Question

there is whining signal noise and static

Answer 1

http://support.presonus.com/entries/21530545-My-AudioBox-is-producing-or-recording-noise-What-do-I-do-

Hi check out this knowledge base article see if that helps. There are any number of things that can exacerbate issues,

you might try:

Another cable

another port (however the ABUSB is a port specific device, so you'll need to uninstall, and re-install (also in the knowledge base) (all ports are not equal in power output...

move away from CRT florescent lighting ...etc.

Answer 2

I've been looking for the same answer for a few days. Whew, it's disturbing... I almost thought I would have to return this device. I did find one answer that was fruitful for myself. I'm hooked into a home pc with several connections for usb; somewhere around 10. You'd think one of them would work properly. I guess they do, but... anyway, I had the Audiobox iTwo plugged into the usb connections on the front port of the pc case... they are supposedly both 3.0 and 2.0 compliant... yeh, whatever.. I found the manual to my motherboard and found out exactly what usb was what... I have 2 dedicated to 2.0 on the back. Plugged it in and was very tickled that I heard nothing but crisp and clean sound. I was getting a static noise before. I even noticed static while not recording and just speaking through the mic. ... sounded exactly like playing an old record. The sound the needle makes ... anyway, hope this helps someone... I changed every setting I could possibly change in Studio One and Sonar X3 before finally simply changing placement of the usb cable. Like I said, nothing but crisp clean sound....

Comments

Not all USB ports are equal, as you found out...It could be as simple as a bad USB cable. Glad your up and running!

Answer 3

Its your CELL PHONE!!!!! I tried everything and put my phone close to my microphone and it got stronger.  TURN OFF YOUR PHONES!!!! I know its inconvenient but one less distraction while making music. TRY IT!!  IT WORKED!!

Answer 4

Check your USB cable I used my old USB cable that worked for my Old audio card and got NOISE  total not useable..switched to the Cable that come with the Audio Box 96 and worked Straight away !?!!?  first time ever a changing a cable fixed the issue on a computer !?!  but Had to post for others  that may run into the same issue

Answer 5

The person below who posted 

"Its your CELL PHONE!!!!! I tried everything and put my phone close to my microphone and it got stronger.  TURN OFF YOUR PHONES!!!! I know its inconvenient but one less distraction while making music. TRY IT!!  IT WORKED!!"

helped my problem!! I tried numerous things that this thread recommended and have a furman m-8Dx but nothing seemed to help. I put my cellphone in the next room and the noise immediately decreased. I even bought two Himalayan salt lamps that are good for helping to block radiation and placed them on each side of my interface. the static decreased even more afterward and is now basically 100% gone. 

Answer 6

The issue I have encountered is similar to the original poster's issue.  In addition, I have interference when I move my mouse in any application as well as with the DAW I'm working in.  With any click or movement of the mouse, the interference sound was amplified through the Audiobox headphone output.

A powered USB 2.0 hub solved it for me.  Apparently it wasn't getting enough power, which makes sense.  That has been the issue with other USB powered devices I've had problems with in the past (external hard drives, etc.)  I tried two different models.  One of them didn't solve the issue, but one did (this is not a plug for Macally, only my own findings).  I've read elsewhere that the ports must be 2.0 compatible, which is why I opted for 2.0 models.

This model solved the issue-   Macally 4-port powered USB 2.0 hub with 5V/2A power supply.

This model did not solve the issue- Amazon Basics 7-port USB 2.0 with 5v/2a power supply.

I hope this helps some people.

Answer 7

Whoever wrote this: 

"Its your CELL PHONE!!!!! I tried everything and put my phone close to my microphone and it got stronger.  TURN OFF YOUR PHONES!!!! I know its inconvenient but one less distraction while making music. TRY IT!!  IT WORKED!!"

...was RIGHT!!! In my case, it wasn't muy cell phone, but my wireless home phone!!

...was RIGHT!!! In my case, it wasn't muy cell phone, but my wireless home phone!!

Answer 8

I add a similar problem, turned out it was cause by a LED string light (from Ikea), which was plugged in the same power strip!

Answer 9

"I add a similar problem, turned out it was cause by a LED string light (from Ikea), which was plugged in the same power strip!"

Same here. It's been driving me nuts. Backlighting on my main monitor 

Answer 10

MAKE SURE THE SECOND MIC KNOB IS TURNED TO 0

THIS WAS IT FOR ME. I TRIED ALL THE OTHERS

and this was the one

i even found a himalayan salt rock

nope yall, it was the mic 2 volume

Answer 11

Well, I got an Audiobox USB from a friend a couple of weeks ago, when trying to use it would make a "switching" noise, I mean, it is the usual noise that switching power supplies produce in other devices. Now, the box has a switching power supply inside, to give power to the pre-amplifiers and the 48v needed for the phantom power.
Also, the volume controls aren't actually the kind that will cut down to zero, but a gain control that goes from -10 to+30 db.

One of the controls was dirty so I opened and cleaned, but even after that the chanel wasn't working, so search a bit and found a 1000uf x10v that was faulty, This 1000 uf capacitor together with a resistor of 39 ohms plus the variable control in front the the box are the actual gain control circuit.
Meanwhile the switching noise remained, but it was mostly in channel 1, so just in case I also changed the capacitor on that side, but still the noise remained.
So I had the idea of bypassing all the volume control straight with a 100 ohms resistor, then ALL the switching noise WAS GONE!
So, when I saw what was happening, the actual problem is that for cahnnel 2 the front volume control is less than 2 inches from the capacitor mentioned above, whereas for channel 1 it is goes all the way to the other end of the board, gets into a 2 inches long connection wires, and adds another inch in the board where the volume control is attached.

Long story short, since the volume control works to ground, I just cut the part of the board that was going around and put two cables, one from the ground and another from the capacitor straight to the volume control, and now the gain control works as expected, and the switching noise is gone!
I'm planning on adding a youtube video just showing what I did, but just in case someone knows how to get around with a tester and a soldering iron I'm leaving this info here!
Hope it helps someone!

Answer 12

@guillermovega4 

I'm planning on adding a youtube video just showing what I did

Looking forward to seeing this! I'm handy with a soldering iron and a novice multimeter user, so a guide would be very appreciated!

Answer 13

I was having computer noise in the audio out of my USB96 to the speakers.  It did track with my moving the mouse around the screen.  The noise was gone when my computer was in sleep mode so I was pretty sure the computer was the source, not a phone.  

I noticed the post about using a powered USB hub between the computer and the USB96.  I bought one and tried it out. Success!!  The  computer noise is gone.  Nice and quiet now. I checked and the noise comes back if I unplug the power supply of the USB hub.   

FYI. My PC is running windows 10. It is new this year as the motherboard failed on my old PC.  Solid state disk is much faster to boot up now.

Answer 14

It was my power source (the block) for my computer. The extra mic cable was coiled next to it and it picked up the hum an popping, I moved it away and crystal clear.

Answer 15

So I was having a constant noise (Line out to speakers any configuration I could come up with), after reading through these posts I thought why not try unplugging power sources and see what makes a difference here if any, and when I unplugged the laptop power supply the noise was gone.. I plugged it back in and it returned. Since its on a power strip with my amp for my cab, I decided to use and extension cord from another wall outlet for the laptop and presto! all the noise is gone now. :)

So what's wrong with my power outlet with the amp or power strip or power supply I cant say but its dead quiet in here right now since I used another wall outlette for the PC aka Laptop.

Answer 16

I also noticed computer noise in my signal and finally figured out why. I had my Roland FA-08 audio out into the audio input on the Audiobox USB96 AND also had connected the FA-08 to the computer USB (from the USB that is built in to the FA-08 into a USB port in my computer). I disconnected the USB cable to the computer and all the noise disappeared.

Answer 17

Okay... I'm on an OMEN laptop (Win 11) with an Audiobox USB96. I have it USB'd to my computer, output is to a Peavey speaker. Everything is fine, dead quiet with volume settings for normal listening. The moment I start up the Studio One 6 program, instant ground hum and (I think) hard drive noises. (In defense of Studio One - the minute I start my Goldwave audio program, the same noise starts.) Close the program, back to silence.

I've tried a powered USB - there might be a marginal improvement but its still got an annoying amount of hum. I've tried plugging the powered USB into every USB on the laptop - same results. I've tried every USB without the powered USB, too. Same results.

I'm old enough that my cell phone doesn't follow me everywhere. It's not that.

It's not the audio cords to the Peavey - I've switched out several. The Peavey itself is dead quiet (okay, well, dead quiet for a Peavey.)

I've tried running the laptop on battery only - once again, perhaps a marginal improvement. Still too annoying for live performance, way too much for studio.

I tried a second powered USB - same thing, maybe even a little worse than the first one (better than plugging in directly though.)

I did notice that even with the main volume completely down on the AudioBox, that the noise starts the moment an audio program starts.

(In years past, there'd be a ground switch that could be thrown or something simple.)

I have read through all the other solutions I can find on youtube, Google, etc. Many date back quite a few years (it's Oct 2023 as I'm writing this.) None seem to fix the problem.

I think it's time to either send this unit back - or start down the path of second party noise conditioners and USB filters. Any thoughts?