I'm getting a fair bit of mains hum when I connect this mic to the Tascam DP32sd I've just bought. I don't get any hum when any of my other condenser or dynamic mics are connected to the DP32 and neither is there any hum when this mic is connected to my DP008EX. If I connect the stereo out jacks of the DP32sd to an amp the hum disappears so it seems to be an odd grounding problem. I don't always have an amp nearby to plug in to - is there any other way of getting rid of this hum? I wonder if it has anything to do with the dc supply t o the recorder and lack of earthing? I had the mic serviced only last year.
Hum with Sontronics STC-10
- Thread starter Findlay
- Start date
I seem to have come up with some sort of fix for this. I wired up a 3 pin UK mains plug with just the Earth connector connected to a 1/4 inch jack. I removed the fuse for safety. When I plug this into the mains and plug the jack into the monitor out of the Tascam the hum disappears, so presumably it is a grounding problem. Perhaps just in the UK? Still a bit queasy about the safety factor but maybe it is ok? I am still wondering why this should happen - I thought balanced connections were supposed to get shot of hum!
Mickster
Well-known member
If the DP32 had a grounding issue from the DC supply I would tend to think it would have a mains hum with many things.....not just your mic. Try connecting something else to one of the inputs. Be sure you have no effects or dynamics activated...or the 48V phantom supply. Put the input track fader at 0. Have nothing playing to that input.......just connected. Raise the input gain knob (pre-amp) and see if you have the same sort of noise begin to appear. Raise your monitor knob as well. As you begin to max them out....what do you hear? If you don't hear problem then recheck your mic cable. Does moving the mic around the room change the noise?
The DP32 does have a ground connection on the rear panel.....if it's the same as a DP24. Check you manual as to how to use it.
The DP32 does have a ground connection on the rear panel.....if it's the same as a DP24. Check you manual as to how to use it.
Hi Mickster. I double checked and just found out doing as you suggested that I get the hum without phantom power and with a dynamic mic connected. The hum goes when I connect my home made Earth lead. I can't seem to find an Earth connector on the back of the DP-32sd and no reference in the manual.
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arcaxis
Well-known member
I had a similar problem with a Tascam USB interface and a particular PC where the grounding of the PC's USB was poor or didn't exist. I would get hum if I touched the body of the mic or the cable connected to it. Like you I was able to ground the interface through another piece of gear with a 1/4" patch cable that had a good ground back to the mains and get rid of the hum. Didn't really use the interface that much to dig for a further fix.