Static Is Killing Me, Using The Scientific Method Options

[sfsurfer]

I'm wondering if some of you might be able to offer me some suggestions as to eliminate some static in my recordings.

My Setup:
I've got a 800 MHz G4 running 10.3.2 with 1.5 GB RAM and an Echo Mia PCI sound card which is connected to a Behringer Eurorack UB1202 mixer which has a single Shure SM58 microphone plugged into it. I'm using Deck for all of my recordings. I have all of this plugged into a UPS, which is then plugged into my wall.

My Problem:
Anytime I record with this setup, I get frequent static noises. I bought the UPS because I thought that the power from the utility company was causing the problem. After hooking up the UPS, I found no change in the frequency of the static. However, when I record using the cheap little microphone that came with my computer, I get no static on the recordings. This suggests to me that it is my setup with the sound card, mixer and microphone. What's really frustrating is that I avoided getting a USB interface for recording so that I wouldn't have the seemingly common static problems associated with USB.

My Question:
Is there an easy way for me to figure out where this static is coming from (within the sound card, mixer or microphone) without having to buy any more equiptment? I don't have access to another set of these components, so I can't just swap other ones in place of mine to test. I also can't return the sound card, mixer or microphone, so I'm stuck with them. Is there a likely culprit that is causing my problems? Has anyone else solved a similar problem? Or does anybody have a better suggestion in how to connect a XLR plugged microphone to a computer for relative cheap? If so, I've got a virtually unused sound card and mixer for sale cheap!

[lepetitmartien]

The noise source is either a noisy power unit somewhere between the UPS and your ears, or a ground loop somewhere.

You'll have to unplug one thing at a time from mains or in the audio path to find the faulty, it's all very logical even if it's boring and daunting.

Unplug also other electrical stuff in the room as a lamp can be enough.

For the mixer, try to move around and use another channel to check it's not this peculiar one.

Now If htere was a time when your setup didn't make that noise, find out what you have changed since.

Good luck
It can be a burden to find out.

[Nels]

Lepetitmartien has pretty much covered all that could be causing the static, but for what it's worth.........

If you have a fader light/fan switch in the room, that would cause static as well. If your fader is a must have, then try recording with it either all the way up or all the way down.

I would get rid of the fader all togther if possible.

Much trial and error, I'm afraid.

Good luck

[ArchivalAudio]

This may sound strange, but di dyou ever try burning a disc after recording to your hard drive? I have had issues of clicks or ticks, similar to static, whan I have tranfered a DAt to my hard dirve via my EgoSys waverterminal 2496 > Cubase 5.o vst, or if I use Peak. I ened up re transerfing and recording anumber of time and finally gave up an burned a disc and it sounded fine. Possibly something to do with latency??/ I do not know? I currently run a G3 "enabled" 450mhz / 1mb L2 cache Mac Clone (Power Computing) with 448mhz of RAM.
possibly it could be a lcak of har drive speed.

now as long as my trensfer is succesful , I put in track marks and burn a "test" disc, then I listen to it , usually there are not ticks or clicks.

don't know if this helps but I just thought I'd put it out there.

-- Ian
aka ArchivalAudio

[lepetitmartien]

If you have this on monitoring and not on the burned CD then it's either some fault in the monitoring part, or buffer size problem (especially clicks and plops)

when you say "enabled", do you mean porcessor upgraded or overclocking?

[PristineRec]

To put a completely different area into question here, could it be a digital sync problem?

I am not familiar with the interface or mixer you are using, but I get noise that sounds like "static" if I mistakenly don't have all my digital devices on the same clock, or if one device is not sending at the same sampling rate as the rest.

I have a preamp that defaults to 96khz when I turn it on, and if I don't change it to 48khz to match the rate of my Digi 001, I get all kinds of cracks and pops and fuzz and static. I also have the same problem with a digital mixer that can only send at 44.1khz.

Just another place to look!

[lepetitmartien]

It can be… sure…

Another cause not listed here of clicks and pops is MIDI spitting into audio on defective synths, a shielding issue at the connector level.

But for our friend with clicks in monitoring only, save if he has digital in monitors, it can't be a sync issue.

As usual, the difficult part is to find the wrongdoer…

[zelen0]

are you so certain the static is caused by your setup? Instead of a microphone, trying plugging something else in, like a CD player to test it out.

Can you provide some samples? Is it not possible that your higher-end mic is simply picking up more of a ceiling that the cheap dinky little mic is not picking up?

[zelen0]

One thing worth metioning as well is that not all UPS provide "clean power". Did you ensure the UPS you bought cleans the circuit? Some merely provide backup power without also doing the other job. Maybe it is power?

[lepetitmartien]

I think he put the UPS in the circuit in case it would arrange things but to no avail. So the noise was there already.

But you're right, UPS can be a source. Fortunately not all.