Noise from X3 through speakers SOLVED

Even if you mute the inputs, the outputs are still connected. What interface are you using? Does it have a mixer applet with zero input monitoring or some other means of picking up audio and sending it to the output?

Are you running X3e?

What you describe would happen if CRAIG is right - it is only SONAR that would route an input to an output so my money is on this

Have you got any leads plugged in to your audio interface?

Does your audio interface have its own power supply or is it USB powered? - my MAUDIO Fast Track Ultra makes a humming noise unless I run it on its own power supply

Very weird behavior. An electrical problem (commonly ground loop) would likely cause the problem. Normally that is constant and not related to the audio application since it is largely an external issue. But if the OP has somehow managed to set up a feedback loop that travels through Sonar, then an inaudible electrical noise could be amplified by the feedback loop enough to become audible. Or sonar could be applying so much gain that noise inaudible in other applications is heard via Sonar.

 
Hello and thank you to everyone who has responded. It looks like I have a few questions to answer.
 
Are you running X3e?
X3e build 352 x 64
 
Have you tried switching your drivers. If using WDM switch to ASIO and vice versa.
Yes and there is no difference except latency is worse with WDM.
 
Have you got any leads plugged in to your audio interface?
No.

Does your audio interface have its own power supply or is it USB powered? 
It has its own
 
Most probably a ground loop.
It does not behave like one and I have no hum from other computers or amplifiers.
 
Using the unit near power amplifiers (or other equipment containing large power transformers) may induce hum.
The unit is not near any powerful transformers.
 
Very weird behavior.
It certainly is............. ;  )
 
Or sonar could be applying so much gain that noise inaudible in other applications is heard via Sonar.
My music computer is only for Sonar. The computers internal volume is normally disabled.
 
Thanks again for taking the time to respond,
 
John
 
 

charlyg
I had my guitar cord still plugged in (but laying loose on the floor) when I had noise like that. So...... I always leave the mic cable plugged in(48v off), but the guitar cable is out when not in use.

So are you saying that disconnecting the guitar cord from the interface resolves the issue? If so, it may be acting as an antenna.

OK you are saying it only happens with Sonar and so are you thinking that something in Sonar is causing the "hum?" It is pretty difficult to imagine Sonar as a particular application generating a hum. Have you tried your outside the box setup with another application that is capable of recording and monitoring audio? You could download Audacity for free, and try that. A lot of work to figure out that Sonar is not the culprit, but it is a useful Audio editor in its own right. Or you could try describing how your setup (hardware and software and project track by track) is set up exactly and precisely and in enough detail that someone who has no idea what your system looks like could set theirs up the same way. That will probably take you a fair amount of time, but doing so may reveal the problem source to you, and would certainly help people here. Or you could set up a minimal test configuration in Sonar with just a single track, no effects and see if the problem persists. Or you could take our best guesses one at a time, implementing them each one at a time until someone hits the diagnosis by accident. 

A MIDI loop will create such a hum, and there are plugins which make noise even with the transport stopped (iZotope's "Vinyl"). Amp sims (if echoed) will also do this, and on some settings even with no input.

Best troubleshooting may be to start a new project and pull tracks from the problematic one until you find the issue. Another possibility is sound card settings in Windows, when doing music you should not share drivers (especially since Windows itself will get first dibs on the interface).