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R.
Eqd Speaker Cranker clone
Monte Allums TR-2 Plus mod kit
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/60602/
It is iPhones that do not.
But you are right- and audio interface will usually fix this noise/grounding issue unless there is some underlying power problem.
Alternatively using an external wireless keyboard and mouse can sometimes fix it.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Eqd Speaker Cranker clone
Monte Allums TR-2 Plus mod kit
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/60602/
Sounds generated "inside the box" get created and written to disk as digital and never leave the digital domain. As we know, audio signals (guitars, mics, etc.) need to be converted from analogue to digital. The AD processors in audio interfaces - even cheap ones - will far outstrip the quality of the one embedded in your MBP.
The digital tracks inside your project will need to be heard. That means converting your 44.1/16 digital files to analogue so you can hear it. Again, the DA processors in an audio interface will outstrip your MBP embedded one.
Now, if you're connected to your amplifiers or monitors or headphones using a wire, the great-sounding analogue signal will pass down the wire and you'll hear it in all it's glory.
Bluetooth connectors will pass that great analogue signal through another AD process so it can transmit the signal to your headphone or earbuds or monitors. The quality of the conversion is low resolution and completely loses the high quality sound you have created. Then, at the other end, a DA process turns it back into low quality analogue audio.
It sucks. People use Bluetooth headsets for convenience, which is understandable, but it's not going to be a high quality signal.
Buying even a cheap audio interface and connecting to it with wires is really the way to go. The fewer ADA processes you put your signal through, the better. If there is a Bluetooth ADA converter that works at 44.1/16 or higher I'd be interested in knowing, because I've never heard of one. Not that I'm looking....
It makes it useless for tracking, regardless of quality.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
I'm not using the Mac for recording, only for playing music and jam tracks so latency shouldn't be an issue but I'll keep an eye out for an audio in/out unit.
TheBigDipper said: Thanks, that's an excellent summation of the issues. It is odd though that simply removing the mains power from the Mac cures the problem completely, which might indicate that it's not a DA issue in this instance. I know that having your Mac powered by mains has been problematic for many years when playing out video and audio to projectors etc.
As it seems to be a power related issue I was wondering if power conditioning might be able to cure it ,but all responses seem to focus on using an external DA device so that's probably the way to proceed.
For playing music, I've got an Oppo HA-2SE DAC/headphone amp and that's absolutely excellent with lossless music files and a decent pair of wired headphones.
i suggested the mpow for listening purposes, based on a review by ZEE, youtube, he is an audiophile loon who explained that Bluetooth has cought up in sound quality, and he hears no degradation in signal using 2 as AD-DA converters, by plugging one into his Phones. I love his reviews, think comic book guy from Simpsons.
My IK multimedia monitors, I-louds, have built in Bluetooth, and the convenience of this seems to work well for me when mixing from Reaper, Logic and Pro-tools, from both Mac and Pc, but I dont make a living with it, or profess to be an expert.
When I am recording, I'm using my Saffire which is connected to the I-louds with RCA -RCA cables, so latency isn't an issue. Just to be clear-I was suggesting trying a Bluetooth adaptor as a way of getting away from using the fragile 3.5mm jack, and only for listening purposes.
cheers
andy k