Scarlet audio ticking noise error

[Erwin van Dijck]

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

[Stuart English]

What power source are you using Erwin ?

[Erwin van Dijck]

I'm using a v-mount battery: IDX Endura 10s on the well known ViewFactor plate (apu-idx battery plate).

regards,
Erwin

[Erwin van Dijck]

Exported a small sample of the ticking noise issue:

http://www.erwinvandijck.com/sites/default/files/website/scarletaudio.wav

regards,
Erwin

[Jason H]

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

[Erwin van Dijck]

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

[Vesa Rönty]

I have the same problem with my Epic-X. Is there any other solution than tape your PL-mount? It does not sound like a nice solution. Is there any update on firmware where you could switch of the power from those pins etc.

[Erwin van Dijck]

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 ;-)

http://www.erwinvandijck.com/sites/default/files/website/rpzlens-01.jpg
Small piece of adhesive of 2mm by 10mm...

Let me know if this solves your audio clicking error.

regards,
Erwin

[Vesa Rönty]

Yes it solves the problem. But i don´t want to use tape in a rental Optima for example :)

[Mark Wilkinson]

Thank you for finding this!

Tape works for now, but I hope they can fix this with a software tweak.

[Tyrone Braithwaite]

We've got this issue too with our EPIC. Not tested the Scarlet yet. Just putting tape on now.

[Ron Reddick]

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

[Stuart English]

Thank you for finding this!

Tape works for now, but I hope they can fix this with a software tweak.

Yeah we are working on that. Taping the pins is a good solution for now.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

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

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

[William Donaruma]

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.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

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.

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

[Björn Benckert]

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 ;-)

http://www.erwinvandijck.com/sites/default/files/website/rpzlens-01.jpg
Small piece of adhesive of 2mm by 10mm...

Let me know if this solves your audio clicking error.

regards,
Erwin


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

[Michael Jensen]

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.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

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.

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?

[Michael Jensen]

Tape does the trick! Nice to finally have a solution to this.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

Tape does the trick! Nice to finally have a solution to this.

How can I do this trick on a Canon mount? Any tips anyone? With Canon lens there's a great deal more of friction into the mount as the lens as to be twisted in. So the tape here is trickier.

Thanks
Antonio

[Tyrone Braithwaite]

We've sent a log to red and they've asked for the camera back to be evaluated.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

We've sent a log to red and they've asked for the camera back to be evaluated.

Hi Tyrone,

Let me know what the outcome of this is as I may have to do the same myself at some point.

Many thanks,
Antonio

[Tyrone Braithwaite]

Update: red have reproduced the problem with their own equipment and don't need ours any longer. Further more they said they should be able to fix it with firmware as It's not a hardware issue as such.

[Erwin van Dijck]

Thank you for the update, good to know.

[Michael Jensen]

Big thanks for the update! I'm so glad they are finally working at fixing this.

[Antonio Ribeiro]

Update: red have reproduced the problem with their own equipment and don't need ours any longer. Further more they said they should be able to fix it with firmware as It's not a hardware issue as such.

Great, good to know Tyrone.

A

[David Carstens]

Fascinating. I get the ticking sound only with lenses that communicate with the camera (Canon lenses with electronic aperture), but all is fine with "dumb" lenses such as my CP.2s.

Unfortunately the issue has not been resolved as of Firmware 3.3.3

[Mike P.]

So this is still on-going? Has anyone else noticed this issue with the Canon mount, or is it not a common issue?

[Brian Gottschalk]

I'm encountering the same issue with our Scarlet and several Canon lenses (35mm, 50mm, 24-105mm and 70-200mm / all L-Series). Our setup is Scarlet > A-Box > VT5000 or NTG-2 and we power it with SWIT's RED specific bricks (D-8161S). I couldn't figure out the trick with the adhesive tape though... I would really look forward to a solution of this.

[Kaan A]

I'm also experiencing this with a Canon mount Scarlet.

[Martin Weiss]

Any update on this issue?

[Erwin van Dijck]

As far as I know RED fixed this a couple of firmwares ago.
(But I didn't test it because I switched to a Nikon mount + lenses.)

regards,
Erwin