Just got the Altec Lansing 2100...how to reduce the static??

[ElDonAntonio]

I'm no great audiophile, but these babies sound pretty damn good!!! I unfortunately have no cash for other speakers so I don't really have any reference point to judge these speakers, but as long as they sound good to me, I guess that's the important thing

There's one thing that annoys me though: even if I mute everything on my computer and whatever the volume of the speakers, there's always a constant hiss from the satellites (barely audible at 5 feet distance, but still, I don't need more background noise, my comps fans are enough). Is there anything I can do to minimize that? It's pretty weird because on my stereo, the hiss varies with the volume, but on these speakers, it's absolutly constant.

Just thought of something. These speakers are connected to the headphones output of my laptop. Is it possible that it's the output that's low quality? would it give some background noise even if I mute everything in windows?

 

[Derango]

It could be a low quality output, or its more likely that the wires are picking up radio waves. I had a set of creative labs speakers a while ago that used to pick up a canadian christian rock radio station from time to time.

 

[ElDonAntonio]

edit: It's not the output, even when disconnected, the speakers give out the static...it's probably radio waves. Any way to reduce the effect?

 

[Yobbo]

Buy and live in a Pb house

My creative labs fps2000's used to do it but magically went away after a few weeks of hard use, if it really bothers you try using different (shielded) wires, otherwise get new speakers if its bothering you *that* much...or you can do what I did and wait it out

 

[Derango]

Originally posted by: ElDonAntonio
edit: It's not the output, even when disconnected, the speakers give out the static...it's probably radio waves. Any way to reduce the effect?

Sometimes, you can shift your whole setup 90 degrees so that everything is facing a different direction. If this dosen't work...welll...um....at least you'll pick up a different station

You can also get some things to put over your wires to reduce the radio interfearence

 

[ElDonAntonio]

aren't there any shielded cables I could buy?

 

[5489]

Originally posted by: Derango
It could be a low quality output, or its more likely that the wires are picking up radio waves. I had a set of creative labs speakers a while ago that used to pick up a canadian christian rock radio station from time to time.

that's the awesomest thing i ever heard!!!!

 

[Dennis Travis]

Since it's doing it with nothing even plugged into the soundcard I would suspect the Preamp in the Altecs is a bit on the noisy side. Is the hiss there even with the master volume on the Altecs all the way off? If so it's in the Circuitry of the Preamp in the Altecs.

 

[ElDonAntonio]

Hi Dennis, yep the hiss is absolutely independant of the volume of the speakers. Do you think it's poor design from Altec or more from radio interference? When my environment is silent (except for my computer fan), the hiss is pretty audible and is starting to get on my nerves.