Hi all,
 
So I just got a new PC for use with my brand new update to X3.  I'm loving the computer and the software.  There is just one small catch.  I can't play my guitar near the tower without it picking up noise.  (digital high pitched stuff, not ground loop/60 Hz stuff, that is all sorted)
I am using an Allen and Heath Zed R16 firewire board.  (which is awesome by the way.)
Mobo is Asus Z87 I7 processor, OS drive, Audio drive, backup drive
8 Gb RAM
Win 8.1
Some data:
The noise is picked up by the guitar (humbuckers) ONLY when Sonar's audio engine is running. (project loaded)  If Sonar is on but with no project loaded, there is no noise.
The noise is a function of ASIO buffer size.  The smaller the buffer, the higher pitched the digital noise is.
The noise is there also on MME.
When I play an mp3 through the boards masters using windows media player, there is no noise.  (I believe it is using WDM audio for this) 
I'm monitoring my guitar through the board while listening to the digital feeds whether from Sonar or WMP.
Changing firewire cables (twice) had no effect.
Swapping firewire cards had no effect.
 
Has anyone here seen or heard of a problem like this?  I do have to sit fairly close to the computer in my studio.  (about 3-4 feet) and my last computer did not have this issue.  This noise is with humbuckers as well.  Single coils are a lot worse. 
 
Do I need to put a Faraday Cage around my tower?  (I hope not)
 
Please let me know if you have any ideas...
 
Thanks
 
Erik
 
 
 

How do you know it's not a ground loop? The Roland Octa-Capture has a grounding post, like turntables used to have (maybe still do, I don't know). Connecting that to ground (like the exposed ground sleeve of a connector on the computer's back panel, or screwed to the case through a card slot screw) often solved "whine" and noise issues.
 

Hi Craig,
I just tried that and it made the noise MUCH worse.  (probably a clue itself...)
 
I ran a connection from the guitar cable's shield (sleeve) to the computer case ground.  The digital hash gets way louder.
 
Here's an even stranger one.  While monitoring the noise, (only with an active project open) if I disable all the FX bins, the noise goes away.  Wha?????

Thanks for taking the time to respond though! I appreciate it. 
 

tubeydude
Hi Craig,
I just tried that and it made the noise MUCH worse.  (probably a clue itself...)

Indeed, that IS a clue. This reminds me of chasing down the famous "Mackie Whine" that some Mac owners experienced with certain Mackie interfaces, but some didn't.
 
Obviously you're not on a Mac, but the problem related to when the G5 processor throttled down.
 
Are you using a FireWire port on the motherboard, or a separate FireWire card? I generally found the FireWire ports on Windows machines sufficiently problematic that I spent the necessary $29 to get a FireWire PCI card with the TI chip set recommended by most manufacturers. I also got a separate USB 2.0 card for anything involving audio. The motherboard ports get used for mouse, keyboard, etc.
 
Sounds to me like something about your FireWire connection is acting like a transmitter, and whatever shield is supposed to functioning isn't grounded. Of course this is long-distance troubleshooting and likely incorrect, but it's pretty much all I can do sitting here waiting for dinner to heat up.

Sounds to me like one of your plugins is giving you some problems. Disable one at a time till you find the culprit.

Craig,
I do have a separate PCIe FW card with a known good TI chipset.  I made sure that the card's mounting angle (the part that get bolted to the back of the case) is getting a good ground from the case. 
The front facia of the case does not have much in the way of shielding.  I may try adding some mesh and grounding it and see what happens.
 
When I pick up the guitar and move the pickups toward the tower, like, really close, the noise increases hugely.  (as you would expect)  If I move the guitar towards the Zed R16 the same noise does increase, but MUCH less. 
 
Leadfoot,
That was one of my first thoughts too.  However, I went through and disables every one...one at a time...the noise got just a bit less with each one being turned off. 
 
I am also not monitoring through Sonar (input echo is off).  I am monitoring the guitar (and noise) through the ZED's monitor section while having a SONAR project up in the background. 
 
FWIW the same behavior manifests itself in REAPER, thought the noise at the same buffer size is different. 
 
Thanks for the ideas guys.  Keep them coming. 
 
Erik
 
 
 
 

Hello,
 
Tell us a little more about how you are plugged in.  Is the guitar going straight into the line input on one of the Zed Channels? Are you "Micing" a cabinet.  Are you using it (the Guitar) through a processor or DI going into the board? If using a longer cable (more than 3-5 feet away) does it matter?
 
I ask because this could assist us more in isolating the issue you are having... Thanks.

I have a similar noise issue, though from what you describe your problem is worse than mine.

I get a high-pitched whine that, as you say, is even present when using a fully shielded Gibson SG or ES135, though the noise disappears when both pickups are selected. The noise also gets picked up by some analogue pedals.

As far as I can trace the origin of "my" noise it seems to be video card and/or hard drive motor connected. I suspect a coil somewhere in the PC is acting as a transmitter. Some applications, typically those with a large white or light grey background, can also cause mouse-pointer related disturbances in what is otherwise a steady whine.

The best cure I've found is to turn so the guitar/pedalboard is at a different angle to the PC/screen than when I'm sitting looking at the screen. This pretty much silences the noise.

Had a similiar issue when I first set up my little studio. I bought an ART transformer coupler/isolator, which mostly worked, but I found the cause. An earthing problem within my room. I had gear plugged into different outlets. Plugged everything into one outlet and the problem disappeared. This kind of thing was always a problem with stage work too. Give it a try if you havn't already.
 
All the best
 
Dave.