Does sound more like a grounding issue. My mains plug is a full 3-pin plug with all pins (inc. each) metal. An IEC connector connects to the transformer unit.
Yeah I emailed them about a plug, so we'll see if they can send me one
While it's the 'wrong' thing to do, I plugged my speakers into the headphones output and there is no speaker pop. So it's just coming off the phono output from the Fostex. I guess that's to be expected though as I don't have any issues with headphone usage.
For anyone who understands audio and hardware a LOT better than a newbie like myself, is this because the phono output is more powerful or something? Or more susceptible to grounding issues? As my speakers are active and no external amp is being used I presume the Fostex being powered and my speakers being powered is where the grounding issue is occurring.
I'm enjoying learning more about grounding issues, ferrite cores, audio humming/buzzing and more but at the same time it's a massive headache for a newbie that up until now when it comes to PC audio use I've only ever engaged with motherboard sound output (or a few years ago now I had a dedicated Xonar soundcard).
Never really had any issues with audible hum, buzz or pops with TV sound systems or even my record player that's hooked up to a Cambridge Audio amp and Roth speakers.
Bought this DAC for headphone use on PC as part of a big PC upgrade I done earlier this year, so it's been my first real headache with audio. I mostly use headphones but the pop on the passive speaker when not using headphones is just that annoying. It's a right piercing sound that is pretty unpleasant
My PC speakers aren't the most expensive, being a mid-range Edifier pair which only cost not too far north of £100, but for me it's enough as PC speaker use will mostly just be the odd YouTube video or the likes. They have a subout so I was planning on adding a sub in the not to distant future just to improve the lows a bit. Until then though I want to figure out how to sort this issue I have between the Fostex and the speakers. As I mentioned earlier I tested things with a Yamaha NX-50 powered set of speakers my PC audio was running through for the last few years and those too had the popping issue. So it's not as if my Edifier low-end speakers are faulty or anything. No pops from them either when hooking up to the motherboard sound directly.
What I find interesting and I have no knowledge of why it happens is the speaker popping only happens with the left speaker. On both the Edifier and Yamaha sets I have tried that is what I'd call the passive speaker. The right speaker is powered, where the volume control and power control is. A single phono output is used to connect the left speaker to the right. I guess that's just how it can happen? Is it anything to do with the passive speaker being the last "item" in the chain???