USB-powered Recording Interface Noise

[Hristov RH-Records]

The USB Audio has always noise and never can be stop or fixing. that's just because the laptop or pc uses impulses power supply (ATX) but it exist better recording systems you can try Roland recorder ot Motu 896 mk3 Hybrid Audio Card. My Setup is Motu with Steinberg Nuendo 8 Software it bring a little bit more loud noise but its not too bad. Motu cards Uses standard XLR Balanced connectors witch means low noise but its always depend of the quality of the product and quality of the software working with this product. when you use USB connection with XLR output connectors there is no other noise than White its just little bit more louder when you increase the volume. So I prefer normal standalone recording systems of Roland because USB AUDIO is not Good quality

 

[Ferrum Master]

USB indeed is over glorified, and suffers from the same issues as every audio interface near a RF source like PC. It is constant fight always and in terms of quality related to stray RFI noises. Motherboard makers are gimping on that. Just look at the boards, they are deserted, they lack any kind of element base to do filtering. Cheap out on max.

I use ADUM USB based USB isolators if the speed is not a concern and fall back to USB 1.1 speeds . You can achieve galvanic isoaltion using optical SPDIF in between the devices also.

 

[Hristov RH-Records]

Just because Power supply ATX Use - (minus) as Ground and chassis ground but standard power supply uses 0 (zero volts) as ground and chassis that's the biggest problem. the professional Audio systems with USB uses 0 volts with means 0 noise the pc uses -12v as ground and when you connected usb with chassis 0v to pc with chassis -v for all voltages you will have always noise just because -12v is always electricity inside and is not like battery -12v yes when u use battery like laptop on battery you will never have noise but when you connect the charger the noise comes

 

[Mittenz]

I've bought laptops that had noise, ironically it was an Asus back in 2013 ended up with a mac and it was solved.
With my experience if you have a quality PSU and have USB and 3.5mm noise its bad board design and rarely a one off defect that an rma will fix.

I've bought dozens of AM4 boards and ive seen this problem alot as they shrunk board sizes down this generation on some models and with it comes EMI bleed into lines we dont want it.
Just go read dozens and dozens of amazon reviews on the board you have, dig on google if its problematic you'll see customers complaining about it there.

 

[Hristov RH-Records]

@Mittenz the problem is not of motherboard because every motherboard is the same also 3.5mm have much noise than XLR its power supply problem not motherboard

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I'm using a topping VX2 connected by usb from a asus b350 board, and the audios is very good. It does have it's own power brick though

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/full...a326-class-d-2x-40w-4-ohm-silver-p-10477.html

 

[willapp]

Thought I would join this thread, having just posted a new topic: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...noise-on-external-usb-audio-interface.259737/

I think we have the same problem. Based on your solution, I'm going to try hooking my equipment up in another room to see if it's my wall sockets causing the problem (tried two different outlets, but both in the same room so will be on the same ring). Question is, I bought a UPS to try and rule out bad power, so would this suggest that's not the problem?

I don't have a spare mobo or PSU to test and I'm running out of ideas without throwing money randomly at new kit! It's driving me crazy!!!

 

[Mittenz]

"because every motherboard is the same"

100% Wrong.

MSI for example they isolate their audio to specifically "prevent EMI" ive tested this deeply ive bought 15 different am4 motherboards and Asrocks low end, Gigabytes low end and almost every ASUS board upto their most expensive have EMI issues; MSI across the board didnt.

Its 100% shoddy design, and I honestly will never buy another Asus board for them lying to me. Shit company designed product with proper QA. Their amazon page is loaded with similar complaints about EMI and audio issues. Its a massive issue on their AM4 platform.

Anyway needless to say, no more EMI audio issues.

Could care less about everyone elses basic trouble shooting advice; their wrong. when you test boards with an APU, then a non apu with various GPUs different ram and PSUs on a anti conducting mat, and in cases to prove its the board itself over 20+ hours; i think i have all the proof i need.

 

[willapp]

MSI for example they isolate their audio to specifically "prevent EMI" ive tested this deeply ive bought 15 different am4 motherboards and Asrocks low end, Gigabytes low end and almost every ASUS board upto their most expensive have EMI issues; MSI across the board didnt.

I wish I shared your experience with MSI. I'm having what seems like the same issue as the OP, and I'm running a fairly new MSI Z390 Gaming Plus mobo. If it is noise from the VRMs or other motherboard components then I might have to replace it to try and solve the problem.

 

[MartyTheSoundGuy]

I was just dealing with the same problem. Was driving me crazy. I tried a separate USB 3.0 PCI Card and BAM noise gone....

 

[fendermeister]

I was just dealing with the same problem. Was driving me crazy. I tried a separate USB 3.0 PCI Card and BAM noise gone....

i can't listen to the original noise uploaded, could you send me a link so i can hear the issue? i am also dealing with noise particularily in the 2k-6k range.

when i use amp vst's it just gets even more exaggerated because of the gain stage.

i'm thinking of buying a pci-e card if it would fix my noise issue when using interfaces with amp Vsts (i use bias FX mostly)

 

[IgorCherny]

Guys, I met the same problem with my Behringer 204HD. It’s also powered from USB. My friend gave me one brilliant suggestion: you should remove the middle contact (ground) from your monitor power plug. It works perfect! I don’t have any noise now.

 

[DAWMan]

i can't listen to the original noise uploaded, could you send me a link so i can hear the issue? i am also dealing with noise particularily in the 2k-6k range.

when i use amp vst's it just gets even more exaggerated because of the gain stage.

i'm thinking of buying a pci-e card if it would fix my noise issue when using interfaces with amp Vsts (i use bias FX mostly)

PCI-e 1X cards are the way to go with Audio/MIDI interfaces.

Streaming audio works on USB but using VSTi’s, especially if the card is placed for direct to CPU lanes is the way to achieve the lowest latency and noise free performing.

I use a 1U design I made and install the card using a Ribbon extender on 16X, a waste of lanes actually but I don’t need them since it’s a custom made VSTi PC.