Pin One Problem on DL1608

[cthesound]

Newby, to posting anyway. 1st, RR Thank you for doing this forum. I was suckered into getting a DL per the decent marketing and have been limping along, better with the help of this forum and it's contributors. thx all!!

WK154, Thank you for being smarter than I and sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated, but I am having just a little trouble following in your footsteps.

I just purchased the replacement psu that you prescribed, but I am short of knowing exactly where I'm adding a jumper.
1st you said, "« Reply #22 on: June 02, 2013, 07:02:20 PM »
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No need it's quite simple. I attached chassis ground lead to both screws (only one is necessary) in the power supply/network connector area. This is the one used to provide direct connection to AC safety ground

So, I thought I would add ring connector under the psu connector nut and jump to the little case screw that's close, but then you said, "« Reply #45 on: Yesterday at 07:39:34 PM »
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You definitely don't want to use the 1/4 nut and the screws by the power/net plugs may miss the chassis shield that's why I used spade lugs to squeeze between the plastic case and the chassis for a good connection.

So, I'm off the trail and lost. Please advise.

[WK154]

That's why I stated to squeeze a spade lug between the plastic case and the chassis stradling the screw so it makes good contact and run it to the safety ground on a three prong plug. I cut the existing two prong and replaced it with a three prong adding the safety/chassis ground.

[Topsøe]

@WK154
Can you make a sketch ?

[nottooloud]

the screws by the power/net plugs may miss the chassis shield

The screw contacted something, because the noise changed, right? Are you wedging your spade lug down from the top to make firm contact with the front panel? I'm not picturing it clearly.

Just got an Airport Extreme, and noticed that it's got a 12v supply with the same size barrel, and a 2 wire plug, and Apple's build quality. It's only 1A, so I wouldn't consider using it for any length of time, but it fired up the DL1608 just fine. In my high gain unbalanced ungrounded scenario, all I had was system hiss. No digital crap whatsoever. No antennae effect. So, I would contend that if we can find a high quality supply, we'll be there.

[WK154]

What is your equipment? I'm currently 3000 miles from home base so I can't test anything till next week. I wouldn't use the Apple supply. Yes I bent the spade lug down for esthetics. Your other equipment could be adding noise and may need grounding.

[cthesound]

Thanks WK154 That's the missing link my brain needed. Thanks for being active and helping!

[nottooloud]

I wouldn't use the Apple supply. Your other equipment could be adding noise and may need grounding.

Of course I wouldn't use the Apple supply for anything more than proof of concept. It'd burn up in no time.

The other equipment in this case is a Roland powered speaker, and it is grounded. I was going unbalanced from a Mackie aux to the speaker's highest gain input, turned up. With Mackie's supply, I had Mackie's digital hash. With the Adaptermonster supply, I had a smaller quantity of different digital hash, position sensitive. With the Apple supply, I had nothing but system hiss.

The point is that I changed absolutely nothing but the supply and all the issues went away. We just need to find the right supply.

[WK154]

I don't know what your RF environment is you may need to add magnetics to the ground wire (position sensitive may be RF or EMI). For a lower ripple supply APX has medical equipment supplies but for a lot more $.

[cthesound]

Ferrites on hand, thx!

[WK154]

I wouldn't use the Apple supply. Your other equipment could be adding noise and may need grounding.

Of course I wouldn't use the Apple supply for anything more than proof of concept. It'd burn up in no time.

The other equipment in this case is a Roland powered speaker, and it is grounded. I was going unbalanced from a Mackie aux to the speaker's highest gain input, turned up. With Mackie's supply, I had Mackie's digital hash. With the Adaptermonster supply, I had a smaller quantity of different digital hash, position sensitive. With the Apple supply, I had nothing but system hiss.

The point is that I changed absolutely nothing but the supply and all the issues went away. We just need to find the right supply.

To be sure it's not a proof of concept to overload a supply and consider the "hiss" to be a better solution. If you were getting digital hash perhaps you could record it and view it's content along with the hiss? Electrons don't change their actions because of "position" of a supply or touching the plastic case. A bad connection to the mixer yes. You referred to an unbalanced high gain device and named it a Roland powered speaker (what model # ?). I don't consider digital hash as "all the issues went away" they either did or didn't. Without measurements of output signals it means nothing. It's all about levels. You are now entering the realm of an AUDIO SYSTEM not an individual piece of gear where all the parts can contribute to the noise (cable and Roland speaker). You also stated that it radiates like crazy, that implies you have a spectrum analyzer, Faraday cage and have results to confirm this!

[nottooloud]

I wouldn't use the Apple supply. Your other equipment could be adding noise and may need grounding.

Of course I wouldn't use the Apple supply for anything more than proof of concept. It'd burn up in no time.

The other equipment in this case is a Roland powered speaker, and it is grounded. I was going unbalanced from a Mackie aux to the speaker's highest gain input, turned up. With Mackie's supply, I had Mackie's digital hash. With the Adaptermonster supply, I had a smaller quantity of different digital hash, position sensitive. With the Apple supply, I had nothing but system hiss.

The point is that I changed absolutely nothing but the supply and all the issues went away. We just need to find the right supply.

To be sure it's not a proof of concept to overload a supply and consider the "hiss" to be a better solution. If you were getting digital hash perhaps you could record it and view it's content along with the hiss? Electrons don't change their actions because of "position" of a supply or touching the plastic case. A bad connection to the mixer yes. You referred to an unbalanced high gain device and named it a Roland powered speaker (what model # ?). I don't consider digital hash as "all the issues went away" they either did or didn't. Without measurements of output signals it means nothing. It's all about levels. You are now entering the realm of an AUDIO SYSTEM not an individual piece of gear where all the parts can contribute to the noise (cable and Roland speaker). You also stated that it radiates like crazy, that implies you have a spectrum analyzer, Faraday cage and have results to confirm this!

Sigh. I don't understand what you're fighting about.

Of course it's a proof of concept. My concept is that a better quality supply will fix our problems. It does that. It's not an operating solution, because the Apple supply would overheat.

No digital hash whatsoever with the Apple supply. With high enough gain on any audio system, you will have hiss. That's normal, and indicative of "all the issues went away."

With the adaptermonster supply, as I move the supply around, change its orientation, touch it, and in particular move it closer to the mixer, it's own digital hash changes in amplitude. Grounding the mixer directly didn't affect it. No rf meter needed, thanks, it's radiating like crazy. None of that from the ungrounded Apple supply or the grounded Mackie supply.

The model of the Roland powered speaker is MA-12C, but that makes no difference whatsoever. It was a constant in the system.

[Greg C.]

Agreed on the Roland speakers, they're solid. I've installed and used hundreds of them for all sorts of Avid editing systems and monitoring situations over the past 20 years. I've never had  a noise issue with them using any unbalanced connections except once. It was due to a so-called surge protector that had leaking MOVs dumping garbage into the ground and neutral line of the strip. Other than that, no issues.

[WK154]

nottooloud:

Sigh. I don't understand what you're fighting about.
Not fighting just stating facts.
Of course it's a proof of concept. My concept is that a better quality supply will fix our problems. It does that. It's not an operating solution, because the Apple supply would overheat.
We can agree to disagree on this without going into power supply design.
No digital hash whatsoever with the Apple supply. With high enough gain on any audio system, you will have hiss. That's normal, and indicative of "all the issues went away."
We may be dealing in semantics here but white noise would be an indication that you're at the noise floor. Hiss is associated with problematic high frequency noise.
With the adaptermonster supply, as I move the supply around, change its orientation, touch it, and in particular move it closer to the mixer, it's own digital hash changes in amplitude. Grounding the mixer directly didn't affect it. No rf meter needed, thanks, it's radiating like crazy. None of that from the ungrounded Apple supply or the grounded Mackie supply.
I suggest that you check the model # and compare it with mine (see prior post). Moving it around and even laying it on top of the input section had no effect. You may have a different supply or a defective one. All I get is white noise which is slightly more than the lab supply which is certainly better than the Apple supply. Check the frequency content it may tell you a lot about the noise.
The model of the Roland powered speaker is MA-12C, but that makes no difference whatsoever. It was a constant in the system.

Always good to know the setup. It doesn't imply that they are the problem although they could be. I certainly only tested it with the C50 and 50ft. of RCA cable using Aux3.

[nottooloud]

Yep, that part was semantics. The Apple supply gave me noise floor, and nothing else.

[WK154]

Your supply is still defective if it is the correct part. Possibly a bad low voltage cable since it happens when you move it. Does it have a ferrite bead? The apple supply cannot function correctly since your overloading a chopper supply. No load control left unless it's way under specked. Once again is it the same part# that I have?