Interface Ground Buzz Issue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Martisan
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Martisan

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Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask. I'm trying to find someone to help with an issue that's been going on for some time now, which is an incessant and annoying ground buzz audible during longer periods of playing through my Behringer UMC202HD interface. The sound stops whenever I touch close the loop by touching ex. my PC with my foot or a metal part on the guitar. I've eliminated it being an issue with the interface hardware, guitar wiring or anything else, and I'm at my wits end, it keeps me from playing normally and it's something that hasn't happened before. Any help would be appreciated.

I've attached a clip of the sound here.

voca. ro/1jrTBfJCC0HQ

Thanks in advance,
Martin
 
You can't attach or put a live link in a post here until you have had a certain number of posts.

Are you using laptop, and if so, have you tried it on battery power?
 
It sounds more like interference of some kind than a ground issue, though poor shielding/cables could be part of the fault.
[MENTION=39487]mjbphotos[/MENTION] - just take the space out between ". ro" and it's a link. But, here it is: Vocaroo | Online voice recorder

I don't know noises, so maybe someone else might say, "Oh, that sounds like it could be <xyz>," once they listen.

Not sure how you eliminated components - have you replaced all the cables, starting at the PC and working back to the guitar? Turned off other electrical devices in the room or on the same circuit? Shut off your cellphone? Etc.
 
Normally I try to help, but I have never heard that type of interference before in my recording life - it's impulse noise but no idea what would generate what sounds like lots of small discharges - like one of those old bug zapper things.
 
Wow, this just makes it even more mysterious.. could this be the result of things plugged into the same source, but turned off? I have to note,

The source of the power for the interface is coming from a single socket into which the PC power supply is plugged in (no extension cord), so there should be no mixing of power.
Next to it is another socket which has an extender with a bunch of different things (monitor and the like). What frustrates me even more is that no one I take my guitar to can recreate this issue, so it must be something with my power/home studio setup but I've eliminated everything I can think of.
 
Martisan said:
Wow, this just makes it even more mysterious.. could this be the result of things plugged into the same source, but turned off? I have to note,

The source of the power for the interface is coming from a single socket into which the PC power supply is plugged in (no extension cord), so there should be no mixing of power.
Next to it is another socket which has an extender with a bunch of different things (monitor and the like). What frustrates me even more is that no one I take my guitar to can recreate this issue, so it must be something with my power/home studio setup but I've eliminated everything I can think of.
Click to expand...
The Behringer UMC202HD is bus powered, so something you've described is not correct.

I would just get the setup as simple as possible, with your guitar plugged into the UMC202HD, the Line/Inst switch pressed in (INST setting), a known, good USB cable running from the UMC202HD to the PC, and nothing else plugged in or connected except the PC and monitor. Turn off overhead lighting in your room if possible (CFL bulbs can introduce noise). Listen with headphones at the interface, both with the Direct Monitor switch on and off. Is the noise still there?
 
It's still there. Tried plugging everything out, listening with headphones and without, direct monitor on and off. This is what chinese water torture must feel like.
 
It’s only there with the guitar plugged in or always there?
 
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