Humming DP-01

  • Thread starter Thread starter dalematt
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dalematt

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If I plug in my synth or guitar (with the switch in the proper place), I get a humming sound, even with the volume of the instrument turned way down. This humming transfers to the computer.

If I turn down the Master Volume slide, the humming disappears, but so does the sound of my synth or guitar.

I'm a newbie (and old, too), so I would appreciate any answers, suggestions, etc. to be simply worded.:)

Thanks,
Dale
 
first you have to look at the obvious. are you sure the switch is in the right place? guitar should be on guitar, and the synth should be on mic/line.
 
Yep, absolutely positive that the switch is in the proper position.
 
then you probably need a technician though you probably could have figured that out yourself. maybe someone here will know the cause.
 
Dale,

It could possibly be a grounding issue.

Are you using the same cable for the synth and the guitar? If so, it could be the cable that has a bad ground.

Also, try the second input, just to see if the hum occurs there.

C.
 
Cosmic.

I use a different cable for each instrument. Both work well in the respective amps.

I plugged each into the second input of teh DP-01 and got humming there as well.

I have a keyboard and tried its cable. No humming. But, I can't use it with the synth because the keyboard uses RCA plugs with an adapter at one end to plug into a 1/4" (such as the amp).

I'll go to our local music store and see about borrowing cables to test your idea. So as not to look like a complete fool, is there any special type of cable that would be better than any other? I really am a newbie and know very little, as you can probably tell.

Dale
 
Okay. I've got it working. I went to the local music store, told him my problem. He had 3 solutions, none of which I fully understood what he was saying or meant. However, the first solution worked. The solution was putting 2 different cables together and one of them was supposed to be able to balance (I have no idea what that's about, but it works).

I guess my approach to this is simple. If it works, I don't have to understand how. It's just like a car - if it goes, I don't have to understand the mechanics. Specialists know.:)

Dale
 
Great stuff. Details on the connection cables and the connection itself?
 
My problem is that the synth, guitar, and DP-01 are all 1/4".

So, the local music store guy had a solution (that he rents out and lent me to see if it helped) that I am now going to have to buy.

Out of the synth is a "line transformer" 1/4" male to "XLR" female that changes the signal from high impedence (line level) to low impedence/balanced.

This connects to the second cable which goes into the DP-01. That second cable is a short 1/4" male mono into the DP-01 to a female "XLR".

It's the "XLR" that connects the 2 cables.

The short cable (XLR at one end and 1/4" male at the other end) is being custom made as, apparently, no one makes them.

So, in diagram form, it is this:

Synth male________________________________________female XLR female__male DP-01

I'm not a technician, so I got the music store guy to explain it to me. I hope this helps.

Dale
 
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