High-pitched whine when record

[dbcs]

Hi,

I am using a MacBook Pro (mid-2012, OS X 10.7.5 Lion), Mbox 2, and with either PT 11 or 10, I get a high-pitched noise when I press record. I realized my system was incompatible with PT 11 so I downgraded to 10, but that did not solve the problem. I am unable to record. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Please offer detailed instructions, if you would, because I am not so great with computers. Thanks so much.

[Bookerv12]

How are you routing your tracks?
(Inputs)
(Outputs)

[Sparky1]

Is this noise registering on your audio level meters within the track?

Sparky

[dbcs]

Hi,

My tracks are being routed through the Mbox 2 to the MacBook Pro. Input 1 is a mic and Input 2 is a guitar, both directly into the Mbox 2.

Yes, the noise is registering on the audio meter levels within the track (on both PT 10 and 11).

I checked some similar threads. One said to change the Mbox 2 USB cable. I did this and it did not solve the problem.

The only new thing I've done, aside from software updates which I have since downgraded after I saw there were compatibility issues, is put iTunes on my computer and backup my phone to it.

Some possible solutions might include updating my OS X to Mavericks (since Yosemite is not yet compatible), but I have heard much bad about Mavericks. Or wait until Yosemite is compatible...

I could try to buy an Mbox "3," but that is expensive, I have yet to find it not bundled with PT (which I have), and perhaps an Mbox "4" will be out soon? (I have had much bad luck in this department, buying the original Mbox shortly before the release of 2, and again 2 shortly before "3" came out.) Maybe another interface would do the trick? Switch to GarageBand?? I've lost so much creative time on this and many other related issues in the past!

Thanks so much!

[Darryl Ramm]

First guess is it is just feedback either of the mic or guitar. What speakers or headphones are you monitoring through? where are they in relation to the guitar and mic. unplug then... does the whine still get recorded? What happens when you only arm each input individually?

[BR Rundfunk]

Let the cat out of the recording room!
SCNR

[vocalvoodoo]

Sorry to hear your having this problem. I also had it, along with scores of other people, with the Mbox2, and it's frustrating as hell. If I remember correctly, the only solution that worked for me was another interface, unfortunately. Tried the new USB cable, etc., and nothing worked. With the USB cable, the people that did have success used the Monster 'Ultimate Performace" USB cable.

Googling "Mbox 2 Whine" will bring up tons of stuff that may help.

Here's what Avid has to say about the problem...

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...oting/en209541

I hope you can get it sorted. :)

[dbcs]

Thanks.

I looked closer at what I have put on my computer. I did a MacBook Pro software update on 9/25, which didn't seem to affect performance of PT. However, I looked back at the last problem-free PT session I recorded, and it was on 10/20, which is the date I downloaded iTunes to my computer and backed up my iPhone to it, so perhaps this did somehow cause the problem?

That may be when I updated PT, too, though, and perhaps Mbox2 drivers, both of which I have since downgraded to the last working configuration. After trying out PT 10, I now have Mbox2 10.3.3 drivers, and PT 11.0.1. Still getting that horrendous whine. Tried a different mic and attempted to eliminate a basic feedback problem, which would have come out of nowhere as far as setup aside from software, since I did not have this problem before 10/20 and it worked fine.

I will look more into what you posted, thanks, vocalvoodoo. Which interface do you recommend? I'm a solo artist, just recording my own music.

[dbcs]

Hi,

I bought an Apogee Duet, but it didn't take away the high-pitched whine.

I took in my Mac to Apple. They tested it & it was fine.

Apple put OS X 10.9.5 on my mid-2012 macbook pro 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7, since they believed this would work based on Avid compatibility info.

The whine is still there. I've tried different interfaces, mics, cables, and even GarageBand (with mbox 2) - whine is still there. I have unplugged everything - interface and mics, even the external dedicated audio drive, and tried to see what happened. As always, when I press record in PT, the whine is still there. I'm thinking of ditching PT once and for all, having wasted years of productivity.

Any advice?

Cheers.

[Darryl Ramm]

If I follow what you have already tried is next to impossible to imagine a scenario (besides feedback) that explains all this. To try to help work out what is happening you have to be very precise in describing what you are doing.

And I'm lost, even with Garage Band you get the same whine? But I'm not following then why then you want to ditch Pro Tools? Just trying to understand what exactly is happening.

Where is the whine is coming from? The speakers in the external monitors? from inside the monitor cabinets (e.g. from the internal power supply), the MacBooks' internal speakers? The interface itself, the MacBook itself???... if it s a very high pitched whine check carefully, its easy to be confused where it is coming from and it could signify something like a power supply dying.

So try to say again clearly what you are doing...


You now have what exact interface and what exact driver? What exact version of Pro Tools? What make/model/spec audio/session drive in the mac are you using? Has the mac been fully optimized? (not that won't explain a wine, but I want to make sure you have still done that).

What exactly is the playback engine in Pro Tools set to? -- importantly you are using the correct device as the playback engine, you are not trying to aggregate the IO right? And you are not trying to use the Mac's built in Audio as output right?... a not uncommon mistake is to be using aggregate IO (bad idea to start with) and accidentally have a MacBook's internal mic live and causing feedback.

And there are no microphones or any other input devices (guitars, basses, etc.) connected to the interface. Physically disconnect everything from the interface, headphones, MIDI devices, etc.

What exact monitors/speakers are you using and what cable (connector ends) connects them to what ports on the interface? if you disconnect the monitors do you hear the same sound though a set of headphones?

You said this only happens when you press record? Is that right. What when you just record arm the track? What is the input and output IO settings on that track. Either way that makes it very likely to be feedback/user error.

Post screenshots here of the following (for a session, kept as simple as possible that makes this noise)...

Setup> Playback Engine dialog panel.

Setup> IO > Input and Output dialog panels

The Mix window showing the input and output IO buttons on each track

Try to get the screenshots as clear as possible so the text is legible.