Unable to achieve (relative) silence though monitors

[dinaiz]

There's a very simple solution to test the "ground loop therory" : remove power (assuming your interface can be bus-powered).

I had the exact same problem as you have and my solution was to use an adapter to remove the ground from the computer AND the screen. Basicaly there's no ground anywhere (using a bus-powered interface). It solved all the problems.

I wouldn't recoment you to do that. Removing the ground is generally a bad idea. But as it's the only thing which worked for me ...well ... It's been running like this for more than 1 year and I'm still alive, and my computer too so it might not be that dangerous, but you never know.

[CJ Mastering]

Yea, Its dangerous It may be best to hire an electician make sure your house or studio is grounded properly.

Its what i did. Your life is worth spending a few bucks to hire a professional.

[MoneySound]

Regarding the volume thing:
Have you contacted focusrite tech support? They can be very prompt and helpful.
Update firmware, software.
Running any other firewire devices? Remove these and see if that helps.
With my older saffire 26 I can't use a FW drive or wierd stuff happens.
As for the grounding issue, just try to run everything off the same circuit or deal with the electrical issues in your studio. DIY ground lifting is dangerous.

[averphil]

I've got a pair of HS50s and liquid saffire 56 and have experienced the exact same things you're describing. Not sure what to suggest as I did a similar thing to my balanced leads and modded them to be Pseudo-Balanced, which removed the ground loop and chatter issues.

[Mr Poppet]

I have general computer noise that leaks in to my monitors through my HS50sas well. I've used three different interfaces, usb, firewire, and pci. The usb was the worst. Fortunately, the was noise is not picked up in recordings. I just deal with it.

[subby33]

Before I even opened this thread I knew what you had. I had Yamaha HS80ms and they have the same problem. They are not created to be near computers. They have no shielding.

I sold them and got a pair of monitors that have shielding in them. I now use Mackie MR5mk2's with magnetic shielding in them, and I get zero interference.

When I had my Yamahas, they would pick up scrolling up and down w/ the mouse. Any movement on screen, disc loading . . . and they had a constant hiss on top of that. Nevermind trying to record electric guitar next to them (I use direct recording of my guitar, not an amp).

In short. They suck. I've always hated those monitors, Hs80 and Hs50 alike. Get some stuff thats made for home studio use with some shielding in it.

Many people here will say they are "fine", and the problem is on your end. Well, you can spend hours trying to ground everything and do 10,000 things to make them stop hissing but they wont. Look into the monitors I mentioned (good for home studio use because of shielding, and the EQ controls on the back), or look into something else and buy it up. Get rid of those suckers, IMO.

[bruvvamoff]

Sorry to hijack an old thread but it seems like the right place to ask.
I have HS80's and a Tascam US1800 and I just bought some balanced planet waves cables.
These cables are shielded at one end.
Should I put the shielded end in the monitors or in the interface?
My gut says it should always go in the amp so put it in the monitors.

[Basstoll]

sounds like a ground loop problem to me. i recently started a sound engineering school and my teacher who's teaching us about electronical devices was asked a question about directional cables. he said that it's the first time he hears about them but that he would check on them and explain how they work. so he did and told us that they cure the ground loop problem as they have one side of the shielding unsoldered - not sure if i can explain it any better as i'm not sure if i understand it well enough