Kept getting static clicks and pops from speakers

[monkie]

How do you get rid of pops and clicks from your monitors? Sometimes when I walk across certain areas in the room, I get some kind of a pop or click from the monitors. I don't really like the sound of it. It freaked the hell out of me today. I thought my speakers had blown. Sometimes it happened when I touch other metal parts in the room. What I'm assuming it be is probably some metal magnetic charges occurring in the room. My floor is carpet. Are there any ways you can reduce or eliminate the pops and clicks?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rokket]

The air is dry. You are getting static electricity, and it's affecting your system. Rubber or plastic mats under your stuff will help. You are building up a charge as you move around the room. Try not moving around so much. Getting rid of the carpet will too, but that's a bit drastic. I wouldn't recommend a humidifier. That will introduce a whole mess of problems with your gear.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

The air is dry. You are getting static electricity, and it's affecting your system. Rubber or plastic mats under your stuff will help. You are building up a charge as you move around the room. Try not moving around so much. Getting rid of the carpet will too, but that's a bit drastic. I wouldn't recommend a humidifier. That will introduce a whole mess of problems with your gear.

Also, wearing rubber-soled shoes could help.

I don't completly agree about the humidifier though. Sure, if you let it get too humid, that could be a problem, but so can letting your air run too dry. Not only too dry air that tend to dry out your non-IC electronic components a little faster, but just the static electricity risk alone is worth getting rid of the dry air, IMHO. Just don't OD the humidity.

You might not need or want to do the seperate humidifier to address that, though. If your building is heated via a central forced air system (vs. baseboard or radiator heat) that could be the cause *and* solution to the problem. Because forced air heat is notorious for being dry, many (if not all?) central air systems have built-in humidifiers. If that is set too low or is malfunctioning, that can easily cause static electricity problems.

G.

 

[Rokket]

Also, wearing rubber-soled shoes could help.

I don't completly agree about the humidifier though. Sure, if you let it get too humid, that could be a problem, but so can letting your air run too dry. Not only too dry air that tend to dry out your non-IC electronic components a little faster, but just the static electricity risk alone is worth getting rid of the dry air, IMHO. Just don't OD the humidity.

You might not need or want to do the seperate humidifier to address that, though. If your building is heated via a central forced air system (vs. baseboard or radiator heat) that could be the cause *and* solution to the problem. Because forced air heat is notorious for being dry, many (if not all?) central air systems have built-in humidifiers. If that is set too low or is malfunctioning, that can easily cause static electricity problems.

G.

I should have been more specific about it. The only reason I cautioned is because most of the time, people set them wrong and don't even realize it until they start to see the curtains molding!

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I should have been more specific about it. The only reason I cautioned is because most of the time, people set them wrong and don't even realize it until they start to see the curtains molding!

That's what they get for using a preset .

It is kind of like reverb or compression; it is easy to over-do, you're right about that.

According to the info I've read way back when (no, I don't remember where I got it from, somebody correct me if my memory is faulty), typically one wants the summer indoor relative humidity to be around 35-40%. If it's winter time in the Midwest and it starts getting cold out (below 20°F), drop 5% of indoor humidity for every 10° of drop in outside temperature.

G.

 

[Elton Bear]

That's me sold! ...Which laptop?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

The one with a humidifier...??

G.