Audio output stops when switching lights on via mains power

Beam for Live
1

Hi,
I have noticed audio dropouts in ableton. They happen when I plug in a light or switch a light on/off in the same group as my beam fixtures and audio interface (I have only 1 group in my studio). Ableton stops playing and when I start it again it runs but there’s no audio. Interface (Focusrite Scarlett 18i20) is still connected. The only way I can get the audio to work again is to switch the audio interface off and then on. I ordered a dmx terminator to insert in my last fixture in chain but not sure if this is the solution. This only happens when Beam is running, when I quit beam and resume playback there are no dropouts when I switch or plug lights. Does anyone else have this problem and/or a solution?

2

Hi @michielson,

Thanks for getting in touch about this.

I see in the other thread that you are working with an Enttec DMX USB Pro interface. What computer and OS are you using?

Could you test your Live Set with only the audio interface plugged in, with Beam running, but without the DMX USB interface connected?

This kind of behavior sometimes appears due to power issues - for example, when both a DMX USB and an USB audio interface are connected via the same USB bus/controller and are drawing more current than available, or when they interfere with each other. Sometimes plugging the devices into ports on the opposite sides of the laptop or using a powered USB hub can fix the issue.

Whenever it is indeed a power issue, such behavior also appears with any other DMX software on the same machine. One way to test if this is the case would be using the free QLC+: https://qlcplus.org/

3

Hi Luka,
Thanks for your quick response. I’m using a Macbook M1 Max on MacOS 15.3.1. The audio interface is externally powered. Connecting the usb on the other side of the laptop doesn’t fix the dropout. However unplugging the DMX USB interface does.
I’m about to exchange the Enttec DMX pro for a Showtec Artnet 2/3. Maybe this will solve the issue since the Artnet node is connected via ethernet.
I will check QLC+ tomorrow.

4

Connecting the usb on the other side of the laptop doesn’t fix the dropout. However unplugging the DMX USB interface does.

This sounds a lot like a USB power interference issue, likely unrelated to Beam - do let us know if it turns out the issue is not there with other software.

I’m about to exchange the Enttec DMX pro for a Showtec Artnet 2/3. Maybe this will solve the issue since the Artnet node is connected via ethernet.

Using an Art-Net node is the best way to resolve this!