USB / Firewire Ground Loop isolation

[elantric]

Every Computer Musician in a live situation will eventually run into this problem:

 

"Why does my new Computer based Guitar processing system make so much noise when i connect my Audio Interface to my Amplifier or the House PA?"

 

The problem is typically traced to a Ground Loop problem between the Computer and the USB / Firewire Audio Interface.

 

This thread below is a good read for understanding the problem and finding a solution.

 

http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-16104.html

 

And here is product specifically designed to solve USB Audio Ground Loop issues

 

http://www.crupower.fi/usbgt.pdf

 

Apple has a reference doc on this issue here:

 

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2743

 

Article on "IEEE 1394 Bus Galvanic Isolation Issues."

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=57778456

 

And this link below is good reading to understand the problems of Ground Loops in the Audio Processing path

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/home_solving.html