White Noise Hiss Issue dLive CDM32 + Ableton Live

[ehurParticipant]

I’ve had this white noise hiss issue ever since I started using Ableton Live.

My setup includes the Allen&Heath DLive CDM32, the Yamaha YCP 88, Ableton Live 11, Scarlett Focusrite 4i4 G3, and my Macbook (M2).

My MacBook powers the Focusrite through USB C, and from the Focusrite runs 2 XLR to TRS cables that connect to the mixer into the synth channels. My keyboard runs separately to the keys channels in the mixer, and also acts as MIDI for Ableton and connects by MIDI cable to the Focusrite.

The white noise hissing is not consistent and only occurs when the tracks are played. It plays as the track plays, and then dies down after the track stops. It’s not a humming or buzzing, but more of a “shhhh” sound.

We’ve tried a different audio interface, still static. We’ve tried another person’s MacBook, still static. We’ve tested Garageband instead of Ableton, still static. Every time we’ve tested different components together, it ends up that the static occurs with the combination of Ableton and the mixer. Yes, we’ve tested different sample rates and buffer sizes, still static. We’ve tried a blank Ableton project with the standard sounds provided, still static. We’ve also tried testing each individual track, all of them have static.

Particularly, we’ve tested each component of the setup in different combinations to rule out the issue. We’ve tried Ableton + Focusrite, no static. But once we add the mixer back into the combination, static occurs. We’ve also tried just Ableton, no static, until we add the mixer into the combination.

It seems that the issue lies within the combination of Ableton and the mixer. We’re not completely sure if we can rule out Ableton as innocent in this equation, as perhaps there’s a particular setting common between Garage Band and Ableton that may be causing this issue. In addition, we have not been able to test the setup with a PC that’s not Apple, but that could be the issue.

If anyone has any ideas or insight into this issue, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[ehurParticipant]

**edit: the noise IS consistent when the noise gate is removed, and the gain is up to around 30 db

[SteffenRParticipant]

and the gain is up to around 30 db

The level of the noise is at 30dB?

Most likely, it’s a gain mismatch between the Mixer and the Focusrite.
What is your channel gain and pad setting?
Where is the volume dial at the Focusrite?

[Author]

Posts