ricecrispies
Member
I have two computers, a desktop and a laptop, and I have two audio interfaces, a Scarlett 2i2 and a very old and cheap Edirol UA-1EX which I'm using to help diagnose the problems I have been having with the 2i2.
I also have two problems, and I'm not sure if they are related or not.
The first is that when I enable phantom power on the 2i2 I get noise in the inputs over and above the faint white noise which is normally there even when phantom power is not enabled. The noise, which is hissy, not pitched, is uneven and sounds bass-heavy; it seems to rumble. I get this with both computers, but it is very much worse when the 2i2 is connected to the desktop than the laptop. On the desktop, it pushes the input level meters quite high. On the laptop, it never shows on the meters as any more than an occasional flicker at the bottom when the input gain is set to a level appropriate for recording.
The other problem I have only occurs on the desktop, not the laptop, and I get it with both my audio interfaces. Whenever a device that has its own connection to the mains, such as my bass amp or my digital piano, is connected to one of the inputs, I get a very obtrusive buzzing and squeaking at that input. It is not a low-frequency mains hum. The sound is irregular and seems to correspond to the activity of the computer. Even if I put a DI box between the audio interface and the external device, I still get these sounds.
Would replacing the 2i2 with an interface that doesn't depend on the USB bus for power, such as an 8i6, solve either of these problems?
I have tried to find other solutions to the problem of the unwanted digital sounds from the desktop computer, but I have got stuck because I'm just not sure where the problem is. If it is with the power supply, then that can be replaced at a reasonable cost, but if it is the motherboard, I would have to replace that, along with the CPU, memory, heatsink and Windows license, which would cost a huge amount.
If I can at least solve the problem with the phantom power, even without resolving the problem of the digital noises in the desktop computer when connected to external devices, then I will be able to do my sound recording on the laptop and move the project later to the desktop for post-production, which wouldn't be an ideal workflow, but it would at least enable me to get my work done.
So would getting a non-bus-powered audio interface help me?
I also have two problems, and I'm not sure if they are related or not.
The first is that when I enable phantom power on the 2i2 I get noise in the inputs over and above the faint white noise which is normally there even when phantom power is not enabled. The noise, which is hissy, not pitched, is uneven and sounds bass-heavy; it seems to rumble. I get this with both computers, but it is very much worse when the 2i2 is connected to the desktop than the laptop. On the desktop, it pushes the input level meters quite high. On the laptop, it never shows on the meters as any more than an occasional flicker at the bottom when the input gain is set to a level appropriate for recording.
The other problem I have only occurs on the desktop, not the laptop, and I get it with both my audio interfaces. Whenever a device that has its own connection to the mains, such as my bass amp or my digital piano, is connected to one of the inputs, I get a very obtrusive buzzing and squeaking at that input. It is not a low-frequency mains hum. The sound is irregular and seems to correspond to the activity of the computer. Even if I put a DI box between the audio interface and the external device, I still get these sounds.
Would replacing the 2i2 with an interface that doesn't depend on the USB bus for power, such as an 8i6, solve either of these problems?
I have tried to find other solutions to the problem of the unwanted digital sounds from the desktop computer, but I have got stuck because I'm just not sure where the problem is. If it is with the power supply, then that can be replaced at a reasonable cost, but if it is the motherboard, I would have to replace that, along with the CPU, memory, heatsink and Windows license, which would cost a huge amount.
If I can at least solve the problem with the phantom power, even without resolving the problem of the digital noises in the desktop computer when connected to external devices, then I will be able to do my sound recording on the laptop and move the project later to the desktop for post-production, which wouldn't be an ideal workflow, but it would at least enable me to get my work done.
So would getting a non-bus-powered audio interface help me?