What's this whistling noise in my setup?

[douglasgoldman]

For the reference audio: https://voca.ro/19uzu69Atelp
The audio without anything plugged and knobs at 0: https://voca.ro/15v4Qd1p1yi3
And how it looks like on graph: https://pasteboard.co/bL2jMPrWDrb8.png

I have bought an interface and plugged it in through the usb port of my laptop. In the audio sample, you can hear after I hit the chord that a weird whistling noise occurs. I actually slightly pressed on strings back and forth to make it wobbly so you could hear better.

So, it might be the guitar I thought, but no. Even when I unplug the instrument cable from the interface and turn every knob all the way down it keeps whistling. So it might be the interface, but not sure because when I direct monitor the sound from the interface, even when I crank the all knobs to a level that may cause hearing damage, there is no whistling at all.

So I think it's probably because of my motherboard (switched ports, unplugged charging cable and stuff, in case you suggest these). However, I can't really be sure of anything because I couldn't find a case similar to this through the web search I did. There were always like classic grounding hums and such, but in my case it's quite a unique sound I guess.

I also tried to move my setup and disconnect from wi-fi but didn't help even a bit. I got mad and even covered every cable and the interface with aluminium foil. It's nothing like the stationary humming caused by interface/amp sims.

I hope you can help me to find this whistling fella.

[Drew Stephenson]

That's a really weird noise.
It will help if you can describe exactly what's plugged in with your set-up and how it's connected.

[douglasgoldman]

That's a really weird noise.
It will help if you can describe exactly what's plugged in with your set-up and how it's connected.

Guitar->Interface (USB)->Laptop

Tried unplugging everything except the interface, no good.

[ef37a]

That RTA clip looks suspiciously like the whine that is inherent in some first generation 16bit interfaces. Most of them were in USB mixers but there were a few 16 bit only AIs. Make and model please.

In the early mixers (even the 1st gen Allen & Heaths did it!) you could adjust the gain in Windows Sound Control and push the whine almost into the noise floor but it could not be entirely eliminated. Ambient noise is often enough to mask it.

Dave.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Guitar->Interface (USB)->Laptop

I'd wager the issue is because the system is ungrounded.

Tried unplugging everything except the interface, no good.

Unplugging everything? There's only a guitar... (and headphones?)

To find out whether it's due to an absent ground, get a spare guitar cable (and a helpful assistant). Hold the tip of one end against something you know to be earthed (grounded), such as the faceplate screw of a wall mains socket, and the tip at the other end against the metal body of your guitar lead plugged into interface, or some other grounded element of the interface (eg. A case screw).

Note if the whistle goes away... or not.

[douglasgoldman]

That RTA clip looks suspiciously like the whine that is inherent in some first generation 16bit interfaces. Most of them were in USB mixers but there were a few 16 bit only AIs. Make and model please.

In the early mixers (even the 1st gen Allen & Heaths did it!) you could adjust the gain in Windows Sound Control and push the whine almost into the noise floor but it could not be entirely eliminated. Ambient noise is often enough to mask it.

Dave.

Well, you're absolutely correct. The interface is M-Track Solo, which is 16bit. But I've never seen in the review videos such an issue.

[douglasgoldman]

I'd wager the issue is because the system is ungrounded.

I wished so. But unfortunately no. Tried what you have suggested but doesn't work.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Shame, but always worth a try in laptop systems with guitars.

I thought the USB whistle problem had long since become extinct...

[Drew Stephenson]

I'd see if you can borrow an interface from someone and see if the problem persists.

[Wonks]

I'm struggling to work out how a 16-bit device can have a quoted signal/noise ratio of 109dB, when 16-bits gives you 96dB dynamic range at best? Unless they are using a 20- or 24-bit A/d and throwing away some of the bits for simplicity? Or maybe they are just testing individual sections of the board and not the unit as a whole (which I call cheating).

This (M-Track Solo) device only came out a couple of years ago, so shouldn't really suffer from the problems some of the first 16-bit interfaces had (unless recycling a really old design).

[douglasgoldman]

I'd see if you can borrow an interface from someone and see if the problem persists.

Just tried with another interface and yeah, the problem has gone. I've tried changing cable and the problem is the interface I guess.

[douglasgoldman]

This (M-Track Solo) device only came out a couple of years ago, so shouldn't really suffer from the problems some of the first 16-bit interfaces had (unless recycling a really old design).

I've just tried with another I/F and the problem fixed. I think my unit is just faulty.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Could be related to an internal DC-DC converter, but whatever, glad you've found a resolution.