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| Thread ID: 66405 | 2006-02-21 19:48:00 | Speaker hum | mejobloggs (264) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 433585 | 2006-02-21 19:48:00 | Not sure if this is anything to be worried about or what. I recently upgraded my $20 speakers to some $150 Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers. I notice now that the speakers sit there humming and outputting a 'static' noise when they are not in use. It isn't very loud, but loud enough for me to get annoyed, and turn my speakers off whenever they are not in use. Is this normal speaker behavior? Can it be stopped without having to turn my speakers off? |
mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 433586 | 2006-02-21 19:56:00 | Make sure they aren't near anything that causes interference. Don't have them turned full up - that is, with the speaker control knobs. | pctek (84) | ||
| 433587 | 2006-02-21 19:58:00 | On-board sound cards are sometimes to blame for that! Get a separate PCI sound card | SolMiester (139) | ||
| 433588 | 2006-02-21 20:41:00 | Some simple tests will help identify the source of the interference. Assuming that they are self-powered speakers with their own amplifiers and power cord, you can eliminate them as a suspect by simply turning off your computer and monitor, and seeing if they become silent. There should be no output, even with the volume control up full. If the noises are still present, take the speakers to another location in your house and try again. If they are still noisy they may have a fault. If they are silent, you have to look for other causes. Next, turn on your computer but disconnect the power from your monitor. If the noise appears then you may have an earthing problem on your computer, either a faulty mains cord or a faulty earth in the power outlet. As before, try elsewhere in the house to prove the point, or run in an extension cord to save moving everything. If the noise is not there with the monitor off, but reappears when you turn it on, it is induction into the cables or directly into the speaker amps. Make sure that the speakers are well away from the monitor and that their input cables are not bundled up with monitor cables or other power leads. A further possibility is an earth loop in the power wiring. This can be eliminated by plugging computer and speakers into the same power outlet (via a double adapter or multiway box if you only have single outlets available). If none of these options help, you may have to try them on another computer to eliminate the possibility of a soundcard fault. It could also be as simple as a worn output jack on your sound card, or something else plugged into an input jack (such as a muted microphone). Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 433589 | 2006-02-21 20:59:00 | Good post Billy! | SolMiester (139) | ||
| 433590 | 2006-02-21 21:58:00 | Yeah brilliant, thanks. Will try that when I get home. Also, another thing I notice, I have a lamp connected on the next plug, and when I turn the lamp on and off, the speakers make a small noise. |
mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 433591 | 2006-02-21 22:21:00 | Great posts. May I add that if you try putting the lyric sheets in front of the speakers they won't have to hum anymore either .... |
netchicken (4843) | ||
| 433592 | 2006-02-21 22:24:00 | lol, ok. Do I need to plug a webcam in so that they can read the lyrics? Or is just the presence of the lyrics enough? | mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 433593 | 2006-02-21 22:29:00 | Also, another thing I notice, I have a lamp connected on the next plug, and when I turn the lamp on and off, the speakers make a small noise . That is switching impulse noise and is quite normal . Also, on reflection, for $150 the speakers operating alone may not be 100% silent, but at most there should be no more than a very faint hiss or almost inaudible hum . Don't touch the input plug during that test, as your fingers will inject hum and noise signals that may be strong enough to damage the speakers . If not 100% sure about the results, turn the speakers off and wind some fuse wire (or a small strip of aluminium foil) aound the input plug so that all three segments are shorted together . This will ground the inputs and ensure that no stray pick-up takes place, then turn them on and try again . Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 433594 | 2006-02-21 22:48:00 | my 2 cents worth I find that some sound cards generate noise from unused inputs, you can fix this by muting them in the mixer or reducing volume to a minimum, you could also try muting ones you do use just to see if they are causing noise. Also if the soundcard doesn't properly terminate the speaker input when the pc is off you may get some noise, but just turn them off. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
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