New apartment... speaker buzzing sound

[Juddog]

I moved into a new apartment about a month ago. I have Logitech Z5500 speaker set, pretty sweet set of speakers. Before I moved, there was absolutely no sound when I turned the volume down all the way.

Now I get a faint buzzing noise in the background at all times. If I crank sound volume to max, it is at the exact same level as when I turn it completely down (no sound at all). Just a constant faint buzzing.

I have tried disabling my wi-fi (no effect), plugging into a different outlet (no effect), hooked up the sub to a surge protector (no effect). I haven't tried hooking it up to my computer's UPS yet (didn't want to waste energy on powering the sound system if the power goes out) and haven't tried my line conditioner (which is on the other side of the room).

Any ideas of what is causing this and what is the best way to remedy the situation? My only thoughts are either some kind of cross-talk (the speaker wires are bundled together with a rubber band) or some kind of noise from the whole apartment complex.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I'll take dirty power for $500, Alex.

- M4H

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Is this just the speakers on their own, or are they plugged into a source?

 

[ElFenix]

bad ground?

 

[leftyman]

I hear dead people.

 

[iamwiz82]

Have you tried a different location? There could be some interference in another apartment/wall near the spot.

 

[Juice Box]

could be ground loop.....god i hate that sh!t

 

[MrChad]

My speakers sometimes pick up cabbie CB sounds as they pass by on 1st ave.

 

[Pepsi90919]

you tried everything except what you should have.

 

[So]

Check your grounding first, since it would require the least $$ to fix.

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: Juice Box
could be ground loop.....god i hate that sh!t

What the heck is a ground loop? I had an electrician stop by a few weeks ago because some of the wires were crossed, he fixed it, and my tester kit shows the outlet as good. Ground shows as ok, as does wiring. Electrician also checked grounding and said it was ok.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried a different location? There could be some interference in another apartment/wall near the spot.

I haven't tried a different spot in the apartment yet, only a different wall outlet.

 

[Al Neri]

White Noise

 

[j00fek]

old wiring in the building

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: j00fek
old wiring in the building

Would running the speakers through my UPS box that I normally have the computer plugged into fix it? What about so-called line conditioners, like monster power, etc.?

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Check the Flux Capacitor.

but seriously I would try plugging the input into a different source. ie. ipod, portable cd player... etc so you can isolate that part.

Other than that it sounds more like noise on the input to me.

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
Check the Flux Capacitor.

but seriously I would try plugging the input into a different source. ie. ipod, portable cd player... etc so you can isolate that part.

Other than that it sounds more like noise on the input to me.

I unplugged the input altogether and it still makes the noise.

ARGH! It's driving me bananas. I have been reading up on the ground loop mentioned earlier, and it doesn't sound like something I can mess with in this apartment complex, other than plugging it into a different outlet. I guess that will be my next step, I also have a line conditioner that I have hooked up to all of my stereo equipment for my AV center, I can try that as well.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

bad earth ground can be circumvented by using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter. I use it on my home subwoofer.

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
bad earth ground can be circumvented by using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter. I use it on my home subwoofer.

Does that put you at risk for shock though? Sorry for the noob electrical question.

 

[Chryso]

Just leave the volume louder than the buzzing.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
bad earth ground can be circumvented by using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter. I use it on my home subwoofer.

Does that put you at risk for shock though? Sorry for the noob electrical question.

I suppose it would, if you frequently stick a screwdriver into the live wiring while the thing's plugged in.

Edit - Don't most computer speakers use a 2-prong anyways?

- M4H

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: Juice Box
could be ground loop.....god i hate that sh!t

What the heck is a ground loop? I had an electrician stop by a few weeks ago because some of the wires were crossed, he fixed it, and my tester kit shows the outlet as good. Ground shows as ok, as does wiring. Electrician also checked grounding and said it was ok.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried a different location? There could be some interference in another apartment/wall near the spot.

I haven't tried a different spot in the apartment yet, only a different wall outlet.

A ground loop is when you have two different potenials going to the same ground. This will cause lots of noise.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: Juice Box
could be ground loop.....god i hate that sh!t

What the heck is a ground loop? I had an electrician stop by a few weeks ago because some of the wires were crossed, he fixed it, and my tester kit shows the outlet as good. Ground shows as ok, as does wiring. Electrician also checked grounding and said it was ok.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried a different location? There could be some interference in another apartment/wall near the spot.

I haven't tried a different spot in the apartment yet, only a different wall outlet.

A ground loop is when you have two different potenials going to the same ground. This will cause lots of noise.

Yep....I was told by YoYO that it might be a ground loop thats causing the buzz that was coming out of my subwoofer. So I picked up one of these puppies on ebay and it worked like a charm...now my sub sounds rich of bassy goodness =D

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Juice Box

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: Juice Box
could be ground loop.....god i hate that sh!t

What the heck is a ground loop? I had an electrician stop by a few weeks ago because some of the wires were crossed, he fixed it, and my tester kit shows the outlet as good. Ground shows as ok, as does wiring. Electrician also checked grounding and said it was ok.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried a different location? There could be some interference in another apartment/wall near the spot.

I haven't tried a different spot in the apartment yet, only a different wall outlet.

A ground loop is when you have two different potenials going to the same ground. This will cause lots of noise.

Yep....I was told by YoYO that it might be a ground loop thats causing the buzz that was coming out of my subwoofer. So I picked up one of these puppies on ebay and it worked like a charm...now my sub sounds rich of bassy goodness =D

His seem to be acting up with nothing else connected though. I'm not sure if a ground loop isolator would do him any good

 

[db]

Move your wires around to different locations, you might be picking up a signal.

 

[Auryg]

I once had a bad power supply do that...Not making it up. The speakers weren't even connected to the computer at the time (They were logitech z-640s), and a TV I had in the same room wouldn't even turn on. I probably got cancer from that thing.