Greggo Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Hi all. I've been primarily playing my guitar through a laptop using vsts for over a year now with great success. Very recently though I'm finding that despite no change in setup I'm getting hum when laptop plugged in and very loud data sounds when it is unplugged. Just like overnight there is a lot more noise and inference. I've tried with another ac adapter even tried with same setup on partners laptop but same. Any ideas on what can be causing the increase on noise? Playing and recording guitar is now virtually impossible because of this random increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 A duff cable..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 Sorry forgot to say as well, changed cables used a different interface, same issue. Really bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landwomble Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Is the laptop and your amp plugged into the same socket? If not, try it in case it'sa ground loop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 It's just the laptop plugged into a 4 way and the interface I'm using is USB powered. It was absolutely fine but just seems last few days this humming occurred. I thought the adapter was bad but after changing it same issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 The next suspect would be the interface flaking out. What do you hear if you record a session with no guitar plugged in at all..? Should be silence, or near enough. Is it..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 Nothing - silence until a guitar is plugged in it is almost certainly the pickups picking up something, it's better with humbuckers but real bad with single coils. I did reinstall Windows that is the only change that I can think of?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 All I can suggest, then, is that there is a source of interference now present which was not there beforehand. Can you move the system to another location, just for a trial somewhere else (another room, or another house, even..?). Have there been any major changes made recently, such as new freezer or central heating switched on..? We're now in the realms of guesswork, really; it's strange that this should only recently become apparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterT Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1477430663' post='3162255']I did reinstall Windows that is the only change that I can think of?![/quote] It started after you reinstalled Windows? And you say there's a difference between 1) the data noise unplugged and 2) the hum plugged in? The fact that you've got noise unplugged (ie: no part of what you're using is on AC) means there's something afoot with either the laptop or the soundcard. Screens can cause interference (and the inverter that powers them) as can graphics drivers, especially when you notice them making different levels of noise when they're being pushed (try a white background versus a black background for instance). I know, sounds bonkers but the current draw goes up a lot on white and it can make sounds worse. If you've just reinstalled, have you definitely got the correct / up to date drivers for the graphics / soundcard? And if they're right, were you using the same ones previously? Have you reinstalled the same operating system or a later version? I used a ground loop isolator on my laptop when it was plugged into the mains, killed just about all the noise but on batteries they should be silent. Pig of a thing to diagnose! [Edit 1] Thinking screen again, try getting the laptop to power the screen down after a short period of time - don't touch the laptop so the screen stays off and see if the sound is still there while the screen's off. It's in the power options, just click on the Start button (bottom left) and type "Power" (without speech marks) - should bring up the power options which you then can edit. Don't forget to set them back after testing. [Edit 2] Every time I submit I think of something else! I recently tried recording into Sony Sound Forge on this PC and it makes a high pitched racket when I do so. Try the same in Ableton without changing any hardware and it's perfect. I put this down to me never configuring Sound Forge - I must have something set wrong somewhere. Right, that's it, I'm stopping diagnosing and I'll go to bed. Then I'll think of something else and my forthcoming sleepless night will be all your fault Edited October 25, 2016 by MisterT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 (edited) Maybe the windows [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]reinstall[/font][/color] has defaulted to using the windows sound drivers? Instead of your USB interface drivers? Although you are plugged into the Interface, you might be recording and playing back through the internal soundcard. Edit: Just noticed that you said it happens on your partners Laptop as well. What Interface are you using ? Do you still get the noise and hum when the Interface is not plugged in? If you have tried using the USB Interface on both Laptops, possibly a Interface problem. These things do go wrong. Edited October 26, 2016 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 have you changed rooms? its possible that light bulbs and fittings can cause humming noises. i used to get it a lot in my old house, now i have my computer, speakers and interfaces all plugged into different sockets and its a lot cleaner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Thanks all some great suggestions there. I've got a feeling that the drivers could potentially be culprit so I'm going to get the model specific drivers and replace in case any generic drivers have been used on this build of the laptop build. Other than that there has been no change of room, no change of power supply etc, so I'm thinking the re-image of laptop is the cuplrit. Its the increase in data noise that is annoying as the power supply hum I can deal with by simply unplugging when recording. Stangely if I do something on the laptop like turn the wi-fi off, the data noises stop for a second then carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Ahh.... Investigate with a tool like LatencyMon ( free version now supports Win 10 ) http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 This data sounds are getting really bad. I have installed all the correct drivers for sound graphics etc but the same problem is occurring. The ground loop is pretty much rectified but even when recording low gain especially with single coils getting this dreadful high pitch sound that sometimes goes off for a second then comes back on. I turn WiFi off and it remains. If I point the pickups directly at laptop keyboard it gets really noisey so it's definitely something internal, but really strange how it's got really bad following Windows reinstall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
project_c Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 You should try a different interface. I'm on a mac but when i upgraded my OS everything went weird with my setup too, and i ended up buying a new interface in the end which fixed things. In my case the problem was caused by the way the new OS handled USB powered devices, something changed and under this OS my mac hates anything that's powered by usb. So your problem may have something to do with how your upgraded system behaves with usb peripherals. Just a guess but worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterT Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 [quote]In my case the problem was caused by the way the new OS handled USB powered devices[/quote] I'm now also thinking this is heading in a USB direction. I remember trying some expensive USB cables (still have them) but they didn't shield whatever it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_c2 Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 If it were a hum while plugged into mains only, I'd suggest its some kind of ground loop interference. My laptop does it too, but I can run it off battery and the noise goes right down to basically inaudiable. Its possible that it could be anything you've recently plugged into the mains, or even that a neighbour has plugged into their mains, etc. I've never gotten to the bottom of mine. The "data" noises while running on battery - I can only guess but maybe something to do with interface buffer settings while on a reduced voltage or power consumption mode? I wonder if its worth having a look at all the power (saving) settings on the laptop, including in the BIOS, and setting them up to be the same on battery as mains, temporarily? Failing that, sounds like a hardware issue with the laptop itself or an unusual fault on the interface (but you've tried 2 interfaces??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 what about USB/chipset drivers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Sounds to me like it may be the ground connection on the input to the interface has gone missing. This could be a fault on the input socket itself, or on the guitar, but I imagine you tried another guitar, and got the same result? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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