Soundcard sending distorted signal

Equal · 09-29-2019, 03:03 AM

Hi guys,

I hope you can help me because I cannot find a solution anywhere and I am quite desperate!

Recently I bought new kali audio lp6 speakers, but after plugging them into my interface (Roland Duo-capture ex)they sound distorted, even on very low volume. It sounds like digital distortion, rather then analog/blown up speaker distortion.

When I plug my phone, laptop or tablet directly into one of the speakers, the sound is clean and normal.

So it seems my interface is sending the signal out too loud which makes it distort. The distortion is there on low and on high volume, the proportion does not change. When I listen to my interface via the headphones output, which shares the same volume knob, the sound is clean and not distorted.
So it is only outputs for the speakers.

The result is the same on my windows drive and on my linux drive, also changing the cables does not change anything. Playing with different platforms does not change the sound also (spotify, soundcloud, vlc etc.)

My setup:
Lenovo y700 15isk gaming laptop
Windows 10
Dual boot option for Linux (ubuntu)
Kali audio lp6 speakers
Roland Duo Capture EX sound interface (software drivers are up to date)

Can anybody help me?

Thanks for help and thoughts!

Stella645 · 09-29-2019, 03:20 AM

What cables are you using?

Do you have any other speakers you can check the Roland outputs with?

Equal · 09-29-2019, 03:28 AM

I have tried multiple cables
Jack to Jack but also Jack to XLR (Cordial CFM 3 MV) both give the same result.

Unfortunately I don't have any other speakers to test the outputs with.

Any suggestions I could follow?

Stella645 · 09-29-2019, 06:15 AM

Have you used the line outs o the interface successfully before?

Sounds to me like the interface is broken...try and arrange some way to test it with other speakers or equipment....plugging the line outs to a mixer and then monitoring on headphones plugged in the mixer for example....if this is the same then the line outs just aren't working right.

serr · 09-29-2019, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Equal

Hi guys,

I hope you can help me because I cannot find a solution anywhere and I am quite desperate!

Recently I bought new kali audio lp6 speakers, but after plugging them into my interface (Roland Duo-capture ex)they sound distorted, even on very low volume. It sounds like digital distortion, rather then analog/blown up speaker distortion.

When I plug my phone, laptop or tablet directly into one of the speakers, the sound is clean and normal.

So it seems my interface is sending the signal out too loud which makes it distort. The distortion is there on low and on high volume, the proportion does not change. When I listen to my interface via the headphones output, which shares the same volume knob, the sound is clean and not distorted.
So it is only outputs for the speakers.

The result is the same on my windows drive and on my linux drive, also changing the cables does not change anything. Playing with different platforms does not change the sound also (spotify, soundcloud, vlc etc.)

My setup:
Lenovo y700 15isk gaming laptop
Windows 10
Dual boot option for Linux (ubuntu)
Kali audio lp6 speakers
Roland Duo Capture EX sound interface (software drivers are up to date)

Can anybody help me?

Thanks for help and thoughts!

I don't know if "soundcard" in the title was a misnomer or if that means you are trying to use a pci interface and the Roland USB interface together. Look up "aggregate device" if you are.

Assuming using just the Roland...

Data points so far:
- Speakers can receive analog input and operate distortion free. (From your devices with an 1/8" output jack.)
- The Roland's headphone output is distortion free. This also confirms no software issues - it's receiving digital data from the computer and successfully giving analog output on the headphone jack.

It sure does sound like a problem with the main outputs on the Roland.

You can confirm by patching the headphone output to your speakers. And/or patching the main outputs to headphones. (You'll need to mind your balanced/unbalanced connections and have proper adapters/cables for that test of course.)

Equal · 10-02-2019, 01:49 AM

Thanks for your help so far. Thanks to your comments I think I have found the problem.

So as mentioned before, it sounds like digital distortion. When I plug my headphones in on of the line outputs on the Roland, it sounds fine. No digital distortion.

On the Kali audio speakers, the XLR aswell as the Jack inputs have +4dBu, they also have RCA inputs which have -10dBv.
I bought some RCA cables and connectd my zoom (on interface mode) to my speakers and there is absolutely no distortion.
When I plug the headphone output of the Roland to the speakers via RCA there is also no distortion (just a lot of noise since it's rca).

So my guess is that the signal is sent too loud to the speakers, when connected via Jack or XLR. Somehow the outputs and the speakers don't play nice together. It seems like an impedance issue or something.

Do you know if there is a way of lowering the output signal/voltage of a soundcard? Or lowering the signal in some other way?

serr · 10-02-2019, 06:20 AM

Earlier you said

Quote:

Originally Posted by Equal

even on very low volume...

The distortion is there on low and on high volume, the proportion does not change...

Sounds like the balanced outputs on the main outs on your Roland interface might be blown.

If you were simply overloading your speakers with too much level, turning down the volume would make that stop.

Or maybe you have an issue with cables - you thought they were balanced but they're not or something.
Were you using xlr cables or trs 1/4"?

Lexa001 · 05-19-2020, 01:06 PM

Hi there,

I'm having the exact same issue with my Roland Quad-Capture and my Kalis LP6.

When plugged into the main outputs, they distort even at low volume whereas when I plug one into the headphone out, there's no problem at all and I can play sound at high volume without any distortion whatsoever.

Does the OP have any news on the matter?

Equal · 05-19-2020, 01:41 PM

Yes I do. In my case nothing was wrong with my interface. Kali Audio had a batch of speakers that had impedance issues.
Contact kali audio about this issue or the store you bought it from.
I ended asking a refund and going for Adams speakers.
Hope this helps and good luck!

Lexa001 · 08-21-2020, 07:36 AM

Hi all,

Just a small heads up regarding the post I sent earlier on. I sent back the monitors to repair and the dealer told me they were just fine. I was frankly a little irritated because I tested them inside out with two interfaces.

I still decided to take them back and took a bet by buying a brand-new interface (MOTU M4 - great product btw). It turns out it's working like a charm now! The monitors are great sounding at any volume and they sound really good for the price!

So I still don't know where the problem was coming from but in my case I was wrong and the monitors were just fine...

Thanks for your replies!