Toneport UX2 interference issues.

[-Gavin-]

Posted this on l6 forum but i'll try here as you guys actually know something!

Hi there,

I'm having a pretty big problem with my Ux2 rendering it useless for recording...

This seems to be a common problem but no useful answers were posted so i ned to try again and really need this sorted ASAP due to recording an album.

Toneport is connected directly (not via hub) to this Compaq Presario v6000 laptop running Win XP pro SP2, 2gm ram, 1.8ghz dual core AMD with all the line 6 "system tweaks" activated.
I have a USB hub on another port where i have ther stuff for audio connected. Disconnecting this and other USB devices makes no difference.

The problem is that interference from the Laptop and my ext HD power supplies is being recorded onto the track and giving an incrediably poor S/N ratio.

I am using gearbox to monitor distortion then will be reamping the clean DI tracks via a Mesa but when i test the DIs, they have this supply hum in them that renders the track useless...

I find the most decent course of action is a passive DI box into the line inputs but this gives nearly no signal worthy of reamping and boosting it causes hum.

I used to use an Edirol UA-25 on this exact same setup and had no problems.

One note, i downgraded my monitors after i moved to finland and now connect them via a 1/4 -> 1/8 jack, not ideal but only way i can connect these and i'm stuck with them as they're the best i can get here at the moment.

Please, someone help as i really need to get this done and i see no problem with the power supply as i have used the edirol with it and had zero complaints.



One other actual thing, my laptop and UK gear is going into a UK multi adaptor and that into a UK->Euro plug converter.... could this affect it?


Cheers

 

[hoehlentroll]

did you see that hum reducing option in gearbox?

 

[-Gavin-]

Yeah, but that's not the problem......

A) it still prints the hum to my DI track and i want n hum, i didn't spend money on a soundcard that i can only record on while on laptop battery

 

[hoehlentroll]

the hum comes even though you activated the reduce hum function, aye? I bet it's a power issue, as you said. Can you borrow an active hub (powered on it's own)? Maybe that could help!
EDIT: sorry my fault:

Disconnecting this and other USB devices makes no difference.

other than that I have no idea, sorry!

 

[hoehlentroll]

but you could try connecting the toneport via an active hub. try to use different power sources for the laptop and active hub. Also: I don't think it's a problem of the tonport, but of your power system --> the power provider may have issues about providing even and stable voltage/ampere whatever, I'm no physician!

 

[Metaltastic]

Well first off, if you're using a passive DI, that would go into one of the mic XLR inputs, not a line-in - but it sounds like you might have a ground loop, cuz I just went through a similar hassle (albeit with way more stuff in the signal chain) when trying to reamp (getting a horrible hum and external HDD noise through the amp), and 100% solved the problem by buying one of these babies. Of course, you're not in the US, so that doesn't really help you, but this might!

 

[-Gavin-]

Well first off, if you're using a passive DI, that would go into one of the mic XLR inputs, not a line-in - but it sounds like you might have a ground loop, cuz I just went through a similar hassle (albeit with way more stuff in the signal chain) when trying to reamp (getting a horrible hum and external HDD noise through the amp), and 100% solved the problem by buying one of these babies. Of course, you're not in the US, so that doesn't really help you, but this might!

Yeah dude, i've tried all inputs! DI, NO DI etc etc etc...


I can kinda solve the issue by using low input line input and putting an SD-1 before the input but that limits lasse's choices in reamping i guess....

 

[TheDude]

I'm having the same problem. Try to put the power supply for the laptop into an extender (you know, three in-one out with a chord) and the Line6 thing in the next socket and see if it gets better. If not, battery recording ftw. :/

 

[-Gavin-]

I'm having the same problem. Try to put the power supply for the laptop into an extender (you know, three in-one out with a chord) and the Line6 thing in the next socket and see if it gets better. If not, battery recording ftw. :/

Laptop is on a power chord extendy (4:1), but also tried plugging directly to the wall and same issue!

Line 6 is bus powered... no choice where it plugs, might try the hub tonight! Even though line 6 says don't but their advice is as useful as Fritzel's parenting classes...

 

[Metaltastic]

I'm telling ya dude, check out the second link that I posted, isolation transformers are the ultimate noise reducers!

 

[TheDude]

I'm telling ya dude, check out the second link that I posted, isolation transformers are the ultimate noise reducers!

+1

 

[hoehlentroll]

I'm telling ya dude, check out the second link that I posted, isolation transformers are the ultimate noise reducers!

is this cool in a live setup? where should I put such a thing?

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, I can't see why it wouldn't be fine in a live environment, and as to where to put it, I would say it really depends on the setup. However, if you're running a traditional rig using the FX loop, I would say either between the FX send and the input of your effects unit, or between the output of your effects unit and your FX return, whichever works better! Bear in mind, though, that it only gets rid of ground loop hum and other issues with power, not general noise from a hi-gain amp or lots of pedals.

 

[-Gavin-]

I'm telling ya dude, check out the second link that I posted, isolation transformers are the ultimate noise reducers!

I agree, but those are half the price of the soundcard and since my old interface never did this, i'd rather sell the l6 and get a good one! But time is against me