MOTU 8282mk3 FW LOUD POPS!

[TheoKontonis]

Does this happen anywhere you might be? Or have all these tests been done in a single location?

The reason I ask is that power brownouts can also cause this to happen (pops, squeals, whistles) from the box losing sync due to a power fluctuation. The only cure is either be in a different location or use a power conditioner if that is the cause.

Terry

Hi Terry!


Thank you for your response!

All these tests were performed on a single location, in my home studio room specifically.

I begin to believe that there is an internal clocking issue in the 828mk3 or maybe my electricity is faulty.

What are your thoughts guys?


P.S Since the beginning of the problem I am in contact with MOTU on a daily basis.
In our last contact they told me that this issue is known with multiple interfaces, with FireWire and
with a FireWire to ThunderBolt adapter.

[terrybritton]

I had thought it was an internal clocking issue myself, but it turned out to be brownouts were knocking the sync off. Entirely maddening! At least that is the assumption I ended up working on, and the following seems to have worked for me.

If only one of my two MOTU interfaces was doing this, I would have thought it was the unit, but it was happening to both my Ultralite mk3 hybrid and my 828 mk3 hybrid, so I suspected the brownouts. I'm in a town with a crazy ancient grid, so it was easy to suspect that.

I removed all other loads off of the circuit the MOTU boxes were plugged into, and that was enough to clear it up - the neighborhood brownouts did not sink the amperage deeply enough to affect the units' sync any longer. It takes a "lights-dimming" level brownout now to mess it up. I might still get a power conditioner, but for now just lightening the circuit is working.

Terry

[terrybritton]

Of course, those pesky Firewire connectors need to be kept super-clean as well... DeOxit really does do a good job with that.

Terry

[wylie1]

I had thought it was an internal clocking issue myself, but it turned out to be brownouts were knocking the sync off. Entirely maddening! At least that is the assumption I ended up working on, and the following seems to have worked for me.

If only one of my two MOTU interfaces was doing this, I would have thought it was the unit, but it was happening to both my Ultralite mk3 hybrid and my 828 mk3 hybrid, so I suspected the brownouts. I'm in a town with a crazy ancient grid, so it was easy to suspect that.

I removed all other loads off of the circuit the MOTU boxes were plugged into, and that was enough to clear it up - the neighborhood brownouts did not sink the amperage deeply enough to affect the units' sync any longer. It takes a "lights-dimming" level brownout now to mess it up. I might still get a power conditioner, but for now just lightening the circuit is working.

Terry

I was going through all the same stuff I had an electrician come and put in a dedicated 30amp circuit so I could install a UPS and he found the current from the street fluctuated up and down to 108volts.
After installing the UPS most of my noise issues where gone.
The UPS I installed was overkill my whole studio only draws 12amps but as you can see I'm still only getting 108 volts in from the street

[HCMarkus]

Everything that has anything to do with audio clocking, A to D and D to A, in my studio is running on UPS. The old saying "Cleanliness is next to godliness" clearly applies to AC power.

The Cyberpower line of pure sine wave UPS is reasonably priced and nicely executed.

[Tonio]

yup them brown outs will wreak a lot havoc on sensitive equip.

Our 1927 house had the main fuse panel( with those old screw in fuses ) in the back of the detached garage, went under ground and into the house's main panel. Every time it would rain, electricity was wonky.

Ended up getting a new line from the front of the house where there was less houses attached to a bigger transformer on the street. Then installed a new main panel outside & inside with a dedicated 20amp line to the studio.

Mucho better.

[terrybritton]

The solution I had been planning to pursue was to get a Furman P-1800X AR voltage regulating Power Conditioner rather than a smart UPS system. Anyone know of any pros or cons concerning choosing one over the other? Also, I am wondering what the difference between the P-1800X AR at over $1000 has over the nearly half-the-price M-8X AR?

(I should mention that I already have my stuff coming off of two high-quality line filters, and hum and line noise is not a problem for me using those - which is why simply reducing the load on this circuit breaker is likely helping to reduce my sync issues with the MOTU interfaces... still need regulation, though. The Cyberpower solutions look very interesting!)

Terry

[TheoKontonis]

Hey guys!

Thank you all for your replies!

You were very helpful!

Currently I am saving money to get an APC UPS and a Furman Power Conditioner perhaps one from the merit range!

[TheoKontonis]

Hi guys!

Now I am having pops in standalone mode too!

What are your thoughts?



Theodore.

[terrybritton]

Hi guys!

Now I am having pops in standalone mode too!

What are your thoughts?



Theodore.

That could still be from a brownout. See if it does that at different locations around town, or perhaps in an institutional building that has its own large transformers outside.

Terry

[TheoKontonis]

Hi Terry!

This is a bit difficult.

Any other thought?

[terrybritton]

Well, as you are in Athens (a BIG city!), you likely have a theatrical or film & video rentals place or two there, and might be able to rent a good power conditioner for a short period at far less than the cost of a new one, and that could help you verify whether that would be a working solution to get such a thing. (That is, if it would work to get rid of the loud pops!)

Terry

[TheoKontonis]

Hi Terry!

This is an awesome idea!

I didn't thought about it!


Thank you!


Theodore.

[HCMarkus]

On the other hand, you really should get a UPS for your system, regardless, to protect your data and equipment. So, unless the conditioner rental is free or close to it, you might just want to spring for the UPS and see if it helps.

[TheoKontonis]

On the other hand, you really should get a UPS for your system, regardless, to protect your data and equipment. So, unless the conditioner rental is free or close to it, you might just want to spring for the UPS and see if it helps.

Hi Marcus!

Indeed!

Currently I am saving money in order to get a UPS from APC.



Theodore.