Tony G

Correction ! perhaps your NS7II should not have a power adapter.

Hi Mark et all.

I am 99% certain that the issue here is not your controller and is your pc laptop but more specifically it’s power supply.

I shall apologise here and now as this post might seem a bit long but I’m writing to help as many people as possible so please be patient with me.

Do this simple test…

Connect computer to your sound system then switch on as you usual and turn up to a level where you can hear the noise. You don’t have to play any music at this stage. Now, for safety reasons, turn down the input to your sound system and then unplug your laptop power supply. The laptop should now be using battery power, even for just a few seconds, as long as your battery is not completely useless. Turn the sound system back up. If you find the noise dissapears then you have an earth looping problem and the four solutions below will help.

What you have here is an earth loop which shows up anytime you have your system connected tomore than one signal earth. Without getting technical it sounds like a feedback, hissing and hum through your audio outputs. There are a few solutions you can use here all of which I’ve used myself on various occasions.

I don’t know the NS7 specifically but these solutions will work with ANY audio output or controller connected to a computer.

First, if you have phono outputs, you can use a simple device called a ground loop isolator. Connect this to a phono output and then use your normal phono connection to you sound system. All noise gone!

Secondly, if you have Jack outputs try something like the Behringer Hum Destroyer Micro HD 400. Similarly you connect using jack leads and hey presto the hum has gone.

Third, if you have XLR connections I would use the Behringer Ultra-DI D120. Connect to this using your audio output using an XLR lead. Then connect the unit to your sound system. Only thing to remember here is to set the switch marked “GROUND” (Third from the left) to the “LIFT” position. Hey presto no noise.

There is one other solution, my favourite, that I use all the time now. This can be used regardless of what audio connections you have on your controller. My particular controller at the moment has phonos, jacks and XLRs, was relatively expensive and still made me sound like something out of a retro sci-fi film.

Solution number four comes in two flavours and it works regardless of what sound system you connect to.
What you need is to buy something called a double insulated power supply. (No is don’t mean covering your power supply with two lots of electrical tape.) I recommend a universal type which has lots of ends if your manufacturer doesn’t have such a device for your machine. Look out for the double insulate symbol.

If you’re still not sure get one that connects with a power cord that looks like a figure 8 at one end.

The second flavour of solution four is for those looking for a new pc in the near future. Look for a computer that comes with a double insulated power supply, like Dell or Apple, as standard.

I hope this has helped many of you. Please share your success stories by commenting below.

Practice and Enjoy!