Passive speakers to replace whiny actives

[gasolin]

Dare i say it?

Here i go, when playing games on my pc i get coilwhine in my speaker's and no it's not only from my gpu (gtx 1080 fairly powerful). I do also get some interference from my speakers when not playing games, not to loud and quickly goes away after a min or so (1-2 times a week)

Audioquest Jitterbug does nothing what so ever, i have a powerful pc,usb harddrive, multifunction printer, amp,usb soundcard,cdplayer,TT,2 monitors one 25" one 34" , one ikea lamps,light, that i can't move place else where.

Coilwhine rf noise call it what you will, i often have it, i never had it when i used passive speakers. Is it a problem playing games more than from my gpu (al gpu's have it to som degree) yes, is it a big problem no, do i wanna get rid of it? yes.

Here is my thoughts, i need passive speakers.

I can get System Audio Mantra 5 for less than half price and they are new (5½ woofer)

System Audio Mantra 10 (2x4.5 woofer like many center speakers) for less than half price also new

https://system-audio.com/product/sa-mantra-5/

https://system-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/156-Stereoplay_system_01.18.pdf

https://system-audio.com/da/product/sa-mantra-10/

Retail price for the mantra's more than twice the price of the Kef Q150's (more than 1000€ for a pair) meaning i get them with a big discount although they are new.

With the mantra's i have the chance of getting expensive speaker that costs no more than a pair of Kef Q150,Q acoustics concept 20, the price for my current speaker and the power cable i got with a huge discount (£100+) i can get if i sell both, i could get the speakers without paying extra.

Or the Kef Q 150 (are they good at low volume? See Q350 review) https://www.digitaltrends.com/speaker-reviews/kef-q150-review/

https://www.whathifi.com/kef/q350/review

 

[muljao]

What actives are you using? Have you tried different cables etc. I use active speakers with my computer albeit through a DAC, no noise like you are experiencing. I have often come across noise like this and more often than not it was a dodgy cable

 

[gasolin]

See my signature.

I have quality cables

https://www.reddit.com/r/audioengineering/comments/62f6uf/yamaha_hs7_statichiss/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEYw2UT-8bc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMu_2F95TQU

Here you can really hear it (that's the video i was looking for) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-VTvaa7XDc&t (spoiler im not gonna cover it with tin foil)

 

[muljao]

I wasn't saying you had crap cables. Even a rolls Royce can get damaged if it hits a wall

 

[BigH]

Never heard of it or heard it, maybe it's your computer set up? https://lifehacker.com/this-video-explains-what-coil-whine-is-and-how-to-avoid-1669522880

What speakers do you have, what computer, what video card?

You could try a Behringer HD400 Hum Destroyer, that cured one persons issue. Yes there are some reports online about HS7s producing whinge noises. Also try a set of balanced cables cured someones elses problem on HS8s.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. I have the HS7 and no noise. I did have noise before, but some tricks fixed it. First of all, make sure you use a balanced connection between the AI and the speakers - TRS or XLR.
If that's not the cause, it's electrical noise that comes through the USB if your Focusrite is powered by the USB port. There are several ways you can fix that.
1. If the Focusrite can be powered by a wall-wart or some other way externally, you can use a slim piece of isolation tape to cover the power pin in the USB plug. I forget which one it is, but Vladimir posted an extensive thread on the subject some time ago and the info is all there.
2. If the Focusrite doesn't have the option of adding an external PSU, you can a) use a mains powered USB hub, and you cover the power pin in the USB plug that goes into the PC, and you plug the Focusrite in the USB hub. That way, from the PC it's only the signal that travels, and the Focusrite is powered from the USB hub, which you plug it into. b) (not sure about this one) there are USB cable in a "Y" configuration, which have 2 USB type A plugs at one end, and 1 USB type B at the other. The way these allegedly work is that they ease the pressure from your motherboard having to provide both signal and electricity through 1 socket alone, and the juice from 1 port alone sometimes isn't enough for an ai. Either this, or the Y cable separates the stuff: 1 plug only takes signal, the other only current, from 2 separate USB sockets. It's more or less the same as the USB hub solution, but in this one you still don't take the current that's provided by the PC out of the equation.

I used solution 2 a) for my setup, even though my Tascam ai has the option of using a wall-wart, because of Scrooge McDuck reasons.

 

[WhatTheTech]

Hi Gasolin,

I have a pair of KEF Q150s connected to my PM8005 amp. Great little speaker for the money. I originally auditioned them with the PM6006 amp along side
the Dali Z3s, Concept 20s, Elac B6, tannoy Mercury 7.2. From my audience i left the volume control at the same level on all the speakers.
So the Q150s don't demand a lot of power but they do demand a good source,
if you feed the Q150s poor quality digital tracks they are a tad fussy.
I use the line out on my
Ruark R4 and control the volume with my PM8005
for Dab and FM radio.
l do need more volume for Dab than i would do for both FM listening or via my CD6005 disc player.
The Q150s do take at least 150 hours to really open up.
I found the overall sound flat and boring for the first two months. Now my music sounds excellent. I also have a pair of Q Acoustic BT3's which are great little speakers and i would compare them very close to the Concept 20's for sound. The Q150's dig up more detail but are more laid back to the BT3's, both speakers sound rich it's just that the BT3s have a brighter treble..!

 

[gasolin]

Hi. I have the HS7 and no noise. I did have noise before, but some tricks fixed it. First of all, make sure you use a balanced connection between the AI and the speakers - TRS or XLR. If that's not the cause, it's electrical noise that comes through the USB if your Focusrite is powered by the USB port. There are several ways you can fix that. 1. If the Focusrite can be powered by a wall-wart or some other way externally, you can use a slim piece of isolation tape to cover the power pin in the USB plug. I forget which one it is, but Vladimir posted an extensive thread on the subject some time ago and the info is all there. 2. If the Focusrite doesn't have the option of adding an external PSU, you can a) use a mains powered USB hub, and you cover the power pin in the USB plug that goes into the PC, and you plug the Focusrite in the USB hub. That way, from the PC it's only the signal that travels, and the Focusrite is powered from the USB hub, which you plug it into. b) (not sure about this one) there are USB cable in a "Y" configuration, which have 2 USB type A plugs at one end, and 1 USB type B at the other. The way these allegedly work is that they ease the pressure from your motherboard having to provide both signal and electricity through 1 socket alone, and the juice from 1 port alone sometimes isn't enough for an ai. Either this, or the Y cable separates the stuff: 1 plug only takes signal, the other only current, from 2 separate USB sockets. It's more or less the same as the USB hub solution, but in this one you still don't take the current that's provided by the PC out of the equation.

I used solution 2 a) for my setup, even though my Tascam ai has the option of using a wall-wart, because of Scrooge McDuck reasons.

It can't be powered by a waal-wart of some other way external, it need to be connected to my pc or else i don't get sound from my pc

If you happen to mean a usb cable that is double at one end like for usb harddrives for extra power i don't know any high end cable of the type for a reasonabel price and a high performance usb power supply for a reasonable price the cabel is expensive like h.....

2

Im not gonna make some funky diy solution with som cheap usb hub thing

I do have some above stock cable,pc you name it because i want it to sound good

3

I have heard ithe yamah's are not real balanced so using balanced cable makes no point and i don't have a balanced preamp with a phonostage.

This one a little expensive over £100 , why would i buy one when i have the qudioquest jitterbug?

https://www.futureshop.co.uk/ifi-audio-ipurifier-2-usb-purifier

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ifi-ipurifier-2.21077/reviews

I have this https://www.futureshop.co.uk/ifi-audio-micro-ipower-supply (no usb adapter that could be use for power and sound) it for no reason stopped working, i got it replace, the unit i got had coilwhine.

Not shure what this costs in europe and if you can get it any more https://www.amazon.com/iFi-Micro-iUSB-Power-Supply/dp/B00AU07NZA

This one is to expensive and does it work with usb 2.0 i mean they also make a usb 2.0 (not so much if usb 3.0 is compatible with usb 2.0 i know that answer) https://www.futureshop.co.uk/ifi-audio-micro-iusb3-0-power-supply?___SID=U

Not shure if it's the design fault of the speaker and usb sound/ soundcard have anything to do with my problem i do use the audioquest jitterbug

Haven't tried playing games with my soundcard connected to my preamp (nad 3020i) or just turn on my input to my cd player instaead of the input to my pc (im gonna do that in a few min)

 

[gasolin]

I wasn't saying you had crap cables. Even a rolls Royce can get damaged if it hits a wall

Even BS25's yamaha a-s3000 4000£ amp had hum,noise from his toroidal power supply

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/toroidal-power-supply-help

 

[gasolin]

Hi Gasolin,

I have a pair of KEF Q150s connected to my PM8005 amp. Great little speaker for the money. I originally auditioned them with the PM6006 amp along side the Dali Z3s, Concept 20s, Elac B6, tannoy Mercury 7.2. From my audience i left the volume control at the same level on all the speakers. So the Q150s don't demand a lot of power but they do demand a good source, if you feed the Q150s poor quality digital tracks they are a tad fussy. I use the line out on my Ruark R4 and control the volume with my PM8005 for Dab and FM radio. l do need more volume for Dab than i would do for both FM listening or via my CD6005 disc player. The Q150s do take at least 150 hours to really open up. I found the overall sound flat and boring for the first two months. Now my music sounds excellent. I also have a pair of Q Acoustic BT3's which are great little speakers and i would compare them very close to the Concept 20's for sound. The Q150's dig up more detail but are more laid back to the BT3's, both speakers sound rich it's just that the BT3s have a brighter treble..!

I did have the Q Acoustics 3020 with my marantz PM8005 (both sold) and found them to be unbalanced (had to buy them without listening to them first, since it would take to much time to get to a place where i could listen to them using public transportation) to bright to little bass,not enough bass sounded like sattelites and that i have forgoitten to buy the subwoofer.

As long as they Q150 is not as dark sounding as the Wharfedale diamond 220, i don't know why they made them so dark sounding,restrained,subtle in top, if sensitive to highs..... fine, if your an old rock n roll musician it's way to dark sounding, it covers up the fine details.

They do how ever have more bass and less bright since the complaint about the old Kef Q100/300 was that they often sounded to bright and not enough bass

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/kef-q350s-sounds-too-dark

I like the Q Acoustics 2010i's a bit more, but since the bass has a little bump a 80-90hz (mabye also 75hz) and i have no 3-4-5 " tall stands i can use, the bass is a little to much on my desk.

 

[WhatTheTech]

I have heard the Wharfedale model your talking about. And i can say the Q150s don't have a dark sound, so don't worry. I also auditioned the 3020s speakers which to my ears sound very edgy.

The Q150's don't have a thin treble like the older Q-series. The Q150s are rich smooth and have a big soundstage with a nice tight bass.
Very similar to the LS50's to be honest.

The Q150s demand stands..!
I have my speakers on Atacama Moseco 6 stands. The more space you give them to breathe the better the performance

 

[gasolin]

Tried disconnecting my cable from my usb soundcard and used the cd input, noise got lower playing Qake champions

Turning off my nad 3020i, a bit lower (speakers stil on), normally no problem with coilwhine besides the 1-2 times a week with someting that sound like static electricity or rf (gone in less than 1 min but is there all the time playing Quake Champions), doesn't sound like hum (ground loop). Had Hum with my krk rookit powered 5's i had a few years ago so i know how hum cumming from active speakers sound like.

I wouldn't mind trying a balanced preamp if i could find something decent (used)

Gonna try my ground loop isolator later when i play another round in Quake champions

I can understand why the guy in the Kef q350 thread thinks the sound from the 350's are very warm and dark sounding

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/kef-q350s-sounds-too-dark

https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-q350-loudspeaker-measurements

 

[gasolin]

Ground loop filter didn't make any difference

 

[rainsoothe]

I just noticed the Focusrite doesn't have balanced connections, which doesn't help. What you heard about Yammies not being balanced is utter poppycock, of course they have balanced connections, that are, well, ballanced. I also didn't realise you were using your monitors with integrated amps and turntable. The cheap Y cable will probably remove interference and distortion that you're otherwise getting with the single-ended upmarket cable you're using. Also, the diy USB hub sollution is to only get power from the USB hub, the AI would still be, of course, connected to the computer, but it will only be using signal from it.

Tbh, with these components, high-grade cabling should be on the bottom of your priority list.

 

[gasolin]

There once where a usb power supply for usb dac and other usb products that would bennefit from better power supply.

Can anyone remember what models there is?c it's wasn't a stock cheap one neither was it an expensive one

Never mind found it http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html

 

[gasolin]

Update going back to passive speakers solved my problem 100%

I did how ever also change my amp to a brand new