Mbox noise problem

[technobreath]

OK, I have now found out something... not sure it's a solution though...... I started my system and put on my headset - and the whining was there. Still wearing the headset I unplugged it from the mixer, and plugged it directly into the mbox - and DEAD quite!

And also when I am plugged into the mixer and I mute the realtek channelstrip the whining becomes a little bit more evident than with that channel open. Also a slightly different change in the volume of the whining when muting the channel strip for the mbox - or both of them - so a thought occured... stupid me didn't realize it before, but plugged into the mbox itself it's quite and nice, and when I plug into the mixer, it is whining as heck. even with the channels muted - all channels - so I am now convinced it is a grounding problem... I think I'll just lay out a grounded distribution strip from my kitchen and try if there is any trouble, and maybe try individual devices in the grounded strip

ill report back when I've tried.

[boo]

I would try trs for the heck of it. that's what I use and there is no whine.

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by boo

I would try trs for the heck of it. that's what I use and there is no whine.

Heck, he could lift the ground on the current cables he is using and this would remove multiple return paths to ground, which are cause of ground loops. Would probably work, but is not suggested .

[technobreath]

yeah i will try TRS. But I don't understand why they tell us to use a TRS cable when the outputs are unbalanced... beets me. but what the heck I will try that and see what happens, though I don't take digidesigns word for it . If it's in fact a TS output it won't matter if I use this or that....

for the evil conspiracy guy: - I use cubase - and it still whines... So I doubt that, though it could be... hehe.

For the referance to a "ultimate-monster-usb-cable" my best comment is "hmmmm!" That smells like a comment made from digidesign in desperation and lack of a better answer. If someone as digidesign claims has solved the whining problem with buying a million-dollar-pure-gold-platina-plated-usb-cable, it I would most likely think that the previous cable he / she used was old and worn out... The thought has occured to me that my usb cable isnt good enough, but it's not likely... though it just costs a fraction of what a real monsterous cable would cost.

The cable madness becomes evident to me when I see 1000 dollar 3 foot ethernet cables "intended for digital link between hifi equipment"... so I don't believe in all that, sorry to those of you who are

I'm sure it's the wiring that is the problem - and i'm pretty sure as the first guy here says -it's a minor ground problem. And it is probably caused by something between the mbox and the mixing desk.

Heck, he could lift the ground on the current cables he is using and this would remove multiple return paths to ground, which are cause of ground loops. Would probably work, but is not suggested .

I'm not really sure what you mean here? Maybe it's because I'm slow hehe ...

[jagcmos]

Originally Posted by technobreath

Heck, he could lift the ground on the current cables he is using and this would remove multiple return paths to ground, which are cause of ground loops. Would probably work, but is not suggested .


I'm not really sure what you mean here? Maybe it's because I'm slow hehe ...

Your current TS cables between the mbox and mixer have a ground and signal wire.
By disconnecting the ground wire on the TS cables you would only provide a single path to ground between the mbox and mixer via the 120 power wire.
As I said, not suggested.

[technobreath]

Put that shovel away. It looks like the outputs are unbalanced.
Link: Mbox 2
Click on specifications.

I'm suprised that they used unbalanced outputs. Poor engineering decision.

The article suggests using a "monster" digital cable...

Just shooting in a fast comment before I have to leave. I have the first mbox, not mbox2 - just read the datasheet of digidesign's site. It acutally supports both balanced and unbalanced outputs... and yes - the mbox2 only has unbalanced. a very poor engineering decision. I mean if you are out on the laptop away from your console with the preamps or the studio monitors you just use the headset right.