M-Audio 410 – to any users – static noise

[Neil Moxham]

I think you have a grounding problem.
I have had this problem before.
the problem isnt the 410. its bad data

What happens if you disconnect the speakers, hook up headphones
listen to your audio then. If its quiet…cool
While you have headphones on…plug in a speaker….do you hear it comeback?
If so…

Are you using balanced (tip/ring/sleeve) 1/4″ cables to go between the 410 and the speakers. Balance lines will not attract erronious magnetic fields. but wont solve a grounding problem.
Try ground lifts on your speakers. Also Make sure that your speakers are plugged into the same circuit that the computer is.
Once I had to disconnect the audio wire that went from my CD/DVDrom drive to the motherboard. Crazy…I know but it worked. worstcase…try it
Somekind of digital info loop that jumped onto the the wrong bus.
Zip

Zipedit

[Rick Mac]

[Neil Moxham] “Try ground lifts on your speakers. Also Make sure that your speakers are plugged into the same circuit that the computer is.”

Lifting your power ground pin is not a smart thing to do.
It may fix a ground-loop but could leed to a fatal
shock. The best thing to do is to get all your gear on the same circuit and verify the integrity of your cables.
In a balanced line (tip ring sleve) you can lift the shield (ground) wire on one end to break a ground-loop.
If you have a have a unbalanced line hum and buzz will come from a broken or poor ground wire.
You can also get what is called induced hum and buzz from
placeing your gear to close to a strong megnetic field such as
a TV Monitor. To fix this, move your gear away from the megnetic field. Lastly lighting dimmers can throw all kinds
of noise into your gear. Get rid of it.

Regards, Rick.

Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377