Maschine+ hum problem NOT fixed (still want comments)

Acidizer

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/221041/#Comment_221041

Since bickering got the old thread locked I start a new one.

I solved the hum!!

If I plug a USB-B cable into M+ while it is mains powered the hum disappears!!

Take the USB cable back out and the hum starts up again instantly.

I do not want to power it by battery bank, nor do I want to keep a USB cable attached to fix a hum. (MK3 is cheaper if that's the case).

So is this problem fixable with a better quality power supply? If not if has to go back for a refund. There is definitely some kind of grounding problem. I hope it isn't with all facelift M+ units.

I am in contact with support but I want community input also.

Thoughts? No fighting please :)

djadidai

thanks for sharing your solution!

Nyla

I've got one of the newer units but no hum. I'd send it back and get another, then another if it still persists. If there's an issue with grounding somewhere, then NI needs to know about it.

ozon

Thoughts/Questions:

• Was the power adapter also replaced when you received your first replacement M+?
• Are you properly seating and locking the connector of the power adapter into the M+ power socket?
• If the USB cable does not need to be connected to anything else, I would assume that it somehow creates proper grounding by providing a contact between the USB ground and the power socket ground. If that is the case, there might be an issue with the board where the power and UBS sockets are mounted.

Acidizer

Power adater was replaced also on the second unit

I am locking the power jack

The USB was connected to my PC. If it wasn't connected to anything it would hum.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/44424/maschine-hum-problem-fixed-want-comments

If I plug a USB-B cable into M+ while it is mains powered the hum disappears!!

Quote : "If I plug a USB-B cable into M+ while it is mains powered the hum disappears!! " , and the other end of the USB-B cable into what ?

Take the USB cable back out and the hum starts up again instantly.

Have you tried grounding the PSU (if possible) ?

I do not want to power it by battery bank, nor do I want to keep a USB cable attached to fix a hum. (MK3 is cheaper if that's the case).

As far as I know then nobody suggested "power it by battery bank," for anything other than diagnostics.

PK The DJ

The original Maschine+ PSU doesn't have a ground (the ground pin is just plastic) so it seems connecting to the PC via the USB cable is grounding it. Possibly there's an internal earth point that's either not connected or not making good contact.

@D-One and others have been inside their units, so may be able to shed some light.

keilyn3d

I know that you will not believe this, because you are 100% sure that the hum comes from the maschine, but ground loop (hum sound) normally are cause from some device and that device transfer the hum to other devices, I know that when you power off the maschine it goes away, and even in the headphones port of the Maschine plus you will hear the hum, but you lose nothing trying this:

The problems is that you have some other device that has the power ground pin in its power connector (in reality you have two devices but with one that found you solve will the issue), as long as it is connected in some way to the same sound system any device could make the Maschine Plus to start humming, it could be some monitor, active speaker, power amplifier, mixer, etc., could be the most unexpected device.

I'll give you an example, I had a similar problem with a hum coming from an electronic drums, and only the drums had the hum, it was nonsensical to think it was coming from somewhere else, but some day when I was powering everything up, I found that there was no hum, and when connected an audio processor that I use to calibrate speakers the hum started.

The real fix should be to find if the real culprit (once you found it) has a ground/lift button and set it to lift, if not, try to connect all your audio devices in the same power line, if not, you could use a hum eliminator device or direct box with ground/lift, and as last resource but 100% always work, remove the ground pin from the real culprit power outlet.

Acidizer

Thanks I will try see if anything else is causing it. Although I did try it in a friends house with no 'gear' and I also tried it on one of those power strip isolators and the hum was always there. When I had my OG M+ there was never any hum, in any socket.

A bit disingenuous to label this "FIXED", whatever mod did that!! I said that in jest partly. It's clearly not fixed but maybe the source has been identified.

Acidizer

So why does plugging a USB cable into M+ solve the issue? (the other end of the USB going into my PC)

Could there be a power supply that has twin connectors coming from it - both the power jack and USB-B jack. Then both could be plugged into the M+ simultaneously, and solve the issue?

Like a in-line or parallel thing.

Why does M+ not have a ground pin?

Acidizer

Also also…😂 … why does touching the metal knobs or the side or bottom of the case solve this issue?

Isn't that a bit suspect?

Surely that the pertinent information here.

PK The DJ

See my earlier post. Presumbly something internally that is supposed to be making contact is not doing so. Having two units in a row with the same issue though is odd (hence initial guess at external influence).

Acidizer

So… to simplify:

If I plugged the M+ into a wall socket with no other things in that socket, no power strips etc. just the Maschine and it STILL hums… that would be a problem with the unit itself I guess?

Conversely if I plug it into a wall socket alone and NO hum arises, that means it is a ground loop type problem (i.e. another electrical device is causing the issue)?

PK The DJ

I think you did already say that it hums when powered up with just headphones plugged in, yes?

That points to the hardware.

Acidizer

I plugged it into power strips only I believe… but I tried multiple rooms and even in a different house.

I will plug it into a sole wall socket with nothing else and see if there is hum.

Obviously I don't have enough wall sockets for all my gear but I think everyone here is the same. I've had dozens of different gear and none of them did this, including my OG M+ but lets see…

My only other option is MPC Live which I dislike 😣

Acidizer

So.. it hums in a sole wall socket with nothing else attached. Going back for refund.