Distortion in Monitoring chain

[AAD]

Hi all,

I hope you can help .. I have an 003 Rack connected to 2 x PMC TB2S-A's and recently i have started to get distortion when my volume is anything higher than roughly the 9'oclock position of of the 003's master volume. the distortion is mainly maifested through the tweeters. These are never brought anywhere near a volume threshold as I live in a flat with a family upstairs, so they're conservatively cranked on occasion only, never had the 003 Master above half, or too close to it, to be honest.

The PMC's are Active and are directly connected to the 003 with nothing else in line (Using balanced cables), the distortion happens at the same volume in both speakers, so i'm guessing the problem is pre-PMC's as they are each independently amplified.

I was running the latest 7.3 version, which was fine .. i then had 7.4 and now 8.0, with all the firmware updates used too, I had the problem on 7.4, i then bought 8.0, partly hoping to solve the problem, partly as i was looking forward to using it, but the problem persists.

Any idea's on what might be causing this? .. I'm stumped.

This distortion happens in PT, and using the Digi MME helper, i have had the same problem in Windows Media Player, Spotify and internet apps such as youtube, all of which occur quite uniformly.

I can post the Sandra report later if needed, all advice and procrastinations welcomed .. I'm at my wits end.

Thanks in advance,
aaron.

[albee1952]

In your Pro Tools session, do you have a master track? If so, is it showing red? Digital clipping can be pretty nasty. If you don't use a master track, add one and see if it hits the red. If it does, back it down till you don't hit any red and see if that cures the distortion.

[AAD]

Hi,

Thanks for replying and apologies for my delay in answering, been working away.

The Master track in all PT sessions is well within the yellow / orange area, The distortion occurs when i physically turn the hardware master knob on the 003R Front facsia, and happens on all applications using the 003R as it's sound source.

Usually when i have the Master Volume Knob at about the 10 o'clock position .. not a particualrily high volume either.

Anyone got any further musings on this?

It's a SIIG -> 003R --> 2 x TB2SA chain for audio.

Everything from Media player, to spotify, youtube and Pro Tools distort at roughly the same point of turning the master hardware knob on the 003R

All help greatly appreciated :)

aaron.

[TOM@METRO]

Are you hearing this in headphones?

[albee1952]

and do the PMC's have an input level selector? the 003 outputs at +4, so IF the speakers had input set for -10, that could create a problem. Maybe its time to test things separately. Run the 003 to a different set of monitors and see if its the 003 or the monitors that are guilty.

[TOM@METRO]

+1

[AAD]

Had to pop into town today for a headphone adapter for my HD25's, and can say the problem does not occur in headphones.

This setup has been together since the week the 003R was released and has been fine .. Not got another pair of monitors to check with atm, but i shall get some to test.

Would be odd for both PMC's (each one independently active) to break at same time, especially as the low levels i generally operate at.

Any thoughts on anything on the 003R it could be? Could a firmware update (Had one for 7.4 .. problem, i believe, occured sometime around this happening, i have since updated to 8.0 but the same problem is still evident.) have done some damage?

Thanks all .. will check the PMC's for levels, but they're upside down on bluetack atm .. and haven't been adjusted, I'm working next couple of days, will flip them over and check soon. By they're upside down for listening position :)

Thanks again, any other suggestions?
aaron.