Computer causing noise in preamps

  • Thread starter Thread starter NL5
  • Start date Start date
NL5

NL5

Unpossible!
I started getting a noticeably higher noise floor in my gear the last couple months, so I started to think about what gear I have changed. I didn't change any gear, but then I remembered that I changed my computer at about that time. Has anyone encountered this? I went from a tower to a rack mount case, but they were both in the same location. i do have the top off the rackmount case right now - would that block some of the noise maybe?

Any help is appreciated.
 
NL5 said:
i do have the top off the rackmount case right now - would that block some of the noise maybe?
Click to expand...

That would be my first guess. Did you leave the top off for cooling purposes?

...that also makes me wonder if a fan might be generating some interference but after some Googling I can't find anything except articles on taming the audible noise fans can create.

I shielded my pickup cavity in my guitar with copper tape and it worked very well, I wonder if shielding and grounding the interior of a PC case with some copper tape or sheets from the art store might help?
 
I had a Presonus compressor for a short while that drove my dbx 386 crazy. I had to keep it 8 or so rack spaces away to stop the buzzing. The compressor turns out to have had a small, uncorrectable 60hz hum, so I returned it. The two could very well've been related.

Perhaps your new machine has a bigger/less shielded power supply. Can you identify a particular piece of gear that is now noisier with the computer on? If so, perhaps rearranging your rack will help.
 
Whale Bone said:
I had a Presonus compressor for a short while that drove my dbx 386 crazy. I had to keep it 8 or so rack spaces away to stop the buzzing. The compressor turns out to have had a small, uncorrectable 60hz hum, so I returned it. The two could very well've been related.

Perhaps your new machine has a bigger/less shielded power supply. Can you identify a particular piece of gear that is now noisier with the computer on? If so, perhaps rearranging your rack will help.
Click to expand...

The worst offenders are my tube gear - Fearn VT-2 and Manley Vari-Mu. The computer is on the floor, and the rack is almost 3 feet off the floor. There is a good 3 feet to the Fearn, and about 4 to the Manley. I'm not completely sure it's the computer, or if I never noticed before, or if it's something else. I am going to put the top back on and see if that changes anything later today.

Thanks for the replies!
 
it could be your mobile phone if you have one in the studio

copper or aluminium will stop interference copper is better but more expensive do you have an old aluminium case if so take off a side pannel and keep moving it around on top of the pc case. see if that stops it.
 
The most likely culprit is the power supply. Are you using a conditioner/filter and if so, are you running the comp off the same one? You may want to try isolating the power sources and seeing if that makes a difference. If so, I'd say replace the power supply and see what difference that makes. You could also try Speedfan and check the voltages (though I've noticed that it sometimes has some funky readings. Might want to check with BIOS hardware monitor too)
 
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