Hi,
I'm getting a loud hum from when using the Tascam US-200 on the INST input. I'd really appreciate some comments or experience.
I'm connecting my electric guitar (passive pickups) directly to the Tascam US-200 on the INST input (High Z). The US-200 is connected via USB to my Dell laptop. I'm running TH2 by Overloud as my guitar amp simulator. I used headphones direct from the US-200 to listen to the guitar. No external powered speakers are used.
I get a loud humming noise when the following situations occur.
1) When external power supply of my laptop is connected and the wall power switch is turned on. (I live in Asia where there is a switch on the wall power plug to turn the circuit on.
2) When the external power supply of my laptop is connected and the wall power switch is NOT turned on and the laptop is running on batteries
The noise is there as long as I connect the guitar cable to Input 1 at Instrument level, regardless whether I connect my guitar to the other end of the guitar cable. It doesn't go away even lifting the ground or changing to another wall outlet.
The noise disappears when:
1) As above but I disconnect the guitar cable FROM INPUT 1 and laptop is still connected to the external power or powered from AC.
2) I disconnect the power supply and run the laptop on batteries.
2) When I change the impedance of Input 1 (Where i connect my guitar) from Instrument to Line and have a cable inserted in Input 1. No guitar connected.
4) When I connect a cable to Input 2 (Line). No guitar connected to the cable.
I can play music without any hum through the US-200 as long as no cable connected to Input 1 set at Instrument level. I seems that noise happens only when a cable is connected to Input 1 set at Instrument level AND when the power cable is connected.
I'm guessing it's one of these issues:
1) Ground loop issue: The only piece of equipment that needs power is the laptop. All is fine if the power cable is disconnected
2) The Tascam US-200 High Z input issue: There is no noise/hum if I do not connect any cable w/o guitar to the input set to High Z, even with the power supply connect. I can listen to music playback from the Tascam with power supply connected. So it's not a grounding issue then?
3) The power brick of the laptop? I read that the small PSU of laptops are problematic. If so, would that mean that I'd not have this issue if running through a desktop PC?
Would a passive/active DI or running a setup like guitar->TRS-> preamp/DI-> balanced XLR-> Tascam-> laptop be ok? I'm thinking of getting a dedicated PC/laptop for home recording but I'd like to know where the issue lies first.
Apologize for the long post. Thanks in advanced!
Chua
I'm getting a loud hum from when using the Tascam US-200 on the INST input. I'd really appreciate some comments or experience.
I'm connecting my electric guitar (passive pickups) directly to the Tascam US-200 on the INST input (High Z). The US-200 is connected via USB to my Dell laptop. I'm running TH2 by Overloud as my guitar amp simulator. I used headphones direct from the US-200 to listen to the guitar. No external powered speakers are used.
I get a loud humming noise when the following situations occur.
1) When external power supply of my laptop is connected and the wall power switch is turned on. (I live in Asia where there is a switch on the wall power plug to turn the circuit on.
2) When the external power supply of my laptop is connected and the wall power switch is NOT turned on and the laptop is running on batteries
The noise is there as long as I connect the guitar cable to Input 1 at Instrument level, regardless whether I connect my guitar to the other end of the guitar cable. It doesn't go away even lifting the ground or changing to another wall outlet.
The noise disappears when:
1) As above but I disconnect the guitar cable FROM INPUT 1 and laptop is still connected to the external power or powered from AC.
2) I disconnect the power supply and run the laptop on batteries.
2) When I change the impedance of Input 1 (Where i connect my guitar) from Instrument to Line and have a cable inserted in Input 1. No guitar connected.
4) When I connect a cable to Input 2 (Line). No guitar connected to the cable.
I can play music without any hum through the US-200 as long as no cable connected to Input 1 set at Instrument level. I seems that noise happens only when a cable is connected to Input 1 set at Instrument level AND when the power cable is connected.
I'm guessing it's one of these issues:
1) Ground loop issue: The only piece of equipment that needs power is the laptop. All is fine if the power cable is disconnected
2) The Tascam US-200 High Z input issue: There is no noise/hum if I do not connect any cable w/o guitar to the input set to High Z, even with the power supply connect. I can listen to music playback from the Tascam with power supply connected. So it's not a grounding issue then?
3) The power brick of the laptop? I read that the small PSU of laptops are problematic. If so, would that mean that I'd not have this issue if running through a desktop PC?
Would a passive/active DI or running a setup like guitar->TRS-> preamp/DI-> balanced XLR-> Tascam-> laptop be ok? I'm thinking of getting a dedicated PC/laptop for home recording but I'd like to know where the issue lies first.
Apologize for the long post. Thanks in advanced!
Chua