spluttery noise on audio interface inputs

Quite a few do, sadly. In fact, since the latest update, I have a number of USB accessories that this MacBook instantly refuses to power as they take excessive current. I think apple lowered the current available and many computers seem near the limit. However - trying two computers tends to knock my theory out of the water.
 
rob aylestone said:
Quite a few do, sadly. In fact, since the latest update, I have a number of USB accessories that this MacBook instantly refuses to power as they take excessive current. I think apple lowered the current available and many computers seem near the limit. However - trying two computers tends to knock my theory out of the water.
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What sort of USB accessories? I have never really had any bother with USB power in over 10 years with either desktop PCs or laptops.

Dave.
 
Well - the MacBook objects to a 4 way USB hub, and also to a HD drive I use for backup which appears right on the limit. Sometimes you plug it in and the start up surge is enough to trigger "the device has been disabled" warning. I have a problem charging my GoPro batteries from a dell PC, but they charge fine on two other computers, but the usb voltage/current monitor tells me the voltage drops to about 4.4V and this isn't enough to make them charge. I suspect the computers share the PSU available current, so the more devices you attach the worse it can get.
 
If you think it's a USB issue, have you tried to see if there is an updated BIOS to the computer or maybe getting a 3rd party USB card to plug into a vacant slot...if you have a vacant slot, that is. I didn't like the default USB speed of one computer I had, so I got a 4 connector USB card and put it in the computer. That solved my problem.

Also, not all USB plugs are the same. Sometimes the ones in the back of the computer are hotter than the ones in the front. It's not always the case, but sometimes it is. I've received notices on my desktop that I should connect something to a faster port than the one I have it connected to, when I use the front USB jacks. All of this is just food for thought.

I guess you've also canceled out updating the driver to the interface. The noises don't sound like a bad or weak connection, but maybe a defective driver? It does sound strange that the interface would be humming at all, though. That sounds more like a power issue with it. There shouldn't be any humming at all.
 
Another "fix" if you think it is a power delivery problem is a "Y" cable. This is a USB cable with two A plugs on it so you can double the power drawn form the PC. They are readily available because external DVD burners often need them. I got one for grandson's Lenovo "Thinkpad".

Re front USB ports? Used to be USB 1.1but I doubt that would still be the case with anything remotely modern?

Dave.

Dave.
 
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