Need help with audio intereference/setup

[Tristicus]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1335374

Feel free to tread that thread to get the full story, but I'll sum it up as best I can.

I get a crap load of speaker stuff from my father, want to hook it up. Finally get everything setup, start running. Using 2 Epicure M1 Amps (one for left, one for right) and an Epicure M4 preamp running through a Panamax 500DBS surge protector/line conditioner. Trying to run an output from my PC to preamp. Lots of feedback through line. Bought different sound card and cables, same thing. Tried different inputs, etc. Still getting lots of interference/noise, both on high and low signals. Can't figure out what it is, why this is happening, etc.

 

[Anubis]

compleatly off topic

2x Advent Mini Advent speakers
2x Advent Baby Advent II speakers

you using those?
if not any interest in selling them?

 

[Tristicus]

I have the 4 Acoustic Research ones hooked up, so no, not at the moment. Possibly.

 

[Tiamat]

Is there noise when the computer is not hooked up to the preamp?

Is there noise when only amp is hooked up to speakers and preamp is removed?

Is there noise when you hook up a ps3, bluray, xbox, dvd, etc. to the preamp?

Is there noise when you hook up a different computer or laptop?

 

[Tristicus]

Is there noise when the computer is not hooked up to the preamp?

Yes.

Is there noise when only amp is hooked up to speakers and preamp is removed?

Yes, less, but it is there, and when I touch the amp volume, it goes up. Through the pre, pressing AUX or with no source depressed it stays the same, but plugged into a source it gets worse. I did switch out the cables connecting the amps to the pre, and they seem to be a bit better...but it is still there.

Is there noise when you hook up a ps3, bluray, xbox, dvd, etc. to the preamp?

Yes

Is there noise when you hook up a different computer or laptop?

Haven't tried, but since it does it with the PS3, I'd say yes.

 

[kornphlake]

Is all equipment plugged into the same power strip? Is the PC a laptop or plugged into a battery backup? Everything needs to be on the same ground plane or you'll get a 60 hz hum.

 

[Tristicus]

Is all equipment plugged into the same power strip? Is the PC a laptop or plugged into a battery backup? Everything needs to be on the same ground plane or you'll get a 60 hz hum.

Hmm, no. The desktop is plugged into a power strip into the wall near the door, the stereo is on the adjacent wall with another power strip.

 

[kornphlake]

Is all the stereo gear is on one power strip? Do you get hum when the source is set to the tuner, or when the source is switched to an input that doesn't have anything connected? Your amp or pre-amp may have an internal grounding problem if the hum is always present. If the hum follows the source you need to start looking into ways to get all the equipment connected to the same ground point (the buss bar in the breaker panel doesn't count as a common ground point.)

 

[NutBucket]

Ground loop isolator.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-012