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Hi guys. Dealing with an annoying problem where intermittently I will get static pops in my speakers. Here is my setup.

G4 Dual 1ghz
MOTU 2408 MK3
Mackie 1202 taking feed via TRS from MOTU.
Balanced XLR out of Mackie into Tannoy Reveal Active speakers
Power is coming from a dedicated circuit. There is a Triplite backup system that all my gear is plugged into. Actually, 2 to be exact. One has mostly hard drives hooked into it.
Cable lengths are fairly short. Mixer to speaker cables are only 10 feet (Canare with Neutrik connectors).

My solution is to call my electrician and see if I have any weak links in the chain. I have a brand new 200amp electrical system, but perhaps something isn't right. If anyone has any suggestions in the meantime, it would certainly be helpful, especially if it's stuff I can then relay to my electrician who is not a music guy.

Thanks!
Steve

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anonymous Tue, 02/21/2006 - 15:24

Do you get the pops when you are playing back audio? If so, do you see the pops on the track? (like with Wavelab, or Cubase)

I sometimes get static pops with my motu 24io. mostly just on the odd channel.... usually 3 or 4. When I zoom in on the recorded wav, sure enough, there is a little spike. That's why Cubase has a plug-in called "de-clicker". Just select the area, or the whole track, and go to audio/process and select the declicker plugin.

If you zoom in on your audio and there is no visible click, and you still hear pops on playback, make sure you aren't monitoring any of your inputs while you listen.

If you still hear pops, even when just playing back a CD, THEN call the specialists in!

Good luck!

anonymous Tue, 02/21/2006 - 17:07

Thanks.

Here's the deal, somehow static is traveling through my system even when I'm not in playback. My wife came into the studio to ask me something, and when she started to walk away, static pops started coming through the speakers. I have been able to replicate this by moving around in the studio or sometimes, even in my chair. My guess is there is not enough humidity in the room/house and that static is the result of the dry conditions. Aside from putting a humidifier in the room or spending a ton of money to redo our heating system so that it has humidity control, any other suggestions for dealing with this issue? By the way, there is carpet in the studio, which you may have assumed anyway.

Thanks
Steve

anonymous Tue, 02/21/2006 - 17:49

stevesherrick wrote: Thanks.

Here's the deal, somehow static is traveling through my system even when I'm not in playback....
By the way, there is carpet in the studio, which you may have assumed anyway.

Thanks
Steve

So you seem to think it has to do with static electicity in the air?
If you turn off the motu unit, do you still get clicks and pops? I'm just trying to eliminate the motu as the source of the problem...