Wharfe's Humming for a while at Start up???

  • Thread starter Thread starter WERNER 1
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WERNER 1

WERNER 1

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Hey guys, I've noticed that my Wharfedale 8.2s'a have been "Humming" for a while after I start my PC up, and then it goes away after a while. Well now they seem to be humming all the time, but I'm not sure it's in the speaker or in the Hardware/software/PC..??

Any suggestions???

When I unplug the input cables to the speakers the sound quits, so I'm guessing that it's not the speakers.

I should be running TRS cables for the imputs, but I've not got around to getting them yet. I'm currently using some 1/4" speaker cables.

HELP!!! :mad:

Rick
 
Maybe try some regular unbalanced (or balanced, I suppose, whichever you want) cable as opposed to speaker cable. I know that you're not supposed to use regular cables for speaker cables, (for obvious reasons!), but maybe the reverse is true also????? :confused:

Just an idea that popped into my head while I was reading.
 
overboard! :eek:

Man there's a lot of info in there!

I didn't have a lot of time to mess with it last night, but I think it's coming from my Delta somewhere. When I shut down the PC, which the Delta is powered up with, the hum goes away (The speakers are still on at this point)

It does sound like a ground loop, but I'm not sure I'm technical enough, or at least have enough time to sit down and read through and decifer all of the info in the links.....although I like the trouble shooting guide.

If anybody has some "Quick fix" suggestions, I'd really like that. :) :o .......like Turn the plug around stupid! or something.

I don't know if it's the cables, but I do know when I touch the jack housing of the cables I'm using now, there is no change in the sound/hum. Like with a guitar amp grounding issue, if you touch any part of the guitar that is connected to the circuit, the hum stops (Strings, bridge, .....)

Thanks,
Rick
 
Plug the speakers into the same outlet as the computer, and get rid of the speaker cables, first of all. You don't need to get balanced cables maybe, but using speaker cables is asking for hum.
 
The speakers are plugged into the a 6 outlet/surge/powerconditioner that the PC is...........along with everything else that I've got there (a couple of phones, fax, printer, monitor.....)

I tried using just a regular guitar patch cable, but still no change in the sound.

Thanks,
Rick
 
Buy some of those 3 prong plug to two prong plugs that you use when an outlet does not have a ground. Start by just using them on your monitor power cords. of that does not solve the problem use it on the power supply plug.
 
Monitor - It's a flat pannel monitor, so I don't think it's interfiering......but I'll check..

Plug Adapt. - I'll pick up a few of those today and try it out.

Rick

PS - Deep - Good to see you posting!! :)
 
I assume, your PC didn't have the problem previously. (you plug in pc speakers no issue?)..so its OK. Soundcard is not it.

Don't assume becasue there is no HUM with no input into the Wharfs your ok...a bad amplifier won't sound bad until it has a signal to amplify.

have you tried plugging in a simple CD player (battery operated?)
or cassette deck or something else into the Wharfs?
IF OK, the Wharfs pass.

then your sure, your in ground loop hell.
it's got to be your cables tieing the two together then.
not that ground loops are always easy!

we've had equipment that required frkn green ground loops going to everything, chasis, electronmic pieces etc.....and the tool 3ft away is fine.!
crazy man. also I would NOT recommend using those little gray plug connectors...maybe for troubleshooting at most. Read the Jensen links, they even have a picture of those and a warning.

good luck.
 
deepwater said:
Buy some of those 3 prong plug to two prong plugs that you use when an outlet does not have a ground. Start by just using them on your monitor power cords. of that does not solve the problem use it on the power supply plug.
Click to expand...

That is really bad advice. Lifting the safety ground is never the right solution.

WERNER, a couple of balanced cables with the shield lifted at one end may do the trick.
 
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Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions thus far!!!

I've been so swamped with work that I've not had time to mess with the Hum situation......I did order some cables though (It'll be like 2 weeks before they get here though. :( )

I'm going to try the ground buster plug adaptor thingy this weekend just as a test. Plus I'll hook up a CD player or something to the speakers to see if I can eliminate them from the equation.

Thanks again!!!

Rick
 
i asked a friend of mine, he was very adamant, agreeing with easychair... never do it.

he said the same thing... try working with the cable between the two units. even a chasis to chasis ground.(wire touching one unit the other end touching the chasis/skin of the other unit).

i'd still say plug something else into your Wharfs (unplugged from the pc)... this shouldn't take but a second or two. this will partition the problem in a major way. and you can feel good that its not the Wharfs.

just do it man, gearheads around the world want to know... :D

heheee...good luck Werner1.
 
OK, I snuck home at lunch with a 3-->2 prong ground buster addaptor I found at work. I had the volume down on the monitors so the hum wouldn't bother me while I wasn't listening to music (I leave them on all the time :o)

So I turn one off, insert the ground adaptor, plug the monitor back in, turn it on, and wha-Lah...no hum. So then I reach for the volume on the other monitor and turn it up.......no hum either!! :confused:

So then I power the one with the ground adaptor down, remove the adaptor, plug it back in, and still no hum from either one?? Crystal clear even at Max Volume.

So I played some music through them just to make sure that they wern't broke or something.......everything worked fine and as it should.

So now what??? The worst problems are the ones that are intermitant! :mad:

Rick
 
That makes me think two things- the source of your hum is external, perhaps, or maybe there was a dirty/tarnished contact on one of your AC cables or power strip. Keep us posted.
 
I had an unidentified hum for a while - I eventually figured out it was coming from my external USB hard drive - turned it off, and the hum was gone!
 
WERNER 1 said:
So now what??? The worst problems are the ones that are intermitant! :mad:

Rick
Click to expand...

whats next?
add: Leave 'em on for a long time. I left my 2488 on for 2-3 days during the 30day testdrive.
i don't know, its an interesting gearhead thread tho...HMMM.


crazy. you should be happy!
doesn't appear to be the Wharfs or the PC, its the crazy ground loop thing. this is good.

troubleshooting, and you may never see the problem again! or maybe on May 10th 2008 at 3pm??

esd discharge? cap discharge.. damn electrons and sht! :D
a million "could be" scenarios...

maybe you'll get lucky and can find the "root cause"...
taking very detailed notes on exactly what you did or touched can help.
power up down sequence??

some would say "who gives a sht! they work!!...the hums gone!"
 
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if it comes and goes it could be something as simple as a refrigerator compressor kicking in if it is on the same wiring ring as your monitors.
 
I got home last night and ran down to check the status of the hum....

At first listen I though it was still gone......but I only had the volume up 1/4 way on the speakers.

Turns out it was still there but about 1/2 as much as it was before. :confused:

Dang electronics!!! :D

Rick
 
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