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Ok, here comes the Bingster again with this issue. I am now using gold plated mic cables. Nothing cheap. I purchased the Ebtech Hum X. I tried running everything through one outlet and tried splitting them up.
I still get the sonic blast. When I first fire my system up, the channel faders for the mics and laptop (using an external Behrenger sound card) are even. This will go on for awhile and if I get a little static electricity and touch the mic or laptop---all of a sudden the volume coming from the laptop blasts out at about double or more the previous volume. The power meter goes from green to high yellow and close to red. I then have to turn the fader down to almost nothing to match the volume on the mic. This doesn't change the readout on the meter and that bothers me running it that high. I don't know what else to try, do I have a bad mixer? Mixer is the Yamaha MG124CX.

I have the Hum X plugged into my laptop to the outlet.

What am I doing wrong?

On the bright side, if everythings ok and suddenly "blasts" with out any user input, that most likely limits it to a hardware problem versus software. So probably either somethings run incorrectly or you are inadvertently doing something.

I presume your equipment is all still new enough to where they might do a swap at the retailer? At least you could narrow out again that way.

Perhaps one of the smarter tech guys here can offer up a more obvious response than I.

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I assume it is just the volume of the laptop that is increasing, not the mics.

Therefor... T

1. There could be a slight chance that it may be just the channel that you are using for the music from the laptop. Probably a small chance, but try a different channel on the mixer anyway.

2. More than likely it is either the laptop or the external sound card. Try using the internal sound card on the laptop (headphone out to mixer) and see if the problem goes away. If it does then you know it is the external sound card. If it doesn't it is probably the laptop. If it is the laptop it could be a number of things from software to hardware.

3. It could be GREMLINS!!!!!!


Hook it up at home and start trouble shooting the above and post back what happens. I am guessing it is gonna be the external sound card.

The Ebtech is only going to eliminate hum, not a bad connection elsewhere that would cause such a blast of signal.
Again I am going to say it is a connection SOMEWHERE in the system, be it internally in the computer or a bad cord somewhere from the mixer to the speakers. But if it is ONLY the music that is blasting & not the mics, then it is something in the computer to the mixer since you say you have to turn the channel down on the mixer that the computer is being fed into.
What is the volume output on your computer set at? Maybe start it out at 100% & see if that helps, if it can't get any louder from the computer then maybe it won't???

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1. There could be a slight chance that it may be just the channel that you are using for the music from the laptop. Probably a small chance, but try a different channel on the mixer anyway.

2. More than likely it is either the laptop or the external sound card. Try using the internal sound card on the laptop (headphone out to mixer) and see if the problem goes away. If it does then you know it is the external sound card. If it doesn't it is probably the laptop. If it is the laptop it could be a number of things from software to hardware.

3. It could be GREMLINS!!!!!!

No----it's not #1, I've tried changing the channel the sound card comes in from. Now number 2, I'm not sure if I tried that. I tried that when I had the annoying hum that went away with the ebtech, I will have to try it again for the sonic blast issue. #3--how do you get rid of gremlins?






What you say makes sense lonman. Again, the only adjustment I have to make after the blast is the fader for the laptop. The mic fader can stay the same and the laptop fader is turned down almost completely to nothing to get them to balance.
I don't think it is the cables, as I said I just took your advice and bought heavy duty mic cables and changed them out.
Tomorrow I will try these things you guys suggested. Nobody commented on the fact that the blast happens after I touch something metal in my system and get the little zap going. It is at that exact moment that the blast occurs.

Without having a description of all components and connectors in the audio chain I am guessing. The touching of metal with volume surges indicates a signal ground problem. When you get the surge does it stay at that level ?

Intermittents are caused by two categories loose connections, ckt brds, connectors, dirty controls or faders, etc. These are TS by tapping components, stressing connectors or controls (wiggling)

Make sure the volume is constant from the laptop Headphones or the icon lower right. Do you have any red light indicators staying steady? Do you have a head phone out on the mixer does this change?

The other category is thermal and TS by heaters such as hair dryers or cooling with cans of freeze mist.

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I agree with Lon, turn the comp volume up to 100%. That way it can't blast.

The touching metal and static feedback thing is kinda creepy, are you sure its not gremlins? You could try setting the volume at 90% or something, and touch something as you've done and see if somehow the eletrical feedback adjusts either that volume level, or something else throughout the system. At least then you could narrow down the problem? I hope that makes sense.

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What part of the system are you touching?

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either the mic or the laptop. Both are metal.

How high did you set the gain on the Music Channel?

Channel 11/12, no gain.

That shouldn't be the case, even if your computer is turned up all the way, you should be able to adjust the gain somewhat.
How high is the fader on the music channel?

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There is no gain or compressor controls on 9/10 or 11/12

I Try using 2 mono channel for the music; this will give you more control over it.

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