Audio Gurus Low Hum from Mixer.

[Willoughbyva]

I am playing around with recording vocals and other stuff and I hear a low hum all the time. I can have nothing but the mixer power supply plugged in and it is still there. It wasn't there a week ago, but occurs now. I have unplugged everything in the room that is on the same circuit, but the hum persists. I have read that it comes from "noise" from the electrical outlet. I haven't installed any new appliences or anything.

Is there a low cost device or something that can get rid of the noise? Sort of a line "cleaner" or something?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ElFenix]

its a 60 hz hum

 

[IamElectro]

You may have a bad cable or a cable is not quite plugged in all the way.
Is this sound coming from your monitors or headphones?
Is the hum at a steady volume or does it change as you change the output levels?

 

[Willoughbyva]

All I really have is an mixer that powers a condensor mic (phantom power) and headphones. There really isn't anything plugged in except the mic and headphones. I disconnected the cassette deck and stuff. I do notice that I can touch the mixer and the num becomes less noticable. I can unplug the mic and the hum disapears.

Elfenix: how can I get rid of 60hz hum? Is there special grounding or something I need to do? The thing is it didn't used to do it. I took my mixer and stuff to another room last night and when i plugged it all back together I noticed the hum. It kind of gets on my nerves.

Thanks for any ideas you might have.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Willoughbyva
All I really have is an mixer that powers a condensor mic (phantom power) and headphones. There really isn't anything plugged in except the mic and headphones. I disconnected the cassette deck and stuff. I do notice that I can touch the mixer and the num becomes less noticable. I can unplug the mic and the hum disapears.

Elfenix: how can I get rid of 60hz hum? Is there special grounding or something I need to do? The thing is it didn't used to do it. I took my mixer and stuff to another room last night and when i plugged it all back together I noticed the hum. It kind of gets on my nerves.

Thanks for any ideas you might have.

I bet it did, you just never noticed it before.

Once you hear something, it's very easy to single it out.

 

[Zim Hosein]

You might need an attenuator Willoughbyva

 

[Willoughbyva]

Are attenuators expensive and what do they do? I did a google search, but if you could post more about it I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Eli: I really didn't notice it before. It is very noticable now. I have some recordings from before and it wasn't present, but now it is. Kind of weird.

Thanks

 

[Rallispec]

when my reciever started making a humming noise, i just hit it pretty hard and the humming stopped. It starts humming again occosionally, but all it takes a good smack to shut it up for a while.

The hum is real annoying too-- not sure what is causing it. No matter how loud i have the receiver set at-- it will hum at a constant volume... then a good smack, and it completely goes away. I'm guessing something might be loose inside.. Oh well, cheap setup-- you get what you pay for i assume.


goodluck taking care of your hummer.

 

[Willoughbyva]

Well thanks for the help guys. It seems to be doing better now. Don't really know what the problem was, but it works like a charm now.

 

[Thegonagle]

Since when you touch it, it becomes less noticable, and since when you moved it to the new room, the problem appeared, I would suspect that the outlet in the new room isn't grounded properly, or it possibly has the hot and neutral wires reversed (a very common and very dangerous mistake many DIYers have made).

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: Willoughbyva
I am playing around with recording vocals and other stuff and I hear a low hum all the time. I can have nothing but the mixer power supply plugged in and it is still there. It wasn't there a week ago, but occurs now. I have unplugged everything in the room that is on the same circuit, but the hum persists. I have read that it comes from "noise" from the electrical outlet. I haven't installed any new appliences or anything.

Is there a low cost device or something that can get rid of the noise? Sort of a line "cleaner" or something?

Thanks in advance.

Try gold tipped cords.