How do you have your monitors hooked up?

Khazul · Post by **Khazul** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:46 pm

I have an Audio Kontrol 1 plugged into my laptop - I actually bount it for DJ type use, but it seems quite a decent little interface and havnt had any problem iwth it at all - Im using it with a PC laptop though, so cant comment on mac drivers.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:31 pm

most computers are noisy as fuck with their built in sound cards, some aren't. I'm not talking audio snob levels, I mean 'wtf is that occasional 'zzzzzzzzzzzip brrrrrrrr kzzzzzzz noise?' my impression is that most computer builders pay little attention to the true quality of the audio out, it doesn't matter to them, we're in a niche market where people like us buy sound cards regardless. it's not rocket science to make a quiet interface but you do have to pay attention. most signals computers are WAAAY above the audio range (kilohertz as opposed to Megaherts or Gigahertz!

between a sound card and monitors nothing is more important to your music. sound card affects latency and CPU load, monitors represent EVERYTHING you do in Live, cheaping out is like dumping hundreds of dollars on Photoshop and choosing to be color blind (OK, that was a lame analogy.)

spend what you can on an audio interface, maybe your built in one is quiet, that's cool. put what you can into the monitors, it's totally worth it. evaluate the built in stuff yourself, you might be fine, it might be annoying.

condra · Post by **condra** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:34 pm

Presonus

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:43 pm

condra wrote:Presonus

lemme guess... because that's what you use?

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:54 pm

Tone Deft wrote:most computers are noisy as fuck with their built in sound cards, some aren't. I'm not talking audio snob levels, I mean 'wtf is that occasional 'zzzzzzzzzzzip brrrrrrrr kzzzzzzz noise?' my impression is that most computer builders pay little attention to the true quality of the audio out, it doesn't matter to them, we're in a niche market where people like us buy sound cards regardless. it's not rocket science to make a quiet interface but you do have to pay attention. most signals computers are WAAAY above the audio range (kilohertz as opposed to Megaherts or Gigahertz!

between a sound card and monitors nothing is more important to your music. sound card affects latency and CPU load, monitors represent EVERYTHING you do in Live, cheaping out is like dumping hundreds of dollars on Photoshop and choosing to be color blind (OK, that was a lame analogy.)

spend what you can on an audio interface, maybe your built in one is quiet, that's cool. put what you can into the monitors, it's totally worth it. evaluate the built in stuff yourself, you might be fine, it might be annoying.

Funny you should say this...

I have my monitors hooked up directly through either my Mackie Satellite or my Motu Ultralite and my monitors buzz like crazy the second you turn them on.

I've run my powered monitors (KRK's RP5's) directly through my macbooks built in sound card and they buzz like crazy still so it's definetly the cheap monitors.

I'm just saying... you may till have monitor buzz or hum regardless if you use a built in sound card, Mackie or Motu or Apogee sound card. It doesn't matter. Some fellas are lucky and some 'aint.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 12:01 am

yeah, and this guy who posted recently about radio interference. I'd love to help but damn, dunno where to start.

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=101901

Robert Henke · Post by **Robert Henke** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:06 am

500 Hz sinewave with peak at 0 dB,
played back and re-recorded with a Motu Ultralite:

Played back with build in soundcard of the MacBookPro:

This is shockingly noisy. Look at the peak around 180Hz, which is around -36dB
This means, signal to noise ratio is around 36dB, this is like an old gramophone...

An here the spectrum without a signal, just what the output contributes by itself:

What a mess...

Robert

Mr Mowgli · Post by **Mr Mowgli** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:20 am

Mine (Event 20/20 v2) are bi-amped, straight into my MOTU 828MKII...Bo!

Stace · Post by **Stace** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:13 am

thelike5 wrote:Funny you should say this...

I have my monitors hooked up directly through either my Mackie Satellite or my Motu Ultralite and my monitors buzz like crazy the second you turn them on.

I've run my powered monitors (KRK's RP5's) directly through my macbooks built in sound card and they buzz like crazy still so it's definetly the cheap monitors.

I'm just saying... you may till have monitor buzz or hum regardless if you use a built in sound card, Mackie or Motu or Apogee sound card. It doesn't matter. Some fellas are lucky and some 'aint.

So when your friend said your new monitors are f%*kin buzzin, you replied "Thanks mate, they're great."

Here you go thelike5 this link is to a thread that has got a couple of lads with the same problem as you, read through it because they start talking about their KRK's buzzing and how they sorted it out. You may (or may not) find it helpful. To me KRK are a good brand and I wouldn't call them cheap (maybe in price (for the 5's) but not in build).

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... light=adam

smili · Post by **smili** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:45 pm

I guess it depends on how you work, but I find it handy to have a "knob" and source selector to send stuff through. I'm using a Furman SRM-80 that lets me switch between sources (CD, soundcard, other DAW) and like the flexibility.

I had a Hafler preamp that I used to use and liked alot, but it started shorting out so I got the furman. Actually liked the Hafler better but I'm not good at fixing stuff.

Z3NO · Post by **Z3NO** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:43 pm

@rbro:

Ok this is an old post... I struggle to remember what a Powerbook is and you might've become the highest paid sound engineer on the Northern Hemisphere since your first post, but it is still a valid point and subject of many discussions... so I'll have my say.

I'm quite surprised nobody mentioned that a very important benefit of using a soundcard over built-in outputs is the ability to use balanced (shielded) lines, which eliminate a LARGE proportion of interference noise and buzzes, particularly the infamous mobile phone glitching buzz... and the same agenda applies to monitor speakers too, you want magnetically shielded ones!

Funny you should say this...

I have my monitors hooked up directly through either my Mackie Satellite or my Motu Ultralite and my monitors buzz like crazy the second you turn them on.

I've run my powered monitors (KRK's RP5's) directly through my macbooks built in sound card and they buzz like crazy still so it's definetly the cheap monitors.

I'm just saying... you may till have monitor buzz or hum regardless if you use a built in sound card, Mackie or Motu or Apogee sound card. It doesn't matter. Some fellas are lucky and some 'aint

Here it could be a number of things, and even tho I'm not ruling out that it might be the speakers, it could also be a commonly overlooked mains (earth) issue. Most household supplies don't have a 'clean earth' ring dedicated for your sound equipment, so if something 'contaminates' your earth on one of the rings, it will be picked up by the speakers, no matter how much money you spend on them... sometimes it may well be your fridge causing the buzz in the monitors

In any event, it is rarely down to bad luck!

Safe

Furland · Post by **Furland** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:59 pm

Look at it this way, at least you necrobumped a thread with Robert Henke in it! That's a +1 from me!!!

rbro · Post by **rbro** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:20 pm

Furland wrote:Look at it this way, at least you necrobumped a thread with Robert Henke in it! That's a +1 from me!!!

"necrobumped" +1

I'm actually using my Kore controller as a soundcard these days. Working fine for me

ChiDJ · Post by **ChiDJ** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:00 pm

Exactly what Robert and Tone said. This is not an area to skimp.

I would recommend MOTU interfaces. Relatively inexpensive, "Pro" quality, solid build and great company service.

Tod

aburgener · Post by **aburgener** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:36 pm

My KRKs used to buzz too but I'm fairly certain it was a ground loop issue...

The main floor of my house has shit wiring, but the stuff in the basement is all new. I moved downstairs and the buzz went away.

How do you have your monitors hooked up?

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