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iPad CPU Noise through lightning connector?
Anyone ever noticed iPad CPU/internal noise bleeding into the audio when using the lightning connector and an interface?
I noticed it last night running Z3TA+ through an iTrack Dock, with the audio outs going into a HW mixer and then via a USB 2 audio interface into Cubase. It was particularly intrusive while using the patch browser.
Seems quieter using iMini, but it does still seem to be present.
Trying to work out if it is normal or not/
Cheers.
Comments
I can't hear any 'cpu-noise/jitter', but then again my USB Device (Behringer UCA-202) is quite a bit away from the iPad...
I have however had severe cpu-noise/jitter issues with other 'cheaper' USB-Audio devices attached to either the computer or iPad.
Definitely not normal.
Using a cheap Griffin Studio connect interface with an ipad mini and no noise issues here to report.
I'm a little curious what USB interface Xen is using with the computer?
I have some very, very 'lo-end' USB audio devices that have a heck of a lot of 'built-in' digital jitter-noise that is amplified even more when moving a usb-mouse connected to the same hub/usb-controller...
Thanks for the replies. I'll record it and post a link to soundcloud later.
@Samu
The USB interface is an ESI ESU 1808. It's been pretty solid for the last couple of years. This sound is definately coming from the iPad. When scrolling a menu it intensifies and dies down when you aren't doing anything. If I can identify it as being the iPad and it isn't normal I should be able to get a replacement as it I bought it direct from Apple five months ago.
I get the same thing sometimes when using my Focusrite iTrack Dock, most noticeable when using headphones. I haven't heard it when using the main outputs but as it seems to be intermittent that could just be coincidence.
Have you tried to recreate the noise with just the ipad and headphones and no interface?
Has anyone been able to use multiple iPads with the same dock and replicate the issues?
Could this be an issue with the iTrack Dock?
Is Focusrite aware of it?
Just throwing a few questions up in the air since it's highly unlikely that there would be 'leakage' when it's 100% digital connection and all the D/A stuff is done on the iTrack and not on the iPad.
Maybe the iPad draws more energy when charging and that can affect the D/A on the iTrack?
I know some charges/transformers/power-supplies can make high-pitched buzzing noises after aging a little...
Haven't noticed this on my iTrack Dock.
Is the noise present when just using the iPad with nothing else connected except headphones?
Looking at it some more, it could be the dock. The noise is definately related to the iPad processing. However it actually seems to be coming from inside the iTrack. I'm thinking it is the iTrack making the noise, but what it is picking up I'm not sure. The noise happens whenever the iPad is 'doing' something. I've recorded a clip from me switching on, opening zeta, initializing a patch and scrolling the presets browser, moving faders and knobs in zeta, closing zeta, opening Thor etc. The noise correlates precisely with the actions.
I've tried disconnecting the dock and doing the same with headphones, nothing audible.
I've turned the input gain on the HW mixer channel up to exaggerate it. It is actually measuring below -42dB, but it is there. If I go back through the chain and adjust the gain staging and do some gating I should be able get it below being intrusive, but if it is outside the spec of the iPad or (more likely) the dock, I'll chase a replacement.
Here's the audio file
Edit: deleted from sound cloud... Served its purpose.
I have noise in my house when using my apogee one while plugged in, if I run it on batteries the noise goes away. It's not 100% of the time, and I notice it much less often when out of my house (if it's happened at all). The power supply may be the issue, I know cheap power supplies, especially digital ones ,can cause all sorts of noise. Often they are fine , but in a bad electric environment (like my house, which is old) that's very inviting to noise.
Yes. I get this also. Well in fact on my first unit. It broke eventually and I sent it back to them.
I had a replacement and the noise stopped for a while.
It's come back and it seems only to do so with the mini retina. My air 2 is fine.
When I get the noise I unplug the mini and then the noise stops??
I think it's a design fault with the focusrite. Other than that the unit is very nice to use.
@dblonde
That's helpful, thanks, mine's a mini retina. If I unplug / replug the noise is the same. If I put my ear by the dock I can hear the noise in there and it is clearly bleeding over to the docks output.
So, the dock is the culprit. I'll get on to Focusrite and see what they have to say.
Xen, they told me it was earth noise and to try and use a different location in the house. It's the dock and it's design.
It interferes with the iPad somehow as I think the noise comes from the iPad mini. The air 2 has a different internal layout and thus the noise is not there.
Also for me the noise is not immediate but rather when it's been used for a while???
Good luck with it, I just use the air now but would like to use the mini again as it has the iOS 7 and all the apps work better
Db
@dblonde said:
Ha! Great advice from Focusrite. So, to overcome the design flaws I need to move my studio. That could be a tricky conversation with the other half. "We need to move the TV into the spare room and I need to build some studio racking in its place."
Seriously though, that info is a great help. I will see how I get on over the next couple of days. If it messes up my recordings and I can't find a way round it it's going back. The annoying thing is that it happens when I move controls, so that sort of messes up the key iPad performance benefits.
Send it back, mine broke eventually.
Have a great Xmas hol mate
Cheers. Have a good 'un and thanks again for jumping in with the info.
Don't know if this is related but when my iPad 4 is charging, listening through the headphones I hear a slight 'earth hum', when I touch the metal back of the iPad it disappears.
@knewspeak
could be something... earth hums are a right pain... the source of my noise must be the iPad, it wouldn't change when I adjust controls on the screen otherwise - however, there is something in the iTrack amplifying it.
I've done some more investigating and it seems the noise is independent from the monitor gain control on the front of the dock. So something is getting direct to the outputs. Which makes me think a strip-down and some DIY shielding might be a back-up option.
For now I've just gated the input channel to Cubase. Some attention to gain-staging and rebalancing all my HW inputs have it currently at -65dB, so a gate at -60db takes it out when the iPad isn't playing, the rest of the time it's drowned out.
As an aside, I smiled when I noticed that a recording of some interference was getting more plays than my last track. So, interference is the way forward then, not DnB!
@xen, you made me laugh, 'new music genre - ambient earth hum', only thing is some users really want a joint charging CCK device, if this is earth hum, if you play live, at volume, while charging, this could be a really big problem - or utopia for psyched ambient earth hum types?
Hi Xen,
Could you try connecting the ipad to the dock with nothing else connected and check the iTrack dock headphones? (it's definitely NOT earth hum)
@Korakios said:
You right about it not being earth hum.
Good thought on isolation/headphones, I have only tested through the full HW set-up. For now, it isn't really a problem. As it is at a constant level and not amplified by the dock I have managed to effectively get rid of it. I've gated all the inputs to Cubase and adjusted the gain structure. The track I'm working on at the moment has iMini mixed in with my HW/VSTs and it's fine. I could go on investigating but I'm think I've gone as far as I need to right now. I'm off work now until January I've had this week marked down for me to get some music produced for the last few months - I want to get this track done by the end of the weekend and so I'm trying to steer clear of rabbit-holes and time-sinks for a few days.
Given that it seems ok to work with I'm inclined to keep hold of it for a bit before getting on to Focusrite - given the pretty sketchy results people are having with this interface I may end up trading a problem I now can work around for a unit with more serious issues. It may end up developing more problems in a month or two - but I've got the 12 month manufactures warranty until October next year, so there is plenty of time yet.
@knewspeak said:
Ambient Earth Hum - weren't they originally a Krautrock outfit from Grimsby? Used to gig at the The Twitching Roadie every other Thursday back in the early 80's?
Sorry for the necro bump-
I've recently bought a brand new Focusrite itrack dock (May 2015 batch) that I received last Friday (29th April 2016) that seems to have a similar problem? I made a video -
I do get CPU noise, but what's worse is that when my iPad's battery is fully charged (100%) it makes this pulsing/screeching sound (think reversing truck) in the background. The sound is made from the itrack dock unit, and 'bleeds' into the headphone output as well. Which means that I can't track with a metronome when recording. The pulsing seems to get worse when the unit is hot from use.
The only way that I can prevent this pulsing is start working from a drained battery, with screen brightness maxed out so that the battery can't hit 100%.
I'm running iOS 9.3.1, and just started using Auria pro.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks.