new revised M+ unit making humming noise

Options
Acidizer
Acidizer Member Posts: 38 Member
edited April 14 in Maschine

Hi I was a previous owner of the old Maschine+ (the one with the orange plus logo) and all was fine. I stupidly sold it and a year later I wanted it back.

So I buy a new one. It is the new logo unit this time, not the orange + logo one.

It hums.

Seems like a grounding issue. If I touch one of the capacitive knobs the hum disappears completely - crystal clear silence! Also if I touch the underside on the case (bottom) the hum disappears also!!

It is a hum, not a hiss. The volume knob at the back doesn't affect it and it does it with headphones and the main outs.

So… is this a bad batch or has NI cheaped out on some internals with the new revision?

Extremely disappointing. I don't know where to go from here. Other than buying an old mode, which I don't want to do.

Has anyone got the new model, can they report back?

«1

Comments

  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,791 Expert
    edited April 10

    Sounds to me like an issue with your environment or setup (power, location, cables) than the unit itself.

    Easily proven by trying it at another location - a friend's house, workplace, coffee shop…

    Swap out the speaker cables.

  • Acidizer
    Acidizer Member Posts: 38 Member
    edited April 10

    I tried different sockets, one had a power isolator thing on it, and also a friends house 30 miles away, still hums.

    My old M+ did not hum at all in the same socket, so…

    The hum is on headphones AND main outs to speakers.

    As soon as you put a finger on the capacitive knobs the hum disappears. That definitely did not happen on my old version.

    Oh btw this is my second new unit that hums. I just returned the first one a day ago. I messaged the shop that I got it from and they did mention the dirty power thing. But it appears not to be the case.

    Can anyone with an new (or old) unit test theirs?

  • Percivale
    Percivale Member Posts: 236 Pro

    Random idea, try not to run your cables (audio, speaker, usb) parallel to each other and also tap on the same power source (wall outlet). These are common "tips" out there. There is a comprehensive video below (by loopop) if you are game to try or just give up on M+ already.

    https://youtu.be/3asGhHUVO0o?si=oxHMUMB2oDDPfusW
  • Acidizer
    Acidizer Member Posts: 38 Member
    edited April 11

    That's for dinky cheap USB power stuff… M+ is supposed to be pro audio.

    Literally just a M+ and pair of headphones plugged into it and nothing else and it hums badly.

    If it was just the hum, constant, maybe I would get used it to but as soon as you touch a knob it disappears. Very jarring.

  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,791 Expert

    Is the hum there if you use it just on a USB connection with Maschine software? Maybe it's coming from the power supply…

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 7,393 mod
    edited April 11
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/220946#Comment_220946

    My old M+ did not hum at all in the same socket, so…

    That definitely did not happen on my old version.

    Is this the %100 exact same setup ? same computer ? same computer PSU ? same everything or has anything changed or been added ? Often when one experience noise then something else has been grounded.

    If you are using a laptop computer then you can try unplugging everything but the Maschine + and take away mains power form both computer and Maschine + (if it can run on USB power only ?) and the see if it still produce the noise when it all runs only on battery with no connection to anything else.

  • Acidizer
    Acidizer Member Posts: 38 Member

    I only plugged in the M+ and nothing else except headphones attached. No USB, no computers, nothing. Just the power cable and headphones.

    Tried multiple sockets in my house and tried it in a different house altogether.

    I only use it in standalone.

  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,791 Expert

    Well IMO if you want to get to the bottom of it, you need to be prepared to test various scenarios in order to eliminate potential culprits. You need to try it powered by USB only, to exclude the possibility that it's the PSU…

  • Acidizer
    Acidizer Member Posts: 38 Member
    edited April 11

    I will do that thanks for diagnostic reasons but I won't be ever using it on USB power otherwise.

    If it is the power supply how could that be fixed? I tried powering it on one of them isolator power strip things and it still hummed.

    Could a different better quality PSU solve the issue?

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 7,393 mod
    edited April 11
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221078#Comment_221078

    I will do that thanks for diagnostic reasons but I won't be ever using it on USB power otherwise.

    That is why we suggested it , nobody mentioned using it on laptop battery and USB power only for other reasons. But if you run the laptop on battery only and with nothing connected other than the Maschine + powered only by laptop USB and it then does not hum then we at least knows that and you can then try to assess what it is that cause the hum.

  • Chilled
    Chilled Member Posts: 51 Member
    edited April 11
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/220943#Comment_220943

    Nope! This has been reported by numerous folks who have bought brand new. Some received another unit and it did the same thing. This is either systemic or a bad batch with new units. Folks on the Elektronauts forum are posting the same.

  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,791 Expert
    edited April 11

    Well if those "numerous folks" are posting about it on a different forum, we can't see that here. We can only respond to what's been written, and try to narrow it down…

    I just did a quick Google for Maschine+ hum (also elektronauts maschine hum) & nothing obvious is coming up.

    The only posts I can find on Elektronauts are from OP (under another name).

  • ozon
    ozon Member Posts: 2,079 Expert

    @PoorFellow you can’t run an M+ off USB power in standalone, can you?

    @Acidizer But you can use a power bank and the proper adapter cable. That way, you should get clean power (which is unable to produce hum) and you set your M+ free to be played anywhere.

  • Cretin Dilettante
    Cretin Dilettante Member Posts: 264 Pro

    @PK The DJ do you do anything other than pop into people's threads to be utterly dismissive of their problems & opinions? I know a lot of people like you, who live in this weird bubble of a reality where nobody else's problems are real or valid unless you've personally experienced or witnessed them…to such a degree where you will go out of your way to passive-aggressively suggest that there is something wrong with the other person who is troubled, simply because you yourself are not experiencing the same troubles. It's annoying being around people like that, and frustrating when you're trying to hold a company you've given your money to accountable.

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 7,393 mod
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221138#Comment_221138

    you can’t run an M+ off USB power in standalone, can you?

    I don't know that's why I asked here if you can.

    But you can use a power bank and the proper adapter cable. That way, you should get clean power (which is unable to produce hum) and you set your M+ free to be played anywhere.

    but this sounds as a good setup for diagnostic.

This discussion has been closed.
Back To Top

Categories