High pitched background noise, around 2340Hz (anyma phi)
-
I've been meaning to mention that my anyma phi has a high pitched background noise, most of the time, wavering slightly, around 2340kHz (maybe 2343Hz) - that frequency is according to ClearTune on my iPad 3, connected with an iRig, and it identifies it as roughly D7. It sounds above the top C that I can play with an "empty" patch, but within the range that I can bend that note up to.
It's present on the headphones socket and the left audio out - I assume that's what I should use for mono. I expect it's the same on the right audio out, but I haven't checked. It's largely independent of the volume knob - I hear it as clearly with the anyma phi's volume knob turned all the way down.
It does it whether I'm using DIN MIDI or USB MIDI via the USB Host socket. It does it with headphones plugged in directly, or when taking the output of either the headphones socket or left line out to something else.
I've been working around it by using a FiiO E06 headphones amp from the output (either from the headphones socket or left line out), by turning the gain on that low enough so I can't clearly hear the noise, and turning the volume full up on the anyma phi, to get a better signal to noise ratio.
If I switch to the original factory patch 7 (a piezo patch that has audio in turned full up), I hear the same sort of sound, but louder.
At one point, I was able to get the sound to get louder and softer by turning the LED brightness up and down - I did it a few times in a row and it seemed consistent. I can't get it to do that reliably though. Once when I did that, it suddenly stopped, or got much quieter so I couldn't really hear it any more (still via the headphones amp, with less than unity gain, so it might just have got quiter). I've heard it suddenly get louder when changing patches too - to ones without audio In turned up, and no envelope follower.
Is there a way to turn the LEDs off all together, so I can hear the difference? Since they can be faded, and the colour mix can be adjusted, I'm guessing they're driven by PWM. Is the frequency I hear the PWM frequency, by any chance, or maybe an octave either side of it?
It would be good to be able to turn the display off too, to check if that's being picked up.
On a maybe not directly related problem, I've also been hearing a metallic ping or pling, not unlike the sound that the built in piezo might make if something small and hard fell on it. It's intermittent - it can go quite a while without making the sound, then do it a few times within a couple of minutes. I was hoping that was a bug, maybe from CPU overload, but it does it even on an "empty" patch.
Are these known problems? I thought I'd read about noise on the outputs, but I can't remember who said it.
-
Perhaps this will help me get a reply. Here's a scope and frequency analysis of the high pitched noise. You can see the fundamental is around 2.3kHz, as detected by ClearTune.
I've also attached a short recording of the noise, made through a cheap generic USB sound "card" (key fob style audio interface), simply setting the level for that input via Sounds, in Windows - no other hardware. No MIDI or USB device is connected to the anyma phi, just power and a connection from stereo audio out to the audio interface.
high pitched noise on ap EMPTY patch (no USB or MIDI).zip.
This is exactly the sound I hear when I connect headphones directly, or via my FiiO E06 headphones amp. I can make the level less, compared to the synth sound, as described, but I can't get rid of it all together.
It doesn't always start making that sound from cold. It kicks in, usually after selecting a patch with the encoder, then it stays on until I power it off again - changing patches again, makes no difference.
Since it's always the exact same tone (frequency and overtone series), it seems to me there must be a physical reason for it, or maybe even a firmware bug, and the exact frequency ought to be a clue as to why.
On this occasion, altering the LED brightness in settings didn't affect it.
Turning the Volume knob to zero didn't affect it either.
Only the original power supply and cable (no extension added) was used for this analysis and recording. I've also verified that it sounds the same with an Apple USB power supply, used for charging my iPad 3.
-
On a perhaps not straightforwardly related issue, I've additionally been hearing a metallic ping or pling, similar to the sound that the worked in piezo may make if something little and hard fell on it. It's discontinuous - it can go a really long time without making the sound, then, at that point, do it a couple of times inside two or three minutes. I was trusting that was a bug, possibly from CPU over-burden, yet it does it even on an "vacant" fix.
Thanks. -
@andyhornblower That is interesting. The noise is always the same? Could you possibly try with a different cable and with a different power source, maybe an external battery to avoid ground loops?
-
@support_aodyo Yes, the sound is always the same, though the amplitude of it sometimes changes suddenly.
I've now tried it with an adjustable power supply, powered by a battery pack, and a different cable. That's the quietest power supply I own. There is no difference. I've also checked that the same noise/sound appears on all three audio output sockets, even with Volume all the way down.
I notice the sound is also picked up at Audio In, even if I plug in a cable to short it to ground - e.g. if I take an "(EMPTY)" patch and set the Main Audio In as In-R, with a short mono patch lead plugged into the Audio In socket, shorting the right input channel to ground. If I then turn up the Main Audio In level, I can make the sound louder using the Volume knob.
Is there a DC-DC converter inside the anyma phi, with a conversion frequency of 2340Hz, or similar? If so, my guess is that it's being picked up by whatever circuitry drives the outputs, and also being picked up at Audio In, so it can be amplified further.
-
@support_aodyo Could you pass this question to your hardware designer(s), please?
-
@andyhornblower Please send us an email on support@aodyo.com
-
Did you try other power sockets. I had a bit of noise using one USB power source and no noise from another
-
@bengersfood Yes. I've tried various power sources, including an Apple ipad USB charger, direct power from a smallish USB power brick, and 5V produced from an adjustable step up / down (aka buck boost) converter, powered by a 9V DC wall wart, then the same converter powered by a NiMH battery pack.
The advantages of the buck boost converter are that it is a very quiet power supply, which I normally use with guitar pedals, and also that it meant I could eliminate the USB A -> DC jack cable because it has its own (short) DC jack cable.
In all cases, the 2.3kHz (or so) whine noise starts within a minute of turning it on from cold, or immediately, if it's already warmed up, i.e. it's been on for a while, then turned off and back on again.
About the LED noise being picked up - if I use a patch with the external audio in, I can hear the difference when I turn the LED brightness level up and down in the settings - brighter is louder.
My guess is that it's the LEDs I'm hearing at all times, even with the volume turned all the way down, which is why I asked about the PWM frequency that drives them.
-
I have tried to email you to follow up my warranty return, but my emails are rejected by the server.
Since it seems I can only contact you through this forum, here is the body of the email I tried to send, with my full name redacted, for privacy reasons.
@@@
Hi Matthias,
After trying to discuss the problem through your support forum, and then in
private with your former employee, Maxence, I returned my anyma phi via
Juno, to get the intrusive background noise repaired - or to get the synth
replaced, under warranty. I sent it to them two months ago, on the 5th of
November.On the 2nd of December, I received the email forwarded below, from Juno
support, and replied to it at length. I have not heard back from them,
despite further attempts to elicit a response.I had already answered these questions in your community support forum, in
detail, and provided a recording of the problem, and a screenshot of a PC
based oscilloscope trace.In short - turn it on, connect just a set of headphones (any - it didn't
make any difference which sort I used), let it warm up for a couple of
minutes, and you will hear the sound. It always starts within a few minutes
of turning on from cold, or sooner if the synth is turned off and back on
again afterwards.It will then not stop until you turn off the anyma phi, even with the volume
turned all the way down - and that's after calibrating the volume knob.It made my anyma phi useless for both recording and performance purposes.
It doesn't matter what the power source is, or what headphones are used, or
whether an amp is used first, as I explained, and it doesn't matter what
else is connected, if anything - either by MIDI or USB. It still makes the
same sound.My conclusion is that it's probably picking up a harmonic of the PWM signal
that drives the LEDs, as I was able to affect it by turning up the level of
Audio In, then varying the brightness of the LEDs, in the global menu. The
sound is picked up and amplified further, via Audio In, and the tone and
volume of the sound are then affected by the LED brightness level.I put all of this in the support forum thread, as I discovered it. I used
the username AndyHornBlower, and the thread is called "High pitched
background noise, around 2340Hz (anyma phi)", started on 13th of September.
Although the thread was written over a couple of weeks, it will only take a
few minutes to read it, and to listen to the recording. I also enclosed a
letter, addressed to yourselves, with the anyma phi, when I returned it.I ordered my anyma phi the day they first came into stock, at Juno (aka Juno
Records, UK), on 12th of July (Order number C10458002), and although I spent
some time familiarising myself with it, and even contributed some patches to
the forum, I never had much use from it, due to this fault. I've now been
without it all together, for two months, without being told what's happening
about it.I notice Juno have had more stock of these, since the beginning of December,
but don't seem to have sold any of them. As you apparently haven't been
able to repair mine, or find the time to look at it properly, perhaps you
could ask them to send me one, to replace mine, then sort out the details
between yourselves.Regards,
Andy (aka AndyHornBlower, in your community support forum)
----- Original Message -----
From: Davide | Juno (Juno Records Support Desk)
To: Andy
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2021 2:23 PM
Subject: 448556Please type your reply above this line
Davide | Juno (Juno Support Desk)
Dec 2, 2021, 14:23 GMT
Hi Andy,I hope this email finds you well.
Could you please let me know which headphones and cables you used with Aodyo
Anyma Phi synth?I'm in contact with Matthias@Aodyo who is trying to replicate the fault.
Best regards,
Davide
Juno Customer Support TeamKind Regards
Davide
This email is a service from Juno Support Desk.
[Q5O6ZD-OEYQ] -
I received a replacement anyma phi, earlier, from or via Juno. This one seems to be working fine. Thanks.
