Eddy Currents
Joined: 20/11/09
Posts: 46
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Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
#1019069 - 17/11/12 08:48 PM
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Hi,
Had a very strange symptom occur today I've never come across before and
wondered if some kind member of the forum might have an explanation of what was actually
happening.
Maudio interface plugged into Radial passive Di and then connected via an
xlr to xlr cable into a Mackie analogue mixers mike input. (Phantom Power was off)
Weird metronomic clicks started to occur a few hours into our rehearsal. Stranger still
as I began to problem solve where the clicks were coming from by muting and Pfl'ing
various channels the clicks significantly sped up. (coincidence?)
Swapped Xlr cable
resolved issue.
Weird ?
Any explanation would be marvelous.
The more
comprehensive the better.
Cheers
Eddy
Edited by Eddy Currents (17/11/12 08:54 PM)
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Exalted Wombat
Joined: 06/02/10
Posts: 4197
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1019071 - 17/11/12 09:08 PM
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Any mobile phones lying around?
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Eddy Currents
Joined: 20/11/09
Posts: 46
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Exalted Wombat]
#1019081 - 17/11/12 10:34 PM
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Yes indeed, all through the day.
Funny thing is the Di was a Radial Pro d8 with 8
outputs functioning but only 1 had this weird clicks/ticks superimposed on the original
audio signal.
And throughout the day many calls,texts and mobile internet
connections were made without any audible evidence on any other line including guitars
and bass.
The clicks were heard on all monitors and were clearly coming from this
one Di output and were removed when I swapped the cable.
The level of that output
increased subsequently (quite possibly two fold) which makes me suspect the cable or the
connection wasn't good.
Could one speculate that the balanced line became unbalanced
through a poor intermittent connection coincidentally at or around the same time a mobile
text or internet message was received and that this signal was induced on that line ?
Edited by Eddy Currents (17/11/12 10:49 PM)
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Exalted Wombat
Joined: 06/02/10
Posts: 4197
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1019181 - 18/11/12 06:28 PM
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I wouldn't worry about balanced/unbalanced as such. Just a bad connection acting as the
semiconductor in a rf detector circuit. Do you know what a "cat's whisker" was? :-)
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Eddy Currents
Joined: 20/11/09
Posts: 46
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Exalted Wombat]
#1019201 - 18/11/12 08:25 PM
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Thanks Exalted Wombat  Fascinating stuff for me to go away and look into as I confess my electronics know how
is pretty limited. The Cats Whisker ... Wonderful. I have seen inside the
crystal ball and it shouts.... Rectify my lack of electronic knowledge
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Martin Walker
Watcher Of The Skies
Joined: 28/02/01
Posts: 16375
Loc: Cornwall, UK
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1019331 - 19/11/12 06:46 PM
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For the uninitiated: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s-whisker_detector I used one myself many, many, many years ago  Martin
-------------------- YewTreeMagic
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Magic Matt
Joined: 17/09/10
Posts: 141
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1019341 - 19/11/12 08:06 PM
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If you were using Phantom Power, it's possible that you had power jumping across the loose
connection too - that would cause a click sound.
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Hugh Robjohns
SOS Technical Editor
Joined: 25/07/03
Posts: 18348
Loc: Worcestershire
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1019419 - 20/11/12 12:09 PM
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Duff cable with intermittant contact on one side.
hugh
--------------------
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound
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SafeandSound Masteri...
Joined: 23/03/08
Posts: 850
Loc: London UK
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Martin Walker]
#1021760 - 01/12/12 01:30 PM
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Quote Martin Walker:
For the
uninitiated:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s-whisker_detector
I used one myself many, many, many years ago
Martin
I find
this fascinating thanks for sharing.
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Folderol
Joined: 15/11/08
Posts: 2545
Loc: Rochester, UK
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Eddy Currents]
#1021770 - 01/12/12 04:11 PM
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Fascinating indeed, but an extreme trial of patience. Just when you've found a good spot
on the crystal, someone (a seriously annoying non-geek brother) slams a door and you have
to start again 
-------------------- It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)
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Martin Walker
Watcher Of The Skies
Joined: 28/02/01
Posts: 16375
Loc: Cornwall, UK
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Re: Weird Metronomic clicks from dodgy Xlr Cable ?
[Re: Folderol]
#1022171 - 03/12/12 11:17 PM
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There speaks a voice of experience!  Martin
-------------------- YewTreeMagic
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