn't recommend if you have no experience recording computer music. I hear really good things about Reaper and apparently it has a generous free trial. It's as simple as setting a track in your DAW to have the same input the bass is going into (usually 1 or 2; it's mono), and then making sure that track is record enabled and hitting record. You can have a drum loop or some percussion playing in another track or have the built in metronome going to keep in time.

Basically you'd just want to record the bass into the computer, then drop an EQ plugin (all DAWs come with some form of EQ) on the track with your recorded bass. I don't think the focusrite driver has an EQ in it, so if you want to hear the EQ you'd have to monitor it through the DAW or just apply the EQ after you record and use the scarlett's direct monitoring to monitor your tracking.

edit: if you're using a windows computer, make sure to select the focusrite ASIO driver as the audio device in the DAW's settings, not the MME/DirectX or whatever - ASIO is the low latency standard you want to use on windows.

 

[icarus88]

are you recording to a DAW? I use Ableton but have been producing long before I even owned a bass, so probably wouldn't recommend if you have no experience recording computer music. I hear really good things about Reaper and apparently it has a generous free trial. It's as simple as setting a track in your DAW to have the same input the bass is going into (usually 1 or 2; it's mono), and then making sure that track is record enabled and hitting record. You can have a drum loop or some percussion playing in another track or have the built in metronome going to keep in time.

Basically you'd just want to record the bass into the computer, then drop an EQ plugin (all DAWs come with some form of EQ) on the track with your recorded bass. I don't think the focusrite driver has an EQ in it, so if you want to hear the EQ you'd have to monitor it through the DAW or just apply the EQ after you record and use the scarlett's direct monitoring to monitor your tracking.

edit: if you're using a windows computer, make sure to select the focusrite ASIO driver as the audio device in the DAW's settings, not the MME/DirectX or whatever - ASIO is the low latency standard you want to use on windows.

I don't use a DAW right now,I have zero knowledge about production. I think I bought the EQ pedal for nothing. Thanks so much

 

[rorofosho]

I don't use a DAW right now,I have zero knowledge about production. I think I bought the EQ pedal for nothing. Thanks so much

EQ pedals are always useful! Playing live or if you wanted to mic up your amp for instance. I have no idea how good that brand is, but an EQ pedal has tons of utility.

 

[icarus88]

EQ pedals are always useful! Playing live or if you wanted to mic up your amp for instance. I have no idea how good that brand is, but an EQ pedal has tons of utility.

How does software differ from an analog?

I don't use an amplifier

I'm a fan of old school analog sound.

 

[rorofosho]

How does software differ from an analog?

I'm a fan of old school analog sound.

not super important, once it's in the computer it's digital anyways. Sure because a pedal is changing the sound before it gets amplified there might be small differences, but imperceptible stuff really, especially if EQing in the box gets rid of hissing/noise. Definitely try the pedal with the battery, try just plugging straight into the interface, try all the combinations you can and whatever sounds best is best

 

[amphlett7]

This looks super interesting!

When I was in between recording set ups I was using a laptop and bus-powered USB interface and had massive noise issues with my guitar.
The noise would go away when I unplugged the laptop charger.
I asked online a bunch and everyone kept telling me to try a DI box with a ground lift but there was no ground loop and it made no difference.

Now I'm using an interface that is mains powered I have none of those ground loop issues at all.

Maybe I'll grab one of these and experiment with the laptop setup again.

 

[icarus88]

I owe something to this forum, everyone helped me a lot, now it's my turn. I wanted everyone to benefit from it, humbly. I can't know if it works or not for you because the background noise depends on many factors, but the main problem is the house ground loop. If you isolate your system from house ground, there will be no such problem as house ground.

 

[icarus88]

This looks super interesting!

When I was in between recording set ups I was using a laptop and bus-powered USB interface and had massive noise issues with my guitar.
The noise would go away when I unplugged the laptop charger.
I asked online a bunch and everyone kept telling me to try a DI box with a ground lift but there was no ground loop and it made no difference.

Now I'm using an interface that is mains powered I have none of those ground loop issues at all.

Maybe I'll grab one of these and experiment with the laptop setup again.

Unfortunately, it does not provide galvanic isolation which is not high-end diboxes and audio interfaces etc(maybe many high-end diboxes and audio interfaces do not include it), have you seen any brand mention this, do tests and inform people? No, because it is very expensive to do this isolation, they have to cut costs.


Focusrite even doesn't say how many watts the interfaces use!!