Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?

[Eddy Currents]

Hi,
Had a very strange symptom occur today I've never come across before and wondered if some kind member of the forum might have an explanation of what was actually happening.
Maudio interface plugged into Radial passive Di and then connected via an xlr to xlr cable into a Mackie analogue mixers mike input. (Phantom Power was off)
Weird metronomic clicks started to occur a few hours into our rehearsal. Stranger still as I began to problem solve where the clicks were coming from by muting and Pfl'ing various channels the clicks significantly sped up. (coincidence?)
Swapped Xlr cable resolved issue.
Weird ?
Any explanation would be marvelous.
The more comprehensive the better.
Cheers
Eddy

[Exalted Wombat]

Any mobile phones lying around?

[Eddy Currents]

Yes indeed, all through the day.
Funny thing is the Di was a Radial Pro d8 with 8 outputs functioning but only 1 had this weird clicks/ticks superimposed on the original audio signal.
And throughout the day many calls,texts and mobile internet connections were made without any audible evidence on any other line including guitars and bass.
The clicks were heard on all monitors and were clearly coming from this one Di output and were removed when I swapped the cable.
The level of that output increased subsequently (quite possibly two fold) which makes me suspect the cable or the connection wasn't good.
Could one speculate that the balanced line became unbalanced through a poor intermittent connection coincidentally at or around the same time a mobile text or internet message was received and that this signal was induced on that line ?

[Exalted Wombat]

I wouldn't worry about balanced/unbalanced as such. Just a bad connection acting as the semiconductor in a rf detector circuit. Do you know what a "cat's whisker" was?

[Eddy Currents]

Thanks Exalted Wombat
Fascinating stuff for me to go away and look into as I confess my electronics know how is pretty limited.
The Cats Whisker ... Wonderful.
I have seen inside the crystal ball and it shouts.... Rectify my lack of electronic knowledge

[Martin Walker]

For the uninitiated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s-whisker_detector



I used one myself many, many, many years ago

Martin

[Magic Matt]

If you were using Phantom Power, it's possible that you had power jumping across the loose connection too - that would cause a click sound.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Duff cable with intermittant contact on one side.

hugh

[SafeandSound Mastering]

For the uninitiated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s-whisker_detector



I used one myself many, many, many years ago

Martin

I find this fascinating thanks for sharing.

[Folderol]

Fascinating indeed, but an extreme trial of patience. Just when you've found a good spot on the crystal, someone (a seriously annoying non-geek brother) slams a door and you have to start again

[Martin Walker]

There speaks a voice of experience!

Martin