What the BUZZ? Electrical Problem?

[BPRecords]

I had to change the question because further testing isolated the problem.

Here is the problem:

I have my guitar to my processor to my amp (just the amp no speakers) to the computer.

Whenever the cord to the line in on PC has any path to the amp, weather the amp is off or on - I get a buzz.

And I just realized that the buzz only occurs whent he AMP IS PLUGGED IN TO THE WALL - if it is off but plugged in I get the buzz, and but if it NOT plugged in no buzz.

So what is this? An electrical problem?

 

[BPRecords]

Also - when my amp is on I get a radio station coming through it in real low volume.

So is the problem the electricity? I don't have another place to plug the amp in and test!

 

[Toad Rush]

The radio station is due to unshielded cables.

The buzz could very well be from your soundcard. I'm not an electrician by any stretch of the word so hopefully someone that knows more will post.

 

[BPRecords]

The radio station is due to unshielded cables.

The buzz could very well be from your soundcard. I'm not an electrician by any stretch of the word so hopefully someone that knows more will post.

How could the buzz be from the soundcard when the plugged and unplugged differs?

Lemme try it without PC speakers and just headphones.........


Explain unshielded cables - are these cables in my house or in the walls or outside>

 

[Toad Rush]

The cables that run from your guitar to your processor, to your amp, to your computer.

What kind of soundcard do you have? Check your other posts i posted something in there. If you have a soundblaster or another soundcard they generate ALOT of buzz from recording. Due to:
A. Crappy quality
B. they tend to conflict alot with certain motherboards.

 

[BPRecords]

the buzz occurs when i have

plugged in amp

to

cord to PC

to

mobo soundcard

to

PC

and it doesn't occur when I have

plugged in amp

to

headphones

so it could be

1. cord to PC

2. soundcard

hmmmm

 

[Toad Rush]

the buzz is from the soundcard 100% my friend(unless you have crappy cables then it comes form there too.). Please check your other threads i gave ya some recommendations. The soundblasters and even more so Motherboard cards are really low quality when it comes to recording.

 

[BPRecords]

the buzz is from the soundcard 100% my friend(unless you have crappy cables then it comes form there too.). Please check your other threads i gave ya some recommendations. The soundblasters and even more so Motherboard cards are really low quality when it comes to recording.

Ok - so do you know anything about what's occuring? Why is it that when the amp is plugged in even if it's OFF that is happens?

I mean I do tons of recording with the mobo soundcard and the sound is great wiuthout the amp.

And the radio station has something to do wtih the amp being plugged in as well - so this must be simiiliar and yet the headphones don't pick it up like the PC - so perhaps

it is the amp's probably that the mobo can't deal with?

 

[Toad Rush]

From my experience with my soundblaster when i went into soundforge and hit the record button the Green signal meter would be up 1/4 of the way, the soundblaster generated it's OWN noise. With my Delta 44 i don't even SEE green til i plug something in and even then i usually have to hit a string (with guitar) to get the signal up. So i would expect that's why you hear it when the amp is off.

I guess that really doesn't explain the plugged in problem though. So you get no buzzing sound when it's not plugged in... even if the amp is off? But when it IS plugged in you get buzzing?That makes no sense to me. If the amp is off no matter if it's plugged in or not it's not sending ANY signal to that soundcard either way.

My brother has the radio station problem, i was listening to him play one time and lo and behold out comes hendrix. I was amazed at first but soon realized =P. I asked my friend about it and he told me it was due to unshielded cables, i'm sure someone on here can tell you how to shield them. I'm not sure myself as i don't have this problem.

Synopsis?: I think the radio station is from an unshielded cable that is running from your amp to your soundcard.

The only thing i can think of about the buzzing is your soundcardm, or perhaps even the cable. Try a different cable between your amp and soundcard.

 

[BPRecords]

Ok, regarding the radio station.

All I do is plug my amp into the wall and the station comes throught the AMP, not my computer.

So I know the station thing is either caused by my amp or the power system in the apt.


But for the buzzing (which occurs through the monitors) I have isolated it down so it can either be this one wire (which I am trying to find a substitute) or it can be something in my computer.

And yet it's still a function of the plugged in amp - if amp is plugged into wall I get buzz, doesn't matter if it's on or off.

Which would lead my to believe the power in the cord is reaching the amp (even if it's off) and it is somehow bouncing through some conductor int he amp to the cord I plug in.

And yet if I plug a pair of headphones right into the plug where I can get the buzz - I don't get it.

So it's like it needs to be plugged in AND running through the mobo or this one cable.

Suck when two variables are involved - hard to test!

My dad spoke to an elecrician about the radio thing - he said it could be something in the power system of the apartment or in improper grounding someonwhere outside .... (of course could be in my amp.

I have not been able to plug amp in somewhere else to test it in another power zone - but right now I am concerns about the buzzing until I mic my amp - which I won't do if I can't get rid of the station!....


Ok i am still working on process of elimination here!

From my experience with my soundblaster when i went into soundforge and hit the record button the Green signal meter would be up 1/4 of the way, the soundblaster generated it's OWN noise. With my Delta 44 i don't even SEE green til i plug something in and even then i usually have to hit a string (with guitar) to get the signal up. So i would expect that's why you hear it when the amp is off.

I guess that really doesn't explain the plugged in problem though. So you get no buzzing sound when it's not plugged in... even if the amp is off? But when it IS plugged in you get buzzing?That makes no sense to me. If the amp is off no matter if it's plugged in or not it's not sending ANY signal to that soundcard either way.

My brother has the radio station problem, i was listening to him play one time and lo and behold out comes hendrix. I was amazed at first but soon realized =P. I asked my friend about it and he told me it was due to unshielded cables, i'm sure someone on here can tell you how to shield them. I'm not sure myself as i don't have this problem.

Synopsis?: I think the radio station is from an unshielded cable that is running from your amp to your soundcard.

The only thing i can think of about the buzzing is your soundcardm, or perhaps even the cable. Try a different cable between your amp and soundcard.

 

[Toad Rush]

Hah, I think you've just answered your own question. If it's not the problems that i've stated then in most surely is a problem with the electricity. Since i've never had any experience with this type of thing i can't really give you any answers. I hope someone else who knows whats what can stop in here and help.

 

[HangDawg]

I wouldn't worry about it Toad, I'm sure that the doctor can hire a good electrician to come straighten out his noisy electrical problem. Probably nothing that a really expensive isolation transformer can't handle. Shouldn't be much of a problem for our doctor friend here.



























Piss ant

 

[riley357]

Your DAD spoke to an electrician?

Maybe YOU should talk to an electrician.

Get a plug tester or VOM and make sure your outlet is grounded properly to begin with.

With the power off you can test the resistence of the ground. Should be a few ohms.

With the circuit energized you test for ground by testing voltage from hot to neutral (120v) and hot-ground (120v).

A plug tester can be had for about $15US. It will tell you if your plug is wired properly, has a decent ground, etc.

Also, you want your amp on the same circuit with your computer. If that's not possible then you want your amp and all your gear on the same PHASE as your computer is on.

Next thing is turn off refridgerators and HVAC units when tracking. That will help reduce line noise, and ambient noise in your house.

But I think the problem is in your amp.

 

[HangDawg]

No, here's how you check it. With the power on, stick your little needle dick in one slot, and your forked tongue in the other. Let me know how you make out.




























Piss ant

 

[Track Rat]

Sounds like a ground loop to me. Plug everything into the same power strip.