Recording a mix and i'm getting sh*tloads of noise, cannot find the source

T

talktofrank

New member


this is really doing my head in as i just bought a Behringer UCA222 to record my mixes but it still hasn't removed the noise, my friend had the same problem and the UCA222 removed all his recording noise

Ive swapped around all the cables, tried different power source, power gangs etc

I can't hear the noise when i turn up my speakers, i can only hear it when i record. The UCA222 has live monitoring through earphones so i can hear it though here all the time. Ive tried recording from my pc and laptop (with and without power plugged in)

Every time i record i get this horrible background noise

Where could it be coming from? As i said when i turn up my mixer i cannot hear this noise coming through the speakers so that makes me think that maybe its not the mixer. But its not serato, the UCA222 (as i had this problem before i bought it), the speakers, the cables, the pc or laptop (as they both record the same noise)

The only thing i haven't been able to swap around is the mixer

My setup is -

Serato
Pioneer DJ600
Technics 1200
 
Sounds like radio interference ground loop problem. How old is the building you are in, and does it have 3 prong outlets?
 
our house is probably about 50-60 years old

Ive just discovered that when i turn off the mixer and leave the speakers on i can hear the buzzing coming through the speakers very slightly

Everything is plugged into 3prong plugs going to a 4 way extension
 
You'd probably get on better with a proper inteface.
the Behringer Uc222 is not good qaulity and im sure it was designed for transcribing from decks.
I've had 2 of these and they're not good the noise from a mixer and the ad/da converters combined made for a poor sound.
 
kip4 said:
You'd probably get on better with a proper inteface.
the Behringer Uc222 is not good qaulity and im sure it was designed for transcribing from decks.
I've had 2 of these and they're not good the noise from a mixer and the ad/da converters combined made for a poor sound.
Click to expand...

i haven't got money for a proper interface. Its just for recording the odd mix now and then.

The uca222 is built for recording mixes. its very popular choice for bedroom dj's and my friend uses it himself and his recordings sound fine

I had this noise before i purchased the uca222. Before i was just using a phono to jack lead to connect from my mixer to my motherboard soundcard. I thought this might be the problem but it seems it is not
 
Can you trace the source of the noise by a process of elimination?
Hunt that sucker down and move on from there.
 
Ok well ive noticed that i can hear the noise when my mixer is turned off and just with my speakers.

You can hear the recording below, you might need to turn up the volume. it's a recording of my mic next to the speaker around the half way mark i take out the XLR cable that is connected to the mixer (the mixer is off) and the noise stops, when i put it back in it starts again

 
dainbramage said:
Have you tried adding your UCA222 to his or her system? Or vice versa, have you tried using his or her UCA222 on your system?
Click to expand...

it doesn't have anything to do with the UCA222

i had this noise before i bought it and as my most recent recording shows, i have the noise coming out of my speakers even when the mixer is turned off. Is it a power (ground loop) issue?
 
Is you computer connected to uca222 via usb > uca222 out (phone) to mixer channel> mixer out to powered (active)speakers (or mixer out to amp to passive speakers)?

Are you using the little bookshelf type of speaker you get with a pc ?

To me your last recording sounds like the kind of noise you get from a pc normally. If you move the mouse do you hear more noise?

Just so i'm clear your recording from a technics 1200 deck through the pioneer dj mixer to the uca222 usb to pc to daw Right?
 
1. Move your speakers away from your computer. The speakers are amplifying the electronic signals produced by the computer. Problem solved. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
2. Turn down the volume and HF on the speakers themselves. Move speakers farther away.

The speaker noise doesn't transfer to your recording, don't worry.

As for the recording, there is no "white noise," you just have your levels too high.
 
talktofrank said:
Ok well ive noticed that i can hear the noise when my mixer is turned off and just with my speakers.

You can hear the recording below, you might need to turn up the volume. it's a recording of my mic next to the speaker around the half way mark i take out the XLR cable that is connected to the mixer (the mixer is off) and the noise stops, when i put it back in it starts again

Click to expand...

If you've got powered monitors this is common to experience with most mixers. This is because when the mixer is turned off the ground loop becomes open and interference can set in. Does the sound go away when you turn the mixer on again? My bet is it does.

If you're monitoring off the of the mixer, chances are you won't hear any noise. The problem, as far as I can see, is either your interface itself or a connection in between your mixer and the interface.

How are you connecting your mixer to the interface?

Cheers :)
 
kip4 said:
Is you computer connected to uca222 via usb > uca222 out (phone) to mixer channel> mixer out to powered (active)speakers (or mixer out to amp to passive speakers)?

Are you using the little bookshelf type of speaker you get with a pc ?

To me your last recording sounds like the kind of noise you get from a pc normally. If you move the mouse do you hear more noise?

Just so i'm clear your recording from a technics 1200 deck through the pioneer dj mixer to the uca222 usb to pc to daw Right?
Click to expand...

i seem to have got around the issue by plugging the uca222 into my lattop and have it not plugged in. There doesn't seem to be any noise in my recording, just a little bit of white noise which is annoying. The problem is that the uca222 sounds pretty crap, even my previous recording using the phono rec out from my mixer directly into my pc motherboard sc sounds better.

No i don't hear more noise when moving the mouse, ive listened to the noise and unplugged each cable going into the back of my pc and it did not effect the sound

Michael Mason said:
1. Move your speakers away from your computer. The speakers are amplifying the electronic signals produced by the computer. Problem solved. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
2. Turn down the volume and HF on the speakers themselves. Move speakers farther away.

The speaker noise doesn't transfer to your recording, don't worry.

As for the recording, there is no "white noise," you just have your levels too high.
Click to expand...

i can't move anything im afraid.

The noise i hear in the speakers does transfer to my recordings actually, this is the whole problem

Mo Facta said:
If you've got powered monitors this is common to experience with most mixers. This is because when the mixer is turned off the ground loop becomes open and interference can set in. Does the sound go away when you turn the mixer on again? My bet is it does.

If you're monitoring off the of the mixer, chances are you won't hear any noise. The problem, as far as I can see, is either your interface itself or a connection in between your mixer and the interface.

How are you connecting your mixer to the interface?

Cheers :)
Click to expand...

yes they are Rokit 8's. Yes the sound goes away when i turn the mixer on

well i had this problem before the uca222, hence why i bought it.

if i plug my earphones directly into the pc i can't hear any noises. I can hear it when i monitor through the uca222

i cannot hear any noise from my dj headset plugged directly into my mixer

its really confusing
 
I looked but didn't see any reference more specific than "laptop". What kind of laptop? Dells have had some issues with their power supply grounding scheme that has led to noise problems. Running on battery often solves the noise problem.
 
+1 ^.

I've read several threads about people suffering from hums and buzzes that all ended up being due to laptop power supplies, which don't connect to the household earth; They are isolated from it.

If it's the same thing, I had this problem with a dell laptop and learned that creating a path to mains earth solved the problem.

If I used a bus powered usb interface I'd hear the unwanted noise, but if I used a digi 003 or motu 828 mk2 (both of which are mains powered with earth connection), the noises weren't present.

Even if I just plugged in the firewire interface, but recorded with the usb one, the fact that there's a mains earth connection still solved the problem.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I thought he said leaving the laptop unplugged solved it:
Click to expand...

its has solved the problem but the uca222 sounds terrible it sounds much better plugging it into my pc sc via a phono to jack

I would rather use my pc for recording and editing as i can't use serato and the uca222 on my laptop at the same time, both work separately on the laptop but plugging both in the serato does not recognise itself and stays in offline mode

I guess the problem is power/ground loop seeing as the recordings are fine albeit low quality with minimal noise when the laptop power is not plugged in.

So how can i fix this ground loop problem so i can record on my pc?

Or alternatively can someone suggest a decent (max £50) external soundcard i can use to record via usb on my laptop.

I have a nice phono to jack monster cable going to waste so i would like to use a soundcard instead of one of these UCA222 interfaces. this thing sounds cr&p

I have done a little bit more recording tonight and ive been listening to the raw recordings in audacity next to the actual tracks, i have to say the quality is worse in the raw recordings.

The music i record is quite bass heavy (techno) and the bass just sounds like a computery muffle (best way to describe it) instead of the deep rich organic sound i hear when i listen to the tracks.

Perhaps i was naive to think a cheap interface such as the uca222 would record my music how i wanted.

This is fine, i accept it's a budget interface and you get what you pay for, im happy to spend a little more money on a better external soundcard but i just want to make sure the poor quality sound is due to the fact that im using a cheap interface and not something to do with my laptop....

i don't want to spend the extra $$$ only to have the same problem

i ask 2 questions

1 - does my problem above seem like its just the interface quality and not something else
2 - please suggest an external soundcard for my laptop under £70. Ive seen i can get some m-audio's quite cheap on ebay so im happy to buy second hand.
 
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So, you have a laptop and are using external powered speakers, and you can't move anything? Enjoy your white noise then.

I listened to your recording. There is no white noise. Only the hum from your levels being turned up too high.

The problem is not the mixer. It is the speakers amplifying the signals from the computer.

The other solution is to plug one of the devices into a three prong outlet (grounded), and the other into a two prong outlet, using an adapter if you need it (ungrounded). Doesn't always work though.

Moving your speakers 6-12 inches will work though. Because they won't be close enough to pick up the signals from. The computer.
 
Michael Mason said:
So, you have a laptop and are using external powered speakers, and you can't move anything? Enjoy your white noise then.

I listened to your recording. There is no white noise. Only the hum from your levels being turned up too high.

The problem is not the mixer. It is the speakers amplifying the signals from the computer.
.
The other solution is to plug one of the devices into a three prong outlet (grounded), and the other into a two prong outlet, using an adapter if you need it (ungrounded). Doesn't always work though.

Moving your speakers 6-12 inches will work though. Because they won't be close enough to pick up the signals from. The computer.
Click to expand...

Speakers are wall mounted. laptop has to go above mixer for serto so no tjere is no where to move ot. i dont mind hearing a little noise in the spekers i just dont want it to be picked up in the recordings. anyway as i said this no longer
 
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