Helpful ReplyAudio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes

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Antler
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2017/12/19 18:04:27 (permalink)

Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes

Hi all
 
I've had my audio interface for a while now, and have been quite happy to use the USB cable that was provided with it. Having bought some new gear recently I was looking to rearrange the stuff on my desk, and it looks like that USB cable is now going to be a little too short. I've got a longer one that seems to work ok, but this one doesn't have a ferrite choke on it (whereas the original one does).
 
As I understand it, the choke is there to help remove any interference in the cable. This seems like a silly question, but has anyone gone from using a cable with a choke to one without, and noticed an undesirable difference?
 
Thanks
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    fireberd
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/19 19:27:41 (permalink)
    I've used both, interchangeably, and have not experienced any issues.  This is not to say someone else may have a problem, but with my Desktop and a Dell Inspiron laptop I haven't had any problems using a USB cable without the ferrite choke.  I had to use longer cables on my desktop because of the distance from my equipment rack. 

    "GCSG Productions"
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    Cactus Music
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/19 20:45:23 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby mettelus 2017/12/19 22:22:15
    Where it matters is with interfaces and gear that use USB power. Example a friend bought a Focusrite 2i2 and was having a bad hum. I have the 6i6 so wondered why. They brought it over to my place and sure enough it hummed. The difference is the 6i6 has a power supply and the 2i2 does not.  I had read about using the ferrite chokes so dug around and found one, bingo, no more hum.  
     

    Johnny V  
    Cakelab  
    Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
    3 Desktops and 3 Laptops W7 and W10
     http://www.cactusmusic.ca/
     
     
    #3
    Antler
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/19 22:50:40 (permalink)
    Thanks for the info guys. I've got a Focusrite 8i6, which uses an external power supply, so hopefully it'll be fine for me.
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    fireberd
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/19 23:17:54 (permalink)
    Along with my MOTU, I have a 6i6 2nd gen that is my backup unit.  I'm using a long USB cable and no ferrite choke and it works OK.

    "GCSG Productions"
    Franklin D-10 Pedal Steel Guitar (primary instrument). Nashville Telecaster, Bass, etc. 
    ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero M/B, i7 6700K CPU, 16GB Ram, SSD and conventional hard drives, Win 10 Pro and Win 10 Pro Insider Pre-Release
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    Ozone 5,  Studio One 4.1
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    #5
    Antler
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/20 15:06:13 (permalink)
    Thanks fireberd.
     
    Good to know there seem to be no problems, even across different interfaces.
    #6
    FLZapped
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    Re: Audio interface USB cables and ferrite chokes 2017/12/25 13:19:31 (permalink)
    Ferrite beads are only useful at VHF and up RF frequencies
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