GOT IT ALL HOOKED UP AND wow...

M

MikeA

New member
So, after having all my gear packed up in various boxes after moving almost a year ago, I found a used RaXXes desk online which I scarfed up and finally got around to setting everything up. Not only that but my wonderful wife had surprised me with a set of JBL LSR308s for Christmas last year too. So as the first test I ran the audio line out of my PCs main audio out from the motherboard (Asus X79 Deluxe with Realtek HD onboard audio) to my Adcom GFP-555 stereo preamp which I use as my main audio switcher between the PC, VCRs, Cassette deck, and Presonus Firestudio Project. It's not Pro, but it's always worked before. But, all I had hooked up at this time was the PC. From the Adcom I went directly out to the JBLs. Popped in a DVD, turned it on, and....

well, I was underwhelmed. It was all 1 dimensional, the bass was boomy and ugly and the high end was noisy and harsh. I stopped the DVD and listened and I had a very obvious digital noise in the system. When I switched to other inputs on the Adcom it would go away so I know it was coming from the PC. It's a high pitched digital whine intermixed with random hissy noise. The hiss changes as I type. (I'm using a wireless keyboard/mouse so I'm thinking that may be a big part of the problem.)

Then I went to YouTube and played some of the stereo test tracks they have. It was OK, but again, nothing like I was expecting.

What do I need to do to get this system sounding like I know it should?

Thanks,

Mike
 
WTF are you bothering with "Realtek HD" sound? That internal junk should be disabled, stopped and stomped to death.

May I guess you are not using the Firestudio AI because the laptop does not have Firewire? If so, a growing problem.

Dave.
 
Ooops! I said "laptop" (early here, only on Joe 2) You have an Asus MOBO.

However a search of the spec' shows no Fussywire ports. not even a 1394 header? The solution is of course a PCIe FW board but...1) get JUST a FW 400 board, not FW +USB (surely have enough o dem!) and,2) USUALLY seek out the Texas Instrument chipset...BUT! Check in with Presonus first!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Check in with Presonus first!
Click to expand...

Presonus posts firewire chipset compatibility on its website. VIA chipsets are fine, at least for Firepods or FP10s.

However, I'm not sure why OP has a Presonus Firestudio Project if he doesn't already have firewire.
 
gecko zzed said:
Presonus posts firewire chipset compatibility on its website. VIA chipsets are fine, at least for Firepods or FP10s.

However, I'm not sure why OP has a Presonus Firestudio Project if he doesn't already have firewire.
Click to expand...

"We" have a saying.."Nowt so queer* as folk"!

*Its ORIGINAL meaning!

Dave.
 
Just a +3 here.

I have a separate PC that I use for internet that I have connected to my Mackie Big Knob from the Realtek soundcard. It makes that annoying noise. The same PC with default audio sent via an audio interface does not make that digital noise crap. Wireless keyboard and mouse do not make noise via interface but do with the internal soundcard.
 
OK, thanks guys. That's what I was kind of expecting/thinking. A little more background. I had an HP laptop that had internal firewire. It finally bit the dust so I built my own version of a Cray supercomputer. OK, within the confines of my budget. Here's the layout:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler

Motherboard: Asus X79 Deluxe ATX LGA2011 Motherboard

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory

Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive, Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card

Case: Thermaltake Chaser A71 ATX Full Tower Case

Power Supply: Corsair RM 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit)

You'll notice that the one thing missing is a FW port. So I picked up one of the Presonus approved ones (Don't remember the exact one) and it's now installed. I still don't have everything unpacked and hooked up though. I just didn't remember the noise that I'm hearing through the old Optimus ribbon tweeter speakers that I was using before though, so I thought I'd throw it out here and see what everyone else thought. I'll try to get the Presonus hooked up though and see what happens then.

Keep in mind too that I've had this all disassembled now for right at a year. Had to find a new place so we could move the MIL in with us (fortunately, there's another small house on the property that she's in which is nice), so we've been moving 2 houses and consolidating everything from them into our place and downsizing her to her place. I've not even had time to THINK about getting this stuff hooked up till now. I'll post some pix as I can.

Thank you!!

Mike
 
+1 to Mark's suggestion. On board cards are almost always freaking, G'd awful but oddly this HP i3 laptop upon which I type has pretty good repro'. I have in the past run it into my Tannoy 5As and it gave a very good account of itself.

BTW, if you happen upon a cheap M-Audio 2496, better an AP192, snap it up and fit it. Makes for a very handy, self contained system and has no effect on the use of other external interfaces. (Caveat, not sure if they are Win10 friendy)

Dave.
 
arcaxis said:
Mike, Have you got cables so you could try going from the Line out of the PC direct to the JBL LSR308s? It would be an 1/8" TRS split out to two 1/4" TS plugs and it would be unbalanced going into the monitors. An interface is the way to go, but I have set of M-Audio monitors on an ASUS desktop with Realtek HD sound and I've had no hiss or noise. My distribution switching on this setup is really low tech and good enough for basic listening chores. Works OK most times :) ..... http://www.nesrepairshop.com/Catalog/images/large/sac013_LRG.jpg

I do have a pair of LSR305s on a different setup and they are a great set of monitors.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I can try that. I'm afraid I'm going to need the preamp to boost the level though, but I'll see. Thanks!

ecc83, Good idea...

Mike
 
Well I found out that I've got a lifted ground in the receptacle I'm using. I'll get it fixed and check all the others too.

Thanks!!
 
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