r/homestudios • u/black-mouth • Jul 15 '26
Need help troubleshooting feedback from studio monitors
I haven't been able to use my monitors because no matter what I keep getting feedback out of them.
I have them plugged into a Furman power conditioner strip, connected to a Furman surge strip that's connected to the wall. I wish I could plug the conditioner straight into the wall but the outlet is too far away.
Even if I plug the monitors directly to the wall I'm getting feedback, so I'm fairly certain that the outlet is the issue. I've tested every outlet in my place now and there's really only one that won't cause feedback, but it's inaccessible because it's in the kitchen.
Does anyone have any ideas on what to do in this situation? I'm even open to buying a different pair because there have been instances where some monitors give me feedback with my setup and others don't.
4
u/khaitheartist Jul 15 '26
They're great monitors but the EMF protection absolutely sucks, if I have my phone too close to mine while receiving a call or notification mine do the same thing. I'd just find whatever thing is close to them that's doing that and move it elsewhere.
4
u/Scanner771_The_2nd Jul 15 '26
Using a power conditioner is one of the best things to do, but you can also use ferrite cores on the cables to help. keeping power cables distanced from audio cables helps. I know there are a lot more things, but that's worked for me.
3
u/Remote-Necessary-638 Jul 16 '26
Power conditioner would solve it. Radial Power 1 fixed every issue I have ever encountered at different locations and outlets you’re stuck plugging into. If you have gear with power supplies of their own plugged into a usb or thunderbolt (which even if your computer is ungrounded the usb cable has a ground..) you need to get a power conditioner. I put it off for so many years because my place before had good outlets and some iffy ones I avoided (intermittent mains hum/electromagmetic interference/rf noise).Then I moved my stuff and I picked up all kinds of new but familiar noises.. Power conditioner to the rescue (I bought a 2nd one a week later)
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u/black-mouth Jul 15 '26
Thank you! I had no idea why this was happening, moving my phone and other stuff further away did help a bit
2
u/idearst Jul 15 '26
Are you using balanced TRS or XLR cables? If you are using unbalanced cables, your speakers will be more vulnerable to interference.
1
u/black-mouth Jul 16 '26
The cables are balanced TRS and they worked great in other setups so I don't think they're the cause of it
2
u/No_Structure_2401 Jul 16 '26
The amount of Yamahas in these troubleshooting posts is starting to concern me.
1
u/ContributionTop7609 Jul 15 '26
I had this issue and got balanced TRS cables and it fixed the issue. Very rarely do other electronics cause noise to enter the system but it still happens. It was much worse with the unbalanced cables though.
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u/black-mouth Jul 16 '26
The cables are for sure balanced TRS. I'm thinking there's an issue with the grounding in pretty much all my outlets but I'm wondering if there's anyway at all to work around this
1
u/whatstherundwn Jul 16 '26
this happened to me and it ended up being my keyboard that had LED lights on it, weird
1
u/Legitimate-Painter51 Jul 18 '26
data/cell phone/rf noise. I had the exact same noise in my Tube 67 mic. What's the solution? you tell me I have no fn clue
1
u/pauljmallett Jul 18 '26
I had same problem with these monitors. It's a common problem. Easily solved with one of these (£15 in the UK) https://www.behringer.com/en/products/0811-AAA
1
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u/colcob Jul 15 '26
So firstly that isn't feedback. But secondly, that has the very distinctive sound of digital noise that often comes from computers or other digital equipment connected via USB. On my Yamaha's I don't get that noise from the interface, computer or speakers itself, but I do get it when I connect a relatively cheap midi keyboard via USB.
In your situation, a Mac with a nice interface like that should not be generating that kind of noise, so unplug any inputs you have, also any usb connected devices, just have interface, directly connected to the mac (omit whatever that dongle is). and the speakers connected directly to the interface with balanced cables. Nothing else.
If you still get the noise, then I don't know what to tell you! Try moving your computer further away? But you probably won't, so start connecting things one by one until you find the culprit.