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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Scarlet audio ticking noise error

Erwin van Dijck

Erwin van Dijck

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Today I hooked up a mic to my brand new Scarlet to test the audio. But there is an annoying ticking noise sound in the audio.

This was the setup: AKG mic --> Sound Devices Mix Pre D --> A-Box --> camera

I used tested xlr cables and the wooden camera A-box just to make sure all connections were right. Settings on the Scarlet are audio mode "balanced" ("unbalanced" has the same result) and audio input on and at 35dB. The sound from the microphone is there without any issues, levels are good and sound is great.

But you hear a ticking noise sound, very regularly, slower then a second. It ruins the audio track. You hear it via the headphones and when you play a clip on the computer with RedcineX.

So then I removed everything from the Scarlets audio connection and the tick is still there, even without anything attached!

Running on firmware version 2.0.5

Anyone any idea what can be the cause of this??

regards,
Erwin
 
ok! now this is on my cameras both epicM and scarlet. Attach a lens and get the tick. Take a lens (pl mount prime) off then no tick. No tick with my canon mount so far. DEff something to do with contacts on the back of the mount. Both with house power and viewfactor/red bricks.

jason
 
Indeed, the solution lies in the PL mount and the lens.

After an evening testing in a last attempt to discover what could be the cause of the ticking, I removed the PL lens (RPZ 17-50). And voila, the ticking was gone. It turned out to be the 4 small contacts inside the PL lens mount (for Cooke S4/i lens data) that are obviously in contact with the lens mount and causing unintentional short-circuiting with audio-interference (ticking) as a result.

Now on the lens mount at the spot where these contacts hit the lens I taped a small piece of transparent adhesive tape. And the noise is gone. So far during testing the ticking didn't occur anymore.

regards,
Erwin
 
Indeed not the most elegant solution, but it solves the audio issue in 30 seconds. Might be a tad quicker than waiting for new firmware ;-)

rpzlens-01.jpg

Small piece of adhesive of 2mm by 10mm...

Let me know if this solves your audio clicking error.

regards,
Erwin
 
Thank you for finding this!

Tape works for now, but I hope they can fix this with a software tweak.
 
We've got this issue too with our EPIC. Not tested the Scarlet yet. Just putting tape on now.
 
Have this issue with both my epic and scarlet, but only when connected to AC power, when running from the v-mounts all is quiet. If you place a scope on the DC output from the AC power brick you can see the noise, nice and clear.

Ron
 
Erwin van Dijck said:
Indeed, the solution lies in the PL mount and the lens.

After an evening testing in a last attempt to discover what could be the cause of the ticking, I removed the PL lens (RPZ 17-50). And voila, the ticking was gone. It turned out to be the 4 small contacts inside the PL lens mount (for Cooke S4/i lens data) that are obviously in contact with the lens mount and causing unintentional short-circuiting with audio-interference (ticking) as a result.

Now on the lens mount at the spot where these contacts hit the lens I taped a small piece of transparent adhesive tape. And the noise is gone. So far during testing the ticking didn't occur anymore.

regards,
Erwin
Click to expand...

Very interesting read guys. I have the same issue but with a Canon 24-70mm Zoom lens. I also have the A-box and today it was a real pain on this job. Please RED, send us the firmware for this.

Thanks
Antonio
 
I first heard this click as well on my Sennheiser ME66, but then I ran it through a Sound Devices MixPre and it seemed to be clean and you get good levels. I'll record a test and bring it to our sound booth to get a good listen cranked up.
 
William Donaruma said:
I first heard this click as well on my Sennheiser ME66, but then I ran it through a Sound Devices MixPre and it seemed to be clean and you get good levels. I'll record a test and bring it to our sound booth to get a good listen cranked up.
Click to expand...

Exactly the case with me as I was using that mic today. Must be an earthing issue. Last week I used a Sign-Video ENG mixer and all was cool.

A
 
Erwin van Dijck said:
Indeed not the most elegant solution, but it solves the audio issue in 30 seconds. Might be a tad quicker than waiting for new firmware ;-)

rpzlens-01.jpg

Small piece of adhesive of 2mm by 10mm...

Let me know if this solves your audio clicking error.

regards,
Erwin
Click to expand...


But Erwin, if you put tape on the lens like that then you change your back focus and it's an asymmetrical change so you get no flat focus... or?

But great to know about this odd error I was on my way to buy a new microphone... no I need to buy tape instead, but try to put it only on the connectors
 
I have this issue on my -M. I sent it back to RED months ago for a fix and they sent it back with the same issue. Maybe they don't do their QC checks with a lens attached? The clicking doesn't seem to be there immediately but shows up within a minute or two. Very frustrating but fortunately I rarely record audio into the camera. But I would love to finally get this fixed.
 
Michael Jensen said:
I have this issue on my -M. I sent it back to RED months ago for a fix and they sent it back with the same issue. Maybe they don't do their QC checks with a lens attached? The clicking doesn't seem to be there immediately but shows up within a minute or two. Very frustrating but fortunately I rarely record audio into the camera. But I would love to finally get this fixed.
Click to expand...

Very very frustrating. I fortunately had a Tascam DR-100 with me, so used that wherever I could. The funny thing is, I used a few Canon primes (FD cine-adapted lenses by the much revered Eddie Houston on this side of the pond) and everything was fine. I have two theories; maybe it's something to do with the Canon EF 24-70mm AF system, but this wouldn't explain why some people here have experienced this with their PL primes (and this is just a wild guess as I am now electronics expert), or it could be to do with the position of the A-box in relation to the camera body. I have mine mounted on a Wooden Camera Easy top plate so the XLRs are facing the back of the camera.

Any thoughts? RED?
 
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