Sudden Pops and Crackles

[songs of experience]

Hi,

I've had the H8000FW for about three weeks now, and am really enjoying the quality of the effects, except for far too frequent sudden pops and crackles that seem to occur upon loading certain (and quite a few) presets, and/or when the input signal increases suddenly (from an instrument 'attack'), but nowhere near to clipping level.

Any idea what might be causing these?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Lee

[nickrose]

We need specific information. In particular:

1) What inputs and routings are you using ?

2) Are you using the default gain settings ?

3) What presets make this happen ?

4) Can you see it on the H8000's meters if they are set to "main output"?

[songs of experience]

Hi Nick,

I’ve taken sometime to get back to you, because I wanted to be thorough.

The crackles and pops that I mentioned I’m getting from my unit appear randomly. In other words, they are not specific to a particular preset or group of presets.

In answer to your other questions:

I am using the ‘default’ routings. I haven’t ammended anything from the defaults (to the very best of my knowledge) since taking the H8000FW out of the box. I’ve only been auditioning presets and changing paramaters within presets.

This goes for default gain settings, too.

As I said, different presets can give me ‘noise’ – sometimes a popping noise upon loading or a moment after loading, and sometimes crackles while playing a preset at far below clipping levels. Although sometimes the crackles seem to be brought on by the forcefulness of an instruments ‘attack’, as I mentioned before.

If the meters' default setting is to main output, then my unit’s meters are set to main output and the answer is NO, I don’t seem to see the noise in the H8000’s meters, except on one occassion, when I started getting quite alot of hissing from the unit suddenly, without any input going into it, and all the meters peaked.

I have a very simple audio setup. I’m using two audio sources (an Earthworks piano mic and a Yamaha stage piano) into a small Mackie mixer that I use for keyboards on stage. Both audio sources give the same noise problems. The quality of my audio cables is good – they are all brand new – although not the absolute most expensive.

I have not yet upgraded the unit to the latest version of the software.

Would the fact that I am going from the mixer aux channel one out (stereo) into a single analog in (channel one) on the H8000FW cause a problem?

Could an unclean mains electricity supply cause this problem?

I realize these things are hard to pinpoint remotely, but if you could let me know what you think so I can get this thing resolved I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Regards,

Lee Sloan
 

[nickrose]

Hi Lee

It would be helpful if you would say what presets cause the problem (this was why I asked).

The meter's default settings is to show inputs, so you will have to read the manual to see how to change them to outputs. I would need to know if they show the problem.

The mixer wiring could cause problems if you were creating a feedback loop. Best think to do is to remove everything apart from piano-h8000-output. Then see what happens. Also, if possible, try different inputs and outputs to see if it makes a difference.

A bad mains supply could indeed cause any number of problems. Depends on how bad it it.

[ThreeFingersOfLove]

Hi,

I get too, pops and crackles. They are very rare and random. The other day I had a sequence playing on a synth (basically a loop), FX from the H-8000FW, and all of a sudden I hear a burst of noise, the H-8000FW reboots and it assumes its former state. It scared the sh1t out of me!

On another occasion, it just froze, audio was muted, it didn't reboot and the sampling rate LED which was set to 96 KHz started to flash. When it stopped flashing, the audio came back. Thing is, nothing changed the sampling rate, there were no external clocks present whatsoever, just audio to and from the analog jacks, no fancy stuff here.

In the studio, these are not huge problems. But, in a live show?

[nickrose]

Make sure your AC line voltage is solid – try running the unit off a UPS if necessary.

Regarding your second problem – was the sample clock set to internal ? If so, it is a mystery, unless it is again a AC line voltage issue.

Check for loose internal connections – with the audio output turned down but audible, lift one end of the unit up a few inches and then release suddenly. If you hear or see anything, contact support@eventide.com

[songs of experience]

Nick,

So far, I've now observed three different 'noise-related' problems, and now with the H8000's meters set to output, these ARE recorded by the level meters.

1) Two presets ALWAYS drive the meters to peak upon loading, with accompanying loud pops, regardless of which of the four analog inputs I use: Fractal Vortex and Helix Loops.

2) The more random pops I've noted occuring (so far as I've had time to investigate and write them down) with the following presets: Filtered Delays, Amp-u-lation, Bad Bad Thing and Jan's Reso.

What happens with the above is a single popping/crackling noise when the first audio signal is received – from an instrument – but nowhere near at peak levels. Subsequent audio signals don't seem to cause the problem.

3) The sudden hissing sound that I mentioned before, accompanied by all meters peaking (don't remember the preset that was loaded when this happened). This has only happened once.

I've also noted another issue, which is that some presets don't load immediately and then suddenly 'kick in', or on some occassions they don't load at all.

With all due respect, I'm a musician who spends alot of time on the road and I don't have an inordinate amount of time to devote to isolating these problems, which at this point suggest to me that someone qualified needs to test whether my unit is faulty.

I'm based in Europe.

Thanks.

Lee

[ThreeFingersOfLove]

nickrose:

Make sure your AC line voltage is solid – try running the unit off a UPS if necessary.

Hi Nick,

Never had any problems in the past with AC line voltages. UPS might be an option, even better something like a Furman line conditioner. Never hurts to own one, but is this what really caused that problem?

nickrose:

Regarding your second problem – was the sample clock set to internal ? If so, it is a mystery, unless it is again a AC line voltage issue.

Check for loose internal connections – with the audio output turned down but audible, lift one end of the unit up a few inches and then release suddenly. If you hear or see anything, contact support@eventide.com

Umm, no, sample clock was set to internal. Actually, I have noticed this behavior twice in the past but didn't really worry because I work in the studio, where these glitches are not really important: it lost the sampling rate (or something else might have happened inside which caused this) and again audio was muted. When it resumed (after maybe 10 seconds), audio was present. In both cases there were no pops or crackles. Everything was crystal clear.

Regards

Yannis

[nickrose]

Hi Yannis

Try banging the unit as described to see if anything is loose.

Hard to know exactly what cause occasional problems – can be AC power, can be bad connections, can be many things. All one can do is to protect oneself the best one can.

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