Computer: Dell Inspiron 620 i5, Windows 7 SP1 64-bit, 6Gb RAM
Audio Interface: Roland QuadCapture
Controllers: Roland RD-700SX and M-Audio Oxygen 25 connected via USB Midi
Speakers: KRK Rokit 5's
DAW: Reaper (current version)
Cables: TRS (balanced)

Looking for ideas:

1. When I play my Roland RD-700SX keyboard I can hear static/crackling on samples, like you might hear with clipping but more subtle.

2. The noise only happens when I play - the speakers are silent when there's no input.

3. Listening to YouTube videos or online audio through my browser there is no noise - the computer is using an external audio interface connected to the speakers. Listening to my piano's internal sounds or VSTi's through my headphones is gorgeous -- no static.

4. I have all my gear plugged into a power conditioner.

5. Checked for ground loops - none.

6. I have literally followed every single troubleshooting step you can find on the Internet to no avail. Buffer settings, Win7 tweaks, replaced cables, updated drivers, etc.

7. Plugging my piano directly into my speakers and playing the internal sounds produces the same static even after I've disconnected all other equipment & computer.

8. I completely took the audio interface out of the equation, plugging the line out of my computer directly into my monitors and trying ASIO4ALL drivers. There was still static.

I am literally at my wit's end. I don't understand what it could be about music samples that are causing static on my speakers when I can go straight to YouTube and listen to music videos that sound gorgeous.

Help?
Last edited by 7geez on Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:35 pm; edited 2 times in total

I had som similar issue with an M-Audio midi interface and updated drivers to latest. That fixed it. And I don't even run audio on usb and it interfered before with default Windows usb drivers.

I also remember reading that some people had trouble with instrument inputs on Roland interface producing hiss of some kind. So that does also sounds like driver issues. Check for latest drivers there too.

Further I would check what is connected on inputs on Roland, if anything try and remove that and see what difference it makes.

Other stuff that create odd behavior is running different equipment on different 230V power outlets. May create loops via main fuse central.

You don't mention if you run Reaper and Kontakt as x64?

Just some ideas...

Thanks so much for the reply.

I had updated drivers on my interface. Even rolled BACK the drivers in case the new ones were conflicting - no help.

Nothing is connected to the audio inputs of the interface -- it's acting strictly as a midi interface.

Reaper & Kontakt are both x64. I've verified that I'm using all 64-bit VSTi's as well.

Is it even feasible that it could be an internal problem with the interface if the problem does NOT occur when plugging headphones directly into it? As I understand it, the data takes the same path whether it travels to speakers or headphones.

This is the most baffling technical issue I've ever had. People usually come to ME to solve THEIR technical problems! LOL!

Thanks again for your time. I will probably try calling Roland tech support & get their perspective.

I know you said you checked your buffers... but check your latency settings in the audio driver. Try 128 or 256. Depending on computer specs it mght have a little more time to process audio. Mine are usually set to either one of these. Note this number does not represent milliseconds of time but rather number of samples. Also do the same for asio4all.

Might help turning off blutooth and/or wifi. Did you go to Black Vipers Win 7 tweak site?

http://www.blackviper.com/service-configurations/black-viper s-windows-7-service-pack-1-service-configurations/
Last edited by des on Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:26 am; edited 1 time in total

Thanks, Des... I have adjusted latency settings till I'm blue in the face. Quite literally, I have followed all of the "typical" advice for this kind of issue. I have stayed up till 3AM every night for the last week. I'm exhausted. Ha!

You're welcome.

Got an idea:

Check playing the internal keyboard in Kontakt and see if it happends at this time also.

You might try virtual keyboard in Reaper as well - and run Kontakt or other synth of some kind.

It can tell for sure whether it has to do with midi interface or not.


If you cannot get this happening in other synth, it might be internal in Kontakt and what is laoded there. Sometimes peak meters are not up to the job and there are short overs internally.

So check another synth with virtual keyboard should narrow down a bit or try at really low output.

I'm more likely to believe internal stuff in software than the actual interface since that is used when you play back youtube - is my guess.

And I would use Roland drivers rather than ASIO4ALL to narrow this down too.
As I read it you let ASIO4ALL have both onboard audio and Roland running. Double interfaces - allways a source to suspect.

So load Roland drivers and select those for Reaper is what I would try.

Sri, my post got interrupted while pisting, so only part made it (friggin safari)...

Take a look at black vipers site if you haven't already...

I have completely removed the computer & interface from the chain and done the following:

1. Plugged the Roland controller directly into the speakers with TRS cables = same problem.

2. Plugged the Roland controller directly into the speakers with XLR cables = more severe problem (more noise).

This tells me there's some sort of electrical interference between the keyboard controller and the speakers.

Again, the static ONLY occurs when actually striking the keys on the keyboard -- the speakers are absolutely silent when no keys are pressed.

In reference to your very good suggestion to try the onscreen keyboard in Kontact, an interesting result: no static and the volume of the sound is much greater than what I get when playing my keyboard, even though all sliders are at the same Db setting.

Could this be a problem with the electrical on the controller interfering with the speakers?

Also, I'm most definitely using the Roland ASIO drivers over ASIO4ALL. I used the A4All drivers just as a troubleshooting measure. This is all irrelevant given that this problem happens with the computer/interface completely disconnected.

Thanks!
Last edited by 7geez on Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:37 pm; edited 1 time in total

I seldom use virtual keyboard, but often they send a different velocity depending how close to the tip of the key you click.

So louder is probably only because velocity is higher how you click the virtual keyboard.

When you run keyboard though usb you take power from there too.

I would try and get a separate adapter for power for keyboard, and use midi on Roland interface and try if different.(so adapter plus midi cable needed).

When taking power through usb on both Roland and keyboard you may get a ground loop there.

The midi connections are current loop, so no ground should intervene(if correct midi cables).

I've always had a separate power cable for my Roland controller and even had tried switching from USB midi to MIDI cables and it didn't help. I've ordered a new set of speakers to see if maybe better shielding will solve the problem. I'll update when I've tested them. Thanks for all the suggestions.

IS it digital sounding or analog. If the PS has a Ground pin on the AC side try a lifting adapter to check, might need an Ebrec. or internal capacitive filtering is craping out.

I did try a lifting adapter and it didn't help. I plugged brand new speakers in and get the same problem. This is happening whether or not I'm just playing the piano alone or through the DAW with the computer on. I have completely isolated the piano from everything else and it seems to be the piano (Roland RD-700SX).

Imagine lightly crinkling paper up and that's what the noise through the speakers sounds like. Again, it ONLY happens when striking the keys. The speakers are absolutely quiet when idle.

What kinds of other symptoms might there be from an "internal capacitive" problem on the keyboard?

Spending yet MORE money on this problem, I've ordered a refurbished 88-key controller from Amazon to see if playing it produces the same noise. If it does, I'm completely, utterly out of ideas to resolve this.

Thanks!

Go into global and turn local off. try it again and let me know. Also turn off and disconnect the power to everything except your powered speakers and keyboard at the wall socket, just use one speaker or better yet use a headset. try it with loacal on and off. Capacitive or the capacitive portion of filtering is to block or short to groound any inheit noises that may come from any of the components. Filtering is present throught out the system, from the power supply to all outputs analog and digital. I ounce had a Dell laptop and it was a noisey PITA to work with. I haven't used it for any kind of audio work for ten years. Some idiot ripped it off 8 years ago and thats when I went to a purpose built DAW. Been rolling my own now for about 5 years.

Local on/off makes no difference. I have unplugged everything except my keyboard & speakers & still the static is there. It's got to be something wrong with the keyboard but I'll be damned if I can find anybody else in the universe who's ever had a problem with their keyboard causing static in speakers! Google has never failed me before now. I have a new midi controller on the way that I'm going to test. Hope to God it doesn't produce the same static cause that'll be my breaking point.

Seems like it's the encoder. What/where the keybed plugs into. If you don't have any warranty issues, you might try breaking it open and reseating and cleaning the connections look in that area for corrosion and/or bad solder joints. If so try reflowing with a soldering iron.