Been noticing a hum lately

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rickryan.com

rickryan.com

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Dec 9, 2009
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I'm using a windows laptop, into a Behringer UCA 202 interface to a yamaha mg10xu mixer (via rca connector). From there, I take xlr to dbx 166 compressor, then to an ls801p sub and finally to qsc k10 tops. This rig has typically been dead-quiet but in the past few months I've been noticing more low-end hum on the computer channel (it doesn't do this on the mics). If I unplug the USB from the computer, the hum goes away. I've got a 2nd laptop (same interface) but can't remember if the hum is coming from that one as well. I'm thinking it doesn't. I do have an ebtech hum eliminator and guess that's probably the next thing to try. Any other suggestions on how to debug this?
 
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Rick, Un plug your laptop power supply. May be the that simple. I have wireless mic wall worts start too cause hum with age & just before that take a dump.
 
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I agree the power supply is probably the culprit. They make USB isolation units that might help ..
 
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I used us use one of those behringer interfaces. I can't remember what went wrong with it but it only lasted a couple of years.
 
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rickryan.com said:
I've got a 2nd laptop (same interface) but can't remember if the hum is coming from that one as well. I'm thinking it doesn't. I do have an ebtech hum eliminator and guess that's probably the next thing to try. Any other suggestions on how to debug this?
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"Same" interface or "duplicate" interface? If duplicate, and unplugging your laptops power supply doesn't eliminate the hum, swap the UCA 202's.

Just bought gas at Sam's - $1.99/gallon. Soon they will be giving away steak knives and glasses!
 
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B-Sharp said:
If you find that the laptop power supply is the cause of your hum, this will take care of it. I have my laptop power supplies plugged into these in all of my consoles: Ebtech Hum X Ground Loop Hum Eliminator HUM X B&H Photo Video
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Thanks Brendan, I think I'm going to pick one of these up today and just try it. I have an inline ebtech but it has 1/4" in/out, which would require rca>1/4 converters on each side. Not something I'm crazy about.
 
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I don't endorse using cheaters (defeating the ground plug on power cables) as a fix; usually just for troubleshooting, but years ago I had a DJ laptop that had a grounded AC adapter and I had to use a cheater on it or got a good hum. I know there are other options -- HumX, etc. -- but a laptop is about the only thing I'd actually condone using a cheater on and it worked well.

Something to test anyway, though most laptops today don't have a grounded adapter anyway.
 
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I find Old Spice works pretty good....Oh wait you mean line hum ;)
 
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rickryan.com said:
By the way, the hum seems to have been caused by the USB converter. Changed out to another one and the hum went away.
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Did you mean the USB sound card? I think what happens with the Behringer's is the cable goes bad - probably the shield from too much flexing. Unfortunately, they are hard wired.
 
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Handinon said:
Did you mean the USB sound card? I think what happens with the Behringer's is the cable goes bad - probably the shield from too much flexing. Unfortunately, they are hard wired.
Click to expand...

Yes Behringer UCA-202. I have 3, but will ditch this one and get a replacement.
 
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Just wondering why you are using the UCA202 as a sound card when your MG10XU already has a built in USB sound card? Using the built in mixer sound card will probably give you better sound quality since you are eliminating an unnecessary digital to analog conversion. Also make sure you go to the Yamaha website product support page for the mixer to download its asio driver if you use a PC to ensure you get the best sound quality.

Here's a bonus for your UCA202, originally Behringer released these with true asio driver support, but later stopped listing the asio driver on their product support website. They then put a link to download the fake universal asio driver called Asio4All which is not really a true asio driver. I suspect they did this to avoid paying asio licensing fees and/or so they didn't have to worry about updating the drivers with new Windows updates (so get them before the links below stop working!). The good news for now is you can still download the better true asio driver for the UCA202 and all of the Xenyx USB mixers from these links below (first link is for 32 bit Windows, second link is for 64 bit Windows). Asio = lower latency and better sound quality. I know they work with Windows 7 and 10. If you have problems, try running it in legacy mode, but I don't think you will have any problems with them.

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_WIN32_2.8.40.zip

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_X64_2.8.40.zip
 
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Freddie said:
Just wondering why you are using the UCA202 as a sound card when your MG10XU already has a built in USB sound card? Using the built in mixer sound card will probably give you better sound quality since you are eliminating an unnecessary digital to analog conversion. Also make sure you go to the Yamaha website product support page for the mixer to download its asio driver if you use a PC to ensure you get the best sound quality.

Here's a bonus for your UCA202, originally Behringer released these with true asio driver support, but later stopped listing the asio driver on their product support website. They then put a link to download the fake universal asio driver called Asio4All which is not really a true asio driver. I suspect they did this to avoid paying asio licensing fees and/or so they didn't have to worry about updating the drivers with new Windows updates (so get them before the links below stop working!). The good news for now is you can still download the better true asio driver for the UCA202 and all of the Xenyx USB mixers from these links below (first link is for 32 bit Windows, second link is for 64 bit Windows). Asio = lower latency and better sound quality. I know they work with Windows 7 and 10. If you have problems, try running it in legacy mode, but I don't think you will have any problems with them.

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_WIN32_2.8.40.zip

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_X64_2.8.40.zip
Click to expand...

I haven't been able to get the mixer's usb to work (and I've tried multiple units). For simple audio playback, I'd rather not fool with asio. It works, out of the box, so I just use it as is.
 
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Freddie said:
Just wondering why you are using the UCA202 as a sound card when your MG10XU already has a built in USB sound card? Using the built in mixer sound card will probably give you better sound quality since you are eliminating an unnecessary digital to analog conversion. Also make sure you go to the Yamaha website product support page for the mixer to download its asio driver if you use a PC to ensure you get the best sound quality.

Here's a bonus for your UCA202, originally Behringer released these with true asio driver support, but later stopped listing the asio driver on their product support website. They then put a link to download the fake universal asio driver called Asio4All which is not really a true asio driver. I suspect they did this to avoid paying asio licensing fees and/or so they didn't have to worry about updating the drivers with new Windows updates (so get them before the links below stop working!). The good news for now is you can still download the better true asio driver for the UCA202 and all of the Xenyx USB mixers from these links below (first link is for 32 bit Windows, second link is for 64 bit Windows). Asio = lower latency and better sound quality. I know they work with Windows 7 and 10. If you have problems, try running it in legacy mode, but I don't think you will have any problems with them.

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_WIN32_2.8.40.zip

http://www.behringerdownload.de/_software/BEHRINGER_2902_X64_2.8.40.zip
Click to expand...
Tru dat! I'm impressed Freddie! A true audio techie!

The only thing that I don't like about the Yamaha mixer,,,,I have the 12 and the 16. You have to download the firmware from Yamaha,,,,, When I bought these 2 years ago, I was up on the details. Forgot now, but I don't think the USB or the voice enhancers works until you download firmware!
 
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