Random Static - Help!

Hey all, I have been having the same problem. I've been using an Alesis MulitMix8USB. Apparently, from what I've gathered, Leapord doesn't like USB 1.1 devices. You have to change the format to 48000 hz for it all to work, but when a USB 1.1 device is plugged in, it won't let you change it from 41,100 hz. Lame. Sooo...It's Apple. Try a USB 2.0 or Firewire mixer and I bet it works. What I don't understand is why Apple hasn't fixed the issue yet.

I did end up getting a ClearChat Pro and am using GB '08 with the headset to make audio (voice) podcasts.

Am encountering intermittent problems with sound quality. I'd describe the problem less like random static than the sound fading out, despite the headset not having moved.

Has anyone resolved this issue?

Does anybody know if the new 10.5.3 OS upgrade fixes this problem?

No unfortunately for me... had to use the fix mentioned earlier in the thread.

http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/forum.php?action=view_thread&id=14657&frm =1

For a non-techie like me that sounds like a "nuclear option." But I may need it.

I've also heard that some say it makes a difference which USB port you use on the MacBook Pro. Supposedly the LEFT side port is good - and the RIGHT side is not for this kind of thing. Not sure why. And, of course, this may be wrong.

Yes, and would this apply to the Intel Mini as well? Right now, I've got my Logitech ClearChat Pro plugged into a hub, which is plugged into the rightmost USB port.

I have heard the same mramsey1 but I tested all 3 ports on my MacBook Pro and all are garbage....

For what it's worth, switching to 48 from 44.1 failed to solve the problem.

Alesis must experience this a LOT because they had a whole document prepared on workarounds. And that document included an attachment which DOWNgrades the USB driver to its Tiger state.

After trying the 48000 solution without the downgrade and losing all but the first 60 seconds to static, I have done the downgrade and will hope this fixes it.

In the meantime, however, yours truly will NOT be using the Mac to record audio via USB. Not for anything important, at least.

Well done, Apple.

Well I tried the fix of moving the location of the USB-Logitech ClearChat Pro connection.

Removed the headset from the hub and plugged it into the right-most USB connection at the back of my Intel Mini. With crossed fingers, I can state that my latest podcast, which I produced yesterday, doesn't contain any static - clear as a bell. The previous four podcasts all did.

There's nothing wrong with the hub; works fine for my camera and other devices. So I don't know why changing the headset from the hub to the back of the Mini worked.

Am just hoping this wasn't a fluke and that next week, when I do any podcast, I won't run into the same old problem.

Ok so I've had this problem on three different intel laptops. 2 MacBooks and 1 MacBook Pro. We do a lot of podcasting in our business and this is driving us crazy.

The only thing that seems to reduce the odds of the problem are turning off the airport and bluetooth on the computer. Sometimes it still happens though. It does not happen on any of our desktop macs.

I was having static problems with my e-Mac. I finally traced it to a USB hub I had plugged in. Even though none of my audio components were plugged into the hub, I was still getting random static. Removed the USB hub and no more static. This happened about 4 months ago and I still have not had any static problems. Hope this helps.

Hey Guys,

I've had the exact same problems with different equipment and software.

I'm using a Behringer Xenyx 222FX mixer, plugged to the Mac with a UCA 202 interface. I'm running OSX, and use Cubase SE to record, so it's not just a macbook, garage band and alesis mixers!

After 7 months of no problems, same symptoms, isolated to the computer through various tests. The guy at the genius bar told me it was probably an audio driver update that had caused the conflict. I've tried everything, but unfortunately it's too random to deal with.

Sigh. I'm having the same problem. Upgraded from 10.5.2 to 10.5.4 tonight hoping it would disappear. Ran static free for about an hour then came back with a vengeance. Weird. You'd think it would start up straight away, its not like an old car engine that needs to warm up now is it?

I'm running a MXL mike or Roland Digital Piano into a Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer which is going into a Behringer UCA202 USB DAC into the macbook.

Does this mean we have to wait for Snow Leopard as it seems that Apple have or have not been attempt to address this problem since 10.5.3.

I posted earlier here on the problem:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7905343#7905343

No solutions, but others are definitely experiencing the same problem.

Also, see here:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2008/07/01/mac-os-x-1054-fixes-airport-issues-with -logic-what-about-other-apps/

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2008/05/28/mac-os-x-1053-released-addresses-usb-au dio-issues/

I've been using GB for the past 6 months without any additional hardware (just using the built-in mic) on my MacBook with 10.5.2 (updates have been unsuccessful - gets stuck on "Configuring Installation", then have to reboot in safe mode ...another problem altogether). But GB has been working fine until I noticed a few weeks ago that the fan started coming on more often. Then yesterday I started getting this constant static, much like you all have described, except it is always present when I am trying to record. Before, a similar kind of static would happen when the Mac was running on battery power, but it would resolve when I plugged it in. Now either way the static is present.

I know this scenario is a little different from what has been presented so far, so hopefully it will help to rule some stuff out. It can only be an issue with the software or the Mac itself, from what I can tell. It has been fine up to this point using the same power supply. I turned it off Sunday night and it was fine; turned it on Monday morning and it was all static. Any suggestions?

An educated guess here.

I have not experienced this prob mice-elf, but reading this thread it seemed to me that in each case where an individual solved or ameliorated their version of the static/noise, they made some significant change in their USB Setup/Config: remove a hub, add a hub, change the physical port connection of one or more USB devices, like that...

Hope this helps somebody...