Having my unit first day, I noticed hi freq noise when more leds, especially white are active (i.e. when holding mixer button). Good audible on headphones, but also on speakers, only masked by other higher freq sounds. Quite clearly audible i.e. when master filter is down and pressing mixer button, but any active leds are doing it - more of them are lighting, more the noise is.
It usually fades away when sound is stopped, probably with main amp turned low/stand by and it’s quite independent on main on/off volume knob.
When doing more bass oriented sounds, it’s really annoying, ruining not just focusing, but also direct audio recording.
It is not known usb ground noise, even it is probably some kind of not good shielded noise, too.
You can also see video below, recorded via direct link to fixed manual volume on camera. My questions are:
Is it only my unit doing this?
Is it only couple of them doing this-or it is common issue, but not everybody cares about it?
Do you think firmware could fix it? Do you think next production runs would fix it?
It happens at all main output volumes, level of noise is independent on volume, but you can’t have too much gain in headphones to hide it with signal/noise ratio, and in sequences without high harmonics, it’s hearable anyway (ie transitions when you use mixer button=lots of white leds)
It’s also present in factory projects, so Im not messing with individual track/project gains. It’s some kind of electro interference, sometimes I had similar on my old PC, which reacts on (corded) mouse movements (I also tried opz on different places if there’s no local radiation).
I can accept some software bugs, which I hope will be fixed, but not such technical problems.
Thanks,
Peter
Some guy on reddit had similar complains about led noise 3 month ago (“Holding mixer/track buttons sometimes causes high frequency noise…”):
So I still worries that’s not only problem of my unit. And I am still afraid that such interference is more design problem, than problem of some few units.
But of course, I’d be happy to have replaced one with no issue and make my worries gone.
Thanks and if someone else have this issue, please let me and others know. I’ll be returning my.
The OP-1 also suffers from this kind of digital noise (it seems both from the sound engines and the hardware), but not every person can hear it. I think it depends on the type of amplifier or headphone used, and even the ear sensitivity to high frequencies. If you don’t get enough replies to make your mind then you should probably try to visity some stores and compare yourself with other units.
Can you guys hear the noise from my included video link, when mixer, or pitch bend button is pressed?
If yes, then you should hear it from your unit, if it’s there. In my return window I would need to know if it’s in every unit, or I have bad in one in this sense. Living in small town, with relatively sold out OPZ everywhere, unfortunately I don’t think they have any, especially unboxed in local music shop.
I understand that some people can’t hear it, and I understand noises from engines, lo-fi, which are ± aesthetic part of instrument character, but not interferrences when sequencer buttons are pressed/visual feedback of sequencer. Additionally, OPZ is more performing and portable tool, so clicks are going to be made during recording, or travelling with headphones more sensitive to high freq…
I haven’t heard it on any youtube video I watched. Sure, some of them are compressed, or processed, but at least on some of them it should be, if it’s common issue.
Thanks for usb isolation advices - this led noise is happening while not connected on usb, as you can see on video. I’m trying everything I could on noise issue to rule out my mistake- I don’t like to deal with returns and so on…but also with gear problems.
Interesting thought can be, if the noise is the same as my problem, because I finally tried to connect it via usb to computer and I have no usb loop noise, no matter ON/OFF charging shortcuts (at least no such as on beatstep pro - constant, relatively loud zzzz noise).
I haven’t tried usb+line out to computer, my OPZ is on way back with issue stamp on it.
However I looked at opto isolators some of you suggested and I will buy one, it looks like tool generally good to have. But I would like to have good product first, not something one unit do and other not.
I am quite frustrated of such generally “cheap” technical quirks also in lot of other products and making ways how to fool it around when they don’t have any “cheap” sense to be there in the first place.
I’ll wait how will (and if ever) TE respond to my request ticket and based on that will buy again, hopefully unit without problems. I was hoping for such sequencing device from makers of POs, although some (drum) synthesis and sampling from POs would be welcome
I choose to refund with argument that unit has problem, to send it to manufacturer. I haven’t get response for ticket yet - but I will post it again. I am still waiting for rebuy.
Please send at least ticket to TE, too, and thanks to speak up. TE needs to know that we users know and it bothers us. And if you’ll ask for replace unit, please return here with results.
Maybe it could be usefull to ask some youtubers about this, too, to be more objective-and to make some more pressure on TE to put some more isolation foil or whatever if it’s not individual unit problem. I asked only one propagator of OPZ and he just pointed me at this forum, but they may speak about it elsewhere. Or not
Finally, TE support respond to my claim, so it looks like the question of “LED noise” is closed. I quote their reply and I hope it’ll help other people, too:
"Thanks for the e-mail. Sorry for the delay
There can be some noise on the OP-Z but in your case it sounds like it might be faulty. Try performing a factory reset and try different headphones.
We have a 1-year warranty on all of our products. So if you purchased the unit directly from us and are able to provide us with a receipt and a video showcasing the issue that you are having we can send you a replacement unit.
If you purchased the unit from a retailer, then contact them first hand."
i can’t hear it on your video.