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RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → Static Noise when in Standby (DAC)
Just got a brand new ADI-2 DAC FS. As soon as I plug it in however, I get a faint static buzzing in my headphones which disappears once I turn the unit on (or unplug it again). Oddly enough a Monolith THX 887 which I tried before also had the exact same issue. What is causing this and how can I fix it?
Thanks in advance!
that is normal. Nothing to worry about. Various electronics behave the same (such as an apple MacBook with 2 prong plug)
that is normal. Nothing to worry about. Various electronics behave the same (such as an apple MacBook with 2 prong plug)
Huh really? While I don’t know about the RME most people described their THX 887 as completely silent in standby, unlike the unit I tried. So are you saying that every unit of the ADI-2 DAC FS has this and it's not an issue?
Besides that do headphones get "damaged" by constant static as in I left the unit in standby for a few hours every day?
ning wrote:that is normal. Nothing to worry about. Various electronics behave the same (such as an apple MacBook with 2 prong plug)
Huh really? While I don’t know about the RME most people described their THX 887 as completely silent in standby, unlike the unit I tried. So are you saying that every unit of the ADI-2 DAC FS has this and it's not an issue?
Besides that do headphones get "damaged" by constant static as in I left the unit in standby for a few hours every day?
Don‘t worry, nothing gets damaged.
If no device in your chain has a 3-prong mains plug, this is normal.
Sometimes it gets better if you do use the XLR connection between ADI-2 and the THX887.
You can even start to save the planet and switch off THX887 when not in use.
Or use a Master/Slave power strip, so when you switch on/off ADI-2 the other music playing devices are automatically switched too.
> So are you saying that every unit of the ADI-2 DAC FS has this and it's not an issue?
yes. your adi-2 is floating and that's where the main noise come from.
> Besides that do headphones get "damaged" by constant static as in I left the unit in standby for a few hours every day?
no. the noise is so tiny it wont break anything. nothing to worry about.
If you are really worried there are a few solutions.
1. switch the unit completely off by pulling out the plug / switch off the adapter power, when you are not using it.
2. earth ground your RME. (connecting a wire from the main outlet ground to RME's back screw that grounds the device).
3. do not connect your RME with any other device by electric wire. use SPDIF (fiber cable) for data transmission instead.
4. plug off the headphone jack.
2. earth ground your RME. (connecting a wire from the main outlet ground to RME's back screw that grounds the device).
Please, no layman fooling around with wires on the mains socket or plug!
There are factory made grounding plugs available, like this one:
https://smile.amazon.de/Warmbier-Erdung … amp;sr=8-9
yeah, that's what I meant.
If no device in your chain has a 3-prong mains plug, this is normal.
Sometimes it gets better if you do use the XLR connection between ADI-2 and the THX887.You can even start to save the planet and switch off THX887 when not in use.
Or use a Master/Slave power strip, so when you switch on/off ADI-2 the other music playing devices are automatically switched too.
> So are you saying that every unit of the ADI-2 DAC FS has this and it's not an issue?
yes. your adi-2 is floating and that's where the main noise come from.
> Besides that do headphones get "damaged" by constant static as in I left the unit in standby for a few hours every day?
no. the noise is so tiny it wont break anything. nothing to worry about.
If you are really worried there are a few solutions.
1. switch the unit completely off by pulling out the plug / switch off the adapter power, when you are not using it.
2. earth ground your RME. (connecting a wire from the main outlet ground to RME's back screw that grounds the device).
3. do not connect your RME with any other device by electric wire. use SPDIF (fiber cable) for data transmission instead.
4. plug off the headphone jack.
Ahh that's great to hear! Thanks a lot guys!
Suppose you are in Europe/Germany, replace with a new Schuko-Stecker and connect an earth wire from the stecker earth terminal to the RME cabinet chassis also OK.
Same for other plugs https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Stecker.png
If the OP do not know electrical connections, buy the earth plug KaiS recommends is the safest way.
Suppose you are in Europe/Germany, replace with a new Schuko-Stecker and connect an earth wire from the stecker earth terminal to the RME cabinet chassis also OK.
Same for other plugs https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Stecker.png
If the OP do not know electrical connections, buy the earth plug KaiS recommends is the safest way.
I cannot stress this enough, this is really dangerous.
People of various electrical skill read along here.
Please, nobody advice here for DIY-solutions on the main connector.
Please, no layman fooling around with wires on the mains socket or plug!
There are factory made grounding plugs available, like this one:
https://smile.amazon.de/Warmbier-Erdung … amp;sr=8-9
Please, nobody advice here for DIY-solutions on the main connector.
I apologize for I broke the rule. Sorry.
KaiS wrote:Please, nobody advice here for DIY-solutions on the main connector.
I apologize for I broke the rule. Sorry.
You’re welcome!
It’s not a rule or forum rule – but logical, as people here should not be encouraged to do things that might have very bad consequences.
In Germany we call that “Dangerous Half-Knowledge”, if people read something somewhere, only half-understand it, ...
And don’t forget:
Mains plugs and there connection principle varies a lot from country to country all over the world.
Johannes AU wrote:KaiS wrote:Please, nobody advice here for DIY-solutions on the main connector.
I apologize for I broke the rule. Sorry.
You’re welcome!
It’s not a rule or forum rule – but logical, as people here should not be encouraged to do things that might have very bad consequences.
In Germany we call that “Dangerous Half-Knowledge”, if people read something somewhere, only half-understand it, ...
And don’t forget:
Mains plugs and there connection principle varies a lot from country to country all over the world.
Thank you KaiS for the forgiveness.
Though not a forum rule, but one follows my stupid suggestion might break the local electrical rule and have fatal
consequences by an electric shock.
==========
By the way, the RME cabinet is isolated from all in/outputs or not?
By the way, the RME cabinet is isolated from all in/outputs or not?
No, this is not possible to design while meeting the EMC-directive.
All ADI-2’s connections’ grounds, analog and digital, are linked to the case.
A reason why TOSLINK / Optical sometimes is the best connection, as the plastic fiber isolates ADI-2’s case / ground from other devices.
And sometimes it’s just the other way round:
If there’s only one mains-grounded device in the chain (ADI-2 has no mains ground connection) a grounded interlink to ADI-2 might be favourable.
Most of the time, fortunately, it doesn’t matter.
Johannes AU wrote:By the way, the RME cabinet is isolated from all in/outputs or not?
No, this is not possible to design while meeting the EMC-directive.
All ADI-2’s connections’ grounds, analog and digital, are linked to the case.
A reason why TOSLINK / Optical sometimes is the best connection, as the plastic fiber isolates ADI-2’s case / ground from other devices.
And sometimes it’s just the other way round:
If there’s only one mains-grounded device in the chain (ADI-2 has no mains ground connection) a grounded interlink to ADI-2 might be favourable.Most of the time, fortunately, it doesn’t matter.
Thank you KaiS for the technical things explained.
Yes, I stick to Toslink unless it reached the rate limit.
Playback music from iOS via USB is so simple and direct, no need to take care of the rate, just press "PLAY" :-)
Playback music from iOS via USB is so simple and direct, no need to take care of the rate, just press "PLAY" :-)
Same here, dedicated iPhone with CCK.
Only that, additionally, I have connected my main system with CD- and DVD-Player, TV set, Apple TV etc. trough TOSLINK via a digital switchbox.
These are in quite some distance, feed from different wall power outlets, and close to ADI-2 Pro I have various headphones amps.
So without the TOSLINK ground isolation I’d get a lot of hum from the large groundloop caused by the multiple mains ground connections.
BTW: ADI-2 in standby is not causing noise here, because some of the connected amps have mains ground.
No noise whatsoever here except faint coil whine noise when my GPU is busy. I know the ADI-2 normally floats when connecting only headphones and something digital like TOSLINK.
If you have a USB cable connected to a grounded PC or outgoing XLR cables to studio monitors (also grounded) it should be ground the ADI-2 unit as well as all the benefits and negatives that come with it. 
RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → Static Noise when in Standby (DAC)
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