Reduce Noise from the power outlet?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Hello Everyone,

I just moved my rehearsal and digital and non digital setup down to our
renovated basement.

I'm finding that the outlets down here seem to be very noisy. I'm hearing a
loud hum that I didn't hear upstairs.

Even if I just have just the PA on (small Yamaha EMX) it's noisy through the
speakers.

What can I do to reduce the noise? Is there an special adapter or a better
surge protector that will help?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Kim

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

If your equipment consumes less power than your fuse can handle, try
connecting all equipment to the same power outlet. If the noise was due
to a ground loop, it should go away.

If you use several outlets, you may be able to solve the problem by
breaking the ground loop (for example, some DI boxes have a 'lift
ground' switch). Proper shielding of cables may help. If the noise is
mainly in (electric) guitar, you can alter the orientation of the
instrument to give the smallest amount of noise. If you play electric
guitar and the noise goes away when your hand touches the strings, use
a small crocodile clamp to ground yourself to the guitar (which is not
unlike those antistatic bracelets that computer technicians wear).

A surge protector or stabilizer might not solve the ground loop
problem, but is a good idea anyhow to protect your equipment.

Good luck!

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <Uc7ze.55243$iU.45156@lakeread05>,
K Milai <kmilai@dinobone.com> wrote:
>Hello Everyone,
>
>I just moved my rehearsal and digital and non digital setup down to our
>renovated basement.
>
>I'm finding that the outlets down here seem to be very noisy. I'm hearing a
>loud hum that I didn't hear upstairs.
>
>Even if I just have just the PA on (small Yamaha EMX) it's noisy through the
>speakers.
>
>What can I do to reduce the noise? Is there an special adapter or a better
>surge protector that will help?
>
>Any advice would be appreciated!

Are you sure you have not created a ground loop in the process of moving
the system?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"K Milai" wrote ...
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I just moved my rehearsal and digital and non digital setup down to our
> renovated basement.

Did you do the renovation? Was the wiring done properly?
Inspected? Have you tried using a circuit tester (the kind with
three neon lights from the home/hardware store)?

> I'm finding that the outlets down here seem to be very noisy. I'm hearing
> a
> loud hum that I didn't hear upstairs.

Loud hum is the prime symptom of a ground loop. Has nothing to
do with power-line noise.

> Even if I just have just the PA on (small Yamaha EMX) it's noisy through
> the
> speakers.
>
> What can I do to reduce the noise? Is there an special adapter or a better
> surge protector that will help?

You can go through the classic ground-loop troubleshooting
process. Disconnect all the audio cables and start backwards
from the speaker and work towards the other end to see where
the problem starts.

http://www.epanorama.net/documents [...] index.html

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Thank you all for your grea observations and suggestions. Will get to work
on it right away.

Kim


"K Milai" <kmilai@dinobone.com> wrote in message
news:Uc7ze.55243$iU.45156@lakeread05...
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I just moved my rehearsal and digital and non digital setup down to our
> renovated basement.
>
> I'm finding that the outlets down here seem to be very noisy. I'm hearing
a
> loud hum that I didn't hear upstairs.
>
> Even if I just have just the PA on (small Yamaha EMX) it's noisy through
the
> speakers.
>
> What can I do to reduce the noise? Is there an special adapter or a better
> surge protector that will help?
>
> Any advice would be appreciated!
>
> Kim
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Even more great suggestions and website info. Thank you so much.

I did already notice that when I pulled out the cable leading to my turned
off malletkat, the hum was softer. Thanks for your pointing to that. Will
continue working on it.

Kim

"K Milai" <kmilai@dinobone.com> wrote in message
news:Uc7ze.55243$iU.45156@lakeread05...
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I just moved my rehearsal and digital and non digital setup down to our
> renovated basement.
>
> I'm finding that the outlets down here seem to be very noisy. I'm hearing
a
> loud hum that I didn't hear upstairs.
>
> Even if I just have just the PA on (small Yamaha EMX) it's noisy through
the
> speakers.
>
> What can I do to reduce the noise? Is there an special adapter or a better
> surge protector that will help?
>
> Any advice would be appreciated!
>
> Kim
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 17:21:35 GMT, "John O"
<johno@!noSPAM!heathkit.com> wrote:

>Completely OT...on last night's Myth Busters, they did an experiment with
>the "brown note", the low frequencies that purportedly cause bodily
>distress. With a guy standing in the middle of a huge stack of large
>subwoofers, he easily tolerated 5, 7, & 9 Hz at 90 dB, or maybe even louder.

From this article, it was MUCH louder:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note
"The experimenters on the show tried a series of frequencies between 5
and 10 Hz at 120-160 dBSPL,..."

>He was unfazed. (reference to a couple messages a few weeks ago)

I recall an old story of some famous inventor had a platform that
vibrated at the 9 Hz "brown note" and after one stands on it for a
short time it caused the alleged results. This would be much more
efficient than generating the note in the air, as the air's coupling
to the much more dense mass of a human body is very inefficient,
whereas direct vibration of the feet will put significant vibration
throughout the body, and specifically into the trunk area.
The inventor was Tesla, and googling tesla vibrating platform (no
quotes) brings up many links repeating a story starring Samuel Clemens
(perhaps better known by his penname Mark Twain) as the willing
subject/victim, despite Tesla's warnings to get off of the machine.

>-John O


-----
http://www.mindspring.com/~benbradley