Mbox 3 Mini and studio monitors issue?

[The Confused Monk]

Hi. So, while on my laptop, my Equator D5 monitors work perfect with my Mbox 3 Mini. But when I connect the Mbox and my monitors to my custom build desktop (which is a lot nicer), the monitors emit this very annoying medium-high pitched sound everytime sound goes through it. When it's not processing any sound they're fairly normal (there is a slight fuzz but I think that happens anyway), but as soon as sound plays it puts this annoying ringing sound over everything. I have done tests to make sure the monitors are not bad, so they're in check, and I just purchased new 1/4" instrument cables to hook up to the interface, so the cables are fine. The only thing I can think of by this point is that the Mbox is having issues with my desktop that it was not having with my laptop. Here is the Sandra Lite report for my desktop. Does anyone know if this has anything to do with the Mbox Mini?

Thanks.


SiSoftware Sandra

Computer
Model : System manufacturer System Product Name
Workgroup : WORKGROUP
Host Name : upstairs-PC
User : S

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500 CPU @ 3.30GHz
Speed : 3.61GHz
Cores per Processor : 4 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Quad-Core
Integrated Data Cache : 2x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L2 On-board Cache : 2x 256kB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L3 On-board Cache : 6MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 12-way, Exclusive, 64 byte line size, 4 threads sharing

Computer
Mainboard : Asus P8H67-M PRO
BIOS : AMI 1106 10/17/2011
Bus(es) : X-Bus PCI PCIe USB i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : No
Total Memory : 8GB DIMM DDR3

Chipset
Model : ASUS Sandy Bridge DRAM Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 1x 100MHz (100MHz)
Total Memory : 8GB DIMM DDR3
Channels : 2
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 667MHz (1.33GHz)

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : G.Skill F3-10666CL9-4GBNT 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-10700U DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : G.Skill F3-10666CL9-4GBNT 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-10700U DDR3-1334 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)

Video System
Video Adapter : Intel(R) HD Graphics (6 SM4.1 850MHz, 64MB DDR3 2x666MHz, Integrated Graphics)

Graphics Processor
Compute Shader Processor : Intel(R) HD Graphics (6SP 850MHz, 64MB 2x666MHz, Integrated Graphics)

Storage Devices
Seagate ST500DM005 HD502HJ (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, NCQ, 16MB Cache) : 466GB (C:)
HP DVD Writer 1270d (SATA150, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : 7GB (D:)

Logical Storage Devices
System Reserved : 100MB (NTFS)
Hard Disk (C:) : 466GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST500DM005 HD502HJ (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, NCQ, 16MB Cache)
Pro Tools LE (D:) : 7GB (CDFS) @ HP DVD Writer 1270d (SATA150, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : ASUS Cougar Point LPC Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : T0 C3-33
Audio Device : ASUS Cougar Point High Definition Audio Controller
Audio Codec : Realtek Semiconductor High Definition Audio
Serial Port(s) : 1
Parallel Port(s) : 1
Disk Controller : ASUS Cougar Point 4 port SATA IDE Controller
Disk Controller : ASUS Cougar Point 2 port SATA IDE Controller
Disk Controller : ASUS PATA IDE Host Controller
USB Controller 1 : ASUS Cougar Point USB Enhanced Host Controller #2
USB Controller 2 : ASUS Cougar Point USB Enhanced Host Controller #1
USB Controller 3 : ASUS 1042h
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel 801xx/63xx SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Send To Microsoft OneNote 2010 Driver (1200x1200, Colour)
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Wireless Adapter 1 : Linksys WMP600N Wireless-N PCI Adapter with Dual-Band (802.11g (ERP), AES-CCMP, 144Mbps)

Power Management
Mains (AC) Line Status : On-Line

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 6.01.7601 (Service Pack 1)
Platform Compliance : x64

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 5.2

[The Confused Monk]

UPDATE!
I've been testing more things out. At first I thought it was a ground loop, but I don't think that's what it is, unless I didn't research it enough.

I tried finding a plug on a separate ground than what I had anything else connected to and that didn't do anything. That means it's an issue on the level of the Mbox. I tried completely removing one of the monitors from the setup altogether so they wouldn't interfere with each other, and the single monitor still had a high pitched hum to it. That's what I find weird: if this were a ground loop, to my understanding of ground loops, that wouldn't happen. A single monitor with nothing to interfere with it should work just fine. (The hum is also much, much higher than the buzzing sound I thought ground loops are supposed to have.)

I'm really out of guesses here. Does anyone know what to do? Will an audio ground loop isolator help? If so, can someone tell me how to set one of those up with an Mbox? And if anyone would know why/how it could help, that would be good to know as well.

[albee1952]

Integrated graphics-not good(but probably not the problem you describe). Disable in BIOS and add a modest nVidia graphics card
1 hard drive-not good for performance(record to a separate approved hard drive). For Windows 7, that measn another internal(best and cheapest), USB2 or eSATA(no firewire drives with Win7)
wifi-disable when running Pro Tools
Also-Try another USB cable and try other ports. If you are using a front port, move to the back or vice versa(you just never know). If you are still having troubles, maybe start moving cables, rerouting things, making sure there aren't any dimmers on the same breaker. Do you have flat screen LCD screens or old CRT screens? CRT's can cause noises. Are your new cables balanced or unbalanced(I believe the Mini has unbalanced outputs but check the manual on that).

[The Confused Monk]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Integrated graphics-not good(but probably not the problem you describe). Disable in BIOS and add a modest nVidia graphics card
1 hard drive-not good for performance(record to a separate approved hard drive). For Windows 7, that measn another internal(best and cheapest), USB2 or eSATA(no firewire drives with Win7)
wifi-disable when running Pro Tools
Also-Try another USB cable and try other ports. If you are using a front port, move to the back or vice versa(you just never know). If you are still having troubles, maybe start moving cables, rerouting things, making sure there aren't any dimmers on the same breaker. Do you have flat screen LCD screens or old CRT screens? CRT's can cause noises. Are your new cables balanced or unbalanced(I believe the Mini has unbalanced outputs but check the manual on that).

Thanks for the reply.

I don't understand how a graphics card can get in the way of audio. Does it really matter? I'd be happy to pay for a cheap nVidia card if I need to.

For the hard drive thing, I'm well aware that for recording, I need an external hard drive. I haven't actually used Pro Tools or any DAW yet on this computer. All of this is just general sound. Didn't know I was supposed to disable wifi while recording, though; I'll definitely remember that for the future.

For the ports, that was actually the first thing I tried. They're all the same. I just tried the back ones again and nothing different happens.
My screen is most definitely LCD, so it should be fine.
I don't know how to find out if my cables are balanced or not. How can I tell? And, I'm pretty certain the Mbox is unbalanced.
As for the circuit breaker, there are no dimmers on the breaker I'm plugged into. I'm pretty sure that's not an issue. I also don't know how I could reroute in this case.

[nst7]

There has always been issues with integrated graphics on Windows systems, and Avid highly recommends a dedicated graphics card.

[The Confused Monk]

Originally Posted by nst7

There has always been issues with integrated graphics on Windows systems, and Avid highly recommends a dedicated graphics card.

Could that cause this specific thing with the monitors to happen, though? I don't care about any other issue at all right now except getting these monitors to work. I will only buy a dedicated graphics card right now if I absolutely need to to get the monitors working right. Does the graphics card have anything at all to do with how the Mbox will work with the monitors?

The reason I ask is because I am 99% sure the problem is with the Mbox. Is the graphics card messing with the Mbox? And if so, will getting a cheap nVidia card (maybe for $50 off of Amazon) fix the issue?

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by The Confused Monk

Is the graphics card messing with the Mbox? And if so, will getting a cheap nVidia card (maybe for $50 off of Amazon) fix the issue?

I doubt it will fix this particular issue but it will help PT overall performance.

Have you tried disabling on-board audio in Device Manager?

[The Confused Monk]

Originally Posted by zedhed

I doubt it will fix this particular issue but it will help PT overall performance.

Have you tried disabling on-board audio in Device Manager?

Yeah, whenever I have the Mbox on, I am sure to disable all other audio devices on the computer. The Mbox seems to have a bad habit of only communicating with the computer unless it's the only possible sound device; I always have it automatically switching back to the on-board sound devices unless I disable them, so I've made that a habit.

[browniespeaks]

works on one computer fine. Gets a cycle hum on another computer... sounds like a ground loop. INSIDE THE POWER SUPPLY. Mbox 3 mini is bus powered no good way to separate the ground on the usb from the ground inside the computer. I have had luck using an "Ebtech HUMX" connected to the main power supply cable feeding my desktop. High sampling mice can also cause this kind of interference. I can hear every time my razer death adder moves if its turned all the way up. The ebtech made that quieter but only way to get rid of it was to turn the polling rate down a bit.

[The Confused Monk]

Originally Posted by browniespeaks

works on one computer fine. Gets a cycle hum on another computer... sounds like a ground loop. INSIDE THE POWER SUPPLY. Mbox 3 mini is bus powered no good way to separate the ground on the usb from the ground inside the computer. I have had luck using an "Ebtech HUMX" connected to the main power supply cable feeding my desktop. High sampling mice can also cause this kind of interference. I can hear every time my razer death adder moves if its turned all the way up. The ebtech made that quieter but only way to get rid of it was to turn the polling rate down a bit.

So, what do you recommend I do? How do I turn the polling rate down a bit? How will it effect the sound of the speakers? I'll try anything by this point.