Strange noise! Any ideas??

[cablebasher]

Hi all,

I am getting this strange 'spin up' noise which you'll hear on the audio below. Generally lasts for about 6-7 secs but can occur at random intervals. I don't think it is a ground problem as it isn't consistent enough.
You'll see from the file I was recording via SPDIF on a 003 rack but it also happens on my Analogue inputs..

Does anybody have any ideas what could be causing it??

Thanks.

[IxtabStudios]

Probably a hard disc.

[georgia]

it could be a motor / EMI / RFI (electromagnetic interference, radio freq interference) problem caused by dirty AC lines and weak grounds, allowing RFI noise to end up on recorded material. Try to isolate the cause by working with one thing at a time. ( other computers in the room, motors like AC units, fans, internal and external disk drives, etc)

cheers
geo

[cablebasher]

Thanks guys I was hoping not to have to turn everything off separately like that. The problem is its too inconsistent to sit there and wait for it to happen.. But I guess I might have to...
I have a new SFX drive that sits next to the computer, I hope it's that

[kk@jamsync.com]

Originally Posted by cablebasher

Hi all,

I am getting this strange 'spin up' noise which you'll hear on the audio below. Generally lasts for about 6-7 secs but can occur at random intervals. I don't think it is a ground problem as it isn't consistent enough.
You'll see from the file I was recording via SPDIF on a 003 rack but it also happens on my Analogue inputs..

Does anybody have any ideas what could be causing it??

Thanks.

Do you have a refrigerator or a large copy machine on the same electrical breaker box as your studio? We have separate tech power that is transformer isolated, but I've definitely heard that sound before years ago when a studio had a copy machine on the same power. It could also be an air conditioner, anything with a motor that starts up and causes dirty power. It could even be something outside your studio if you have dirty power coming in. I used to have that problem in a home studio until I added some Square-D isolation transformers for my equipment power.

Low voltage can also cause some equipment to pick up RF. I had that problem in another home studio a couple of decades ago. When we corrected everything at the breaker box, it went away.

[Kuba_Pietrzak]

Bad AC causes this. I've heard such sound...

You need a separate AC and probably conditioner or another type of isolation, which would filter your AC.


regards,
Kuba

[cablebasher]

Thanks for the replies people! I have begun investigating and I will reply as soon as I know what is causing it..