Mbox 3 Mini Static problem

[Trauma_Hound]

Hey guys,

I have googled this a lot lately, but haven't really found anyone who's had the same issue, so I thought I'd register here and ask.

When I first got the mbox it worked just fine. But for the last little while (a month or so), I get some pretty annoying static/crackling/distortion coming through my left monitor whenever I adjust the volume knob. I'm on a Mac, if that matters. Running Snow Leopard.

The static only occurs when I touch that volume knob, otherwise it's perfect. It seems to get better if I continue fiddling with the knob, like it needs to warm up or something. But if I leave it alone for any amount of time it comes right back.

So far I've ruled out the possibility of it being a bad cable, or a speaker problem. I know it's either got to be in the mbox, or something with the mac.

Any ideas? I appreciate the help.

[Trauma_Hound]

Bump.

Don't mean to be a pain, but this just really reminds of what had been happening to my firebox right before it died completely. Now this mbox is acting up. I guess I have bad luck with audio interfaces.

Surely someone has had a similar problem? The static only sounds when there's audio coming through and I adjust the volume knob. Otherwise it's as clear as a bell.

[wasserwerk]

Originally Posted by Trauma_Hound

Bump.

Don't mean to be a pain, but this just really reminds of what had been happening to my firebox right before it died completely. Now this mbox is acting up. I guess I have bad luck with audio interfaces.

Surely someone has had a similar problem? The static only sounds when there's audio coming through and I adjust the volume knob. Otherwise it's as clear as a bell.

This is exactly the same problem I have with my MBOX3! I have already asked the guys from AVID at this year's Musikmesse. But they knew nothing of this problem. Like you, I have crackling in the speakers when I turn the volume *AND* there is signal in the cable (not silence). If no sound is playing and I turn back and forth on the volume, there is absolutely no crackle. Also in the headphone output from the MBOX there is no crackle. AVID says,A dirty volume pot can not be reason, because in the MBOX is used an encoder, not a pot.

My signal path is: Mac->MBOX->Amp->passive speakers. As test I put headphones into the headphone output into the amp and the crackle problem was there too, just like with speakers. To eliminate cable/amp/boxes cause of the problem I have connected an external headphone amplifier to line out on MBOX and put a headphone there. The result - no crackling! Then I had a look exactly at the cables. I used a jack-RCA adapter to plug in the amp. The adapter seems to be OK, but the RCA plugs are totally worn out (very old, consists of two half parts that fit not quite together) and have very bad contacts with adapter, almost exclusively at one point. Headphone amplifier was connected through the new good jack cables. For me it was concluded that the MBOX is not broken, the crackling was caused by poor contact. But your report make me confuse.

[KEZO]

I have the exact same problem - if i even lightly touch the volume knob theres static - wit headphones no static - if theres no sound and i touch the volumeb knob - no static - only when there's sound.
so i messed around wit the interface and found if i turn the voluem knob all the way down and use the mix knob for volume - theres no static - but then its like...well then what the heck - i dont want to use this knob for volume - theres a specific knob for that - then it gets very irritating. but yeah - turn the volume all the way down - and use mix as volume - or put mix at half way - and use volume knob - still static, just not as much


i would love to get some help on this - so i can just use my volume knob wit no static man - otherwise im pretty disappointed with avid and this interface....and stuck wit no warranty....

[Fiskepudding]

This is exactly the same problem I have! (except i'm on windows) Couldn't find a solution anywhere. I don't have any monitors so I use a set of logitech speakers with a sub woofer through a jack/mini-jack adapter in the headphones output.

Has anyone found a solution yet? I have a warranty, but I'm a bit reluctant to use it yet.

Please help!

[Trauma_Hound]

Originally Posted by KEZO

I have the exact same problem - if i even lightly touch the volume knob theres static - wit headphones no static - if theres no sound and i touch the volumeb knob - no static - only when there's sound.
so i messed around wit the interface and found if i turn the voluem knob all the way down and use the mix knob for volume - theres no static - but then its like...well then what the heck - i dont want to use this knob for volume - theres a specific knob for that - then it gets very irritating. but yeah - turn the volume all the way down - and use mix as volume - or put mix at half way - and use volume knob - still static, just not as much


i would love to get some help on this - so i can just use my volume knob wit no static man - otherwise im pretty disappointed with avid and this interface....and stuck wit no warranty....

Thanks for the tip about using the mix knob. It's better this way at least. Our problems sound mostly identical, the only difference is I hear the static even with headphones.

[davo1963]

Same problem myself. Static coming through the monitors or headphones on volume adjustment.

If its one thing its another

[Ormond]

If you go to the PC side of this Forum you will find more discussion about this.

[Tha RitzZ]

Im a recording student at the los angles recording school in hollywood when u go to this school u receive a macbook pro 10.6.8 osx mbox mini and protools 9 Le and logic.. Im having the same problem with my interface every time i touch the volume knob i hear static in my head phones ( i can hear what is being played but the static and crackle is annoying it only happens when i touch the volume knob.. and only out one speaker my m1active 520 are turned on weird.. when i swapped the speaker cables plugging the other in to 01 left and the other in 02 right... then the left speaker began to crackle when i touch the volume knob.

so i swapped out the mbox for my m- audio fast track pro (i bought this before i got the mbox...)when i was using logic and didn't have protools yet.( haven't got to that class yet.)
Anyway protools read fine it was playing out my headphones and speakers no problem no static or crackle when i touch the volume knob... but when i went to record enable a track said it wasn't active input /out well i fixed all that after reading countless forums it wasn't as simple as the I/O playback engine settings i had to install the new version of m-audio fast track pro off avid website.. now when it showed active finally when i hit record enable it [/FONT][/B]sounds horrible like bit crush gritty on vocal when im monitor threw my headphones speaking into my mic.. i tried in logic to double check it did the same thing.. which is weird because when i used it with logic before it record fine and sounded good.. but sometimes it mess up but i would just turn off the phantom power n back on and it work again fine.. but this time for some reason it sound exactly the same as it did in the protools 9 LE (crackle bad signal coming threw..) when i had a track in record ready, in put record ready mode for logic .. i changed the sound preference to the m-audio for the mac main i/o but it still the same..

any help would be great [/FONT][/FONT]calling sweet water tech support back tomorrow because that department already closed today..
waiting on a call from avid request sent email thank u..

[DefunctSlade]

I have been having this problem on my Mbox 3 Mini too. Worked fine for about a month or so, then all of a sudden started. I also have a slight hum at any given time on the Macbook Pro and Mbox 3 Mini combination. I have found a work around for the hum...

MAYBE THIS WILL ALSO WORK FOR THE VOLUME KNOB PROBLEM.

I am not sure if anyone saw that Mbox 3 Mini is not recommended to use as plugging straight to a computer and/or unpowered USB hub.. I have just now purchased a powered 2.0 USB hub (4 port) and its in the mail. I read somewhere else that it completely fixed their issues, but have yet to hear if it works for the volume knob problem too!? If anyone here uses a powered hub already that are experiencing this then I am guessing it wont help the volume problem ... either way, the hum is just as annoying as the other!

*fingers crossed*