Solved! Speakers - Sizzling noise

[gorguts6]

Hello,
I just bought last month brand new audioengine HD6, and I love them! I just discovered few days ago a very undesirable sound, very noticeable and annoying while listening at middle to high volume. At first I tought it was only the active speaker but then realised that it was also happening but to less extend on the passive one.
It is not really a hiss or a hum, it's more like an annoying sizzling in the high end frequencies I would say. I even thought at some point it was maybe the magnetic grills vibrating as it really felt like a similar sound as if it was.

• Laptop is plugged via USB into the Yamaha MG Mixer and the mixer output is XLR cable to RCA cable into the audioengine active speaker.
• Speakers don't use the same power socket than the computer and are on stands, left and right from my desk.
• It is very much apparent, when I put the volume at max on the mixer and reduce the volume at the min on the audioengine speaker.
• I tried other channels of the mixer, the problem is on whatever channel i use.
• I tried to connect the yamaha mixer to the speaker with another cable (stereo jack 1/4 to RCA), problem is still there.
• Here is a sound bit I recorded with my phone, next to the active speaker (all panned on its side on the Mixer): http://vincenttessier.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/audioengine_sizzling.aac
• The problem doesn't occur when I bypass the yamaha mixer, for example when I play from my smartphone directly to the speakers via chromecast, the noise is not here.

Any idea?

 

[hang-the-9]

So issue is from the mixer, could be the cable you are using, or the XLR output. Mixer should have a line out or headphone out jack, try those with the speakers. Good idea to contact Yamaha support to check what they may say to try.

 

[gorguts6]

Thanks for your reply.
I tried the other Stereo output, which is jack and then RCA into the Speakers, issue is the same.
I have contacted Yamaha, waiting for feedback.
Just saw online 2 forum posts about some 'distortion' sound that seem very similar, seems that updating the USB driver helped, which i don't understand as the issue is on all channels, not only the laptop input.
I have tried this but issue is still there...

 

[americanaudiophile]

You could have a ground loop issue with the speakers and mixer. Try using a 3-2 ground lifter on the AC cord of either one.