[SOLVED] Digital noise from audio 4 DJ through speakers when computer turned off(!)

xPlUmING

New member
When my computer is off, my audio 4 DJ outputs what sounds like a digital white noise, but more crackly, through my studio monitors. The noise stops once the operating system starts to load (after BIOS). The audio 4 DJ is connected directly to one of my motherboard's rear USB 2 ports and the studio monitors are plugged into the audio 4 DJ. I have tried other speakers and they have the same issue. Using the motherboard's built in audio outs does not create this problem. I think it may have something to do with the motherboard providing power to the audio 4 DJ via USB after the computer is shutdown, but I am unsure if I can disable that power, nothing in the user manual. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's a frustrating experience having to turn my studio monitors off individually before turning on my computer or restarting my computer and the times I do forget, that digital noise gives me a fright! Thanks.
 
There isn't any USB power leaving your computer when it's off. You SHOULD be turning off the speakers when not using them. Put them on a power strip so you have an easy on-off available.
 
There isn't any USB power leaving your computer when it's off. You SHOULD be turning off the speakers when not using them. Put them on a power strip so you have an easy on-off available.
Thanks for your prompt reply mjbphotos! My studio monitors have an auto-sleep function after 30 minutes that I would like to use, it works when I haven't played audio while the computer is on, but because of the noise being sent to them after the computer is off, it can never enter sleep mode.

Also, my motherboard does provide USB power to my devices I'm afraid, (a feature under other circumstances!), I confirmed it now by shutting down and the USB LED on the Audio 4 DJ was still lit green and I was also able to charge devices on other USB ports from my motherboard. Any other suggestions?
 
You might check in the BIOS USB settings. Power might be switchable there. Computers these days don't use hard off/on switches. Even when computers are off they still have power going through the motherboard. That's why your soft switch turns on the computer. Its possible that there is an option for turning on the computer through USB, which means it would need power to activate.

Its probably something that has been added for charging cell phones. I have an external hard drive that stays lit on one of my computers. It will spin until it goes to sleep.
 
Thanks for the suggestion TalismanRich. I took the time to cycle through my BIOS' USB settings, but nothing has worked. I may need to invest in a studio monitor controller like Behringer's XENYX Control2USB so I can have a simple switch to turn the speakers off.
 
Thanks for the suggestion TalismanRich. I took the time to cycle through my BIOS' USB settings, but nothing has worked. I may need to invest in a studio monitor controller like Behringer's XENYX Control2USB so I can have a simple switch to turn the speakers off.

There should be something in "Power Options" that controls 'off' USB power? Some of my computer leave it on, others don't but that does not cause me any problems.

If you cannot resolve the issue any other way I am going to once again suggest Wireless Mains Switches.

A two or three unit kit will run you about $20 and look for a brand with "All on. All off" buttons. Then you can zap your monitors on and off from anywhere in the house! (i.e. before killing other kit)

Dave.
 
You were right Dave! In the Power menu for the BIOS I had disabled the EuP Ready power function on my motherboard to allow for Wake On LAN. Enabling this stopped power going to my USB ports. Thanks for the suggestion!
 
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