AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140

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Wayner

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #80 on: 29 Apr 2015, 11:45 am »
You could have a loose transformer, or loose fasteners holding down the toroidal.

Wayner

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #81 on: 29 Apr 2015, 02:57 pm »
Or you could have extra high line voltage.
Get a little "Kill-a-Watt" meter and see if the noise tracks your line voltage.
(other countries have similar safe line voltage meters)

danielgk

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #82 on: 1 May 2015, 09:09 pm »
Firedog and all

You can run 2 HumDingers in series and eliminate twice as much DC as a single HumDinger.  The downside is that each Humdinger drops a little AC voltage, so the more Humdingers in series the lower your final AC output voltage will be. 

We did run into one situation during testing where 2 Humdingers in series solved the problem and one Humdinger did not.  We were using a hot air gun on low power plugged into the same AC outlet as the amplifier to generate a DC offset on the line.  We decided this was not a real life test and MOST people would never encounter something this bad.  You state that you only hear the problem occasionally, could this be associated with some other tool / appliance being on?


Dan

firedog

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #83 on: 2 May 2015, 10:59 am »
Dan-
The entire DC offset problem for me is apparently coming from outside the walls of my apt. I've tried everything to isolate it to a device of circuit in my apt, but have never succeeded in finding something in my apt. that causes it.

yeldarb

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #84 on: 15 Jul 2015, 01:55 am »
I had a plate amp in a sub humming.  Took it out, and tightened the mounts.  Still hummed.  Took it out again, loosened the bottom mounts and crammed some soft self annealing rubber tape under the lower part of the transformer frame.  Left the bolts loose.  Hum was gone.

NIGHTFALL1970

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #85 on: 15 Aug 2015, 06:19 pm »
I received my AVA HumDinger today.  I had a buzzing in my AVA Fet Valve Preamp.  I hooked up the HumDinger and now it is dead silent!  Well worth it.  Thanks again Frank!

JerryM

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #86 on: 15 Aug 2015, 06:30 pm »
I keep forgetting that I have one of these.  :duh:

I used to get a wildly intermittent DC hum in the Fet Valve Ultra 550. It didn't affect the music, but annoyed the hell out of me when it was happening.

Hasn't happened since I plugged in the Humdinger over two years ago. An awesome, inexpensive product that does exactly what it says it's going to do.

Have fun,

Jerry

ajzepp

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #87 on: 24 Feb 2016, 05:15 am »
It's kinda weird seeing Frank making a product like this lol

JerryM

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #88 on: 24 Feb 2016, 05:21 am »
It's kinda weird seeing Frank making a product like this lol

Why do you think it's weird? :scratch:

It's a great product that does exactly what it says it's going to do. That's kind of an AVA hallmark.

ajzepp

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #89 on: 24 Feb 2016, 06:33 am »
Why do you think it's weird? :scratch:

It's a great product that does exactly what it says it's going to do. That's kind of an AVA hallmark.

Cause I've been around here a while, and my first impression of Frank was someone who was pretty steadfast in believing that power cables and other gadgets to impact the DC outlet was hogwash. I do remember when he participated some blind evals of a power cable, though, so I guess something like this would follow. Just struck me as funny to see he has a product like this now (and I'm sure it's great!)

firedog

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #90 on: 24 Feb 2016, 09:41 am »
This is nothing like the power cables thing, whether you believe in them or not.
The Humdinger deals with an issue of DC offset on the AC line causing hum/vibration of an amp or other device. It can be a real issue - no one denies it.

So the Humdinger deals with a real issue - and it works. Did wonders for my setup.

ajzepp

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #91 on: 24 Feb 2016, 11:11 am »
Cool beans...any benefit for video?

roscoeiii

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #92 on: 24 Feb 2016, 12:14 pm »
Cool beans...any benefit for video?

Any benefit would ONLY occur if there is DC on the line. If I understand correctly...

And even if that is the case, I don't know if there will be an impact on gear without a toroid

avahifi

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #93 on: 26 Feb 2016, 11:33 pm »
Our HumDinger test amplifier is an old stock Dyna ST-120 that has a conventional iron rectangular power transformer.

It is quiet, hum free, and still works well on our normal AC power here.

However when we give it our hum torture test, a electric drill plugged into the same outlet set and run the drill at part power, the old ST-120 hums and vibrates so badly it nearly jumps off the shelf.

Our HumDinger stops this hum completely, making the 120 immune from the DC the drill is putting on the AC power line.

So - - - your power transformer does not have to be a toroid to hum with low level DC on your power line.

An observations regarding this.  Your small signal equipment may benefit from the HumDinger too.  You might need to be close to them to hear the hum, but the waveform that a transformer affected by DC puts out is really really ugly, and a power conditioner that is not specifically designed to block DC won't help this at all.

One client bought two HumDingers to take care of his big mono amps, and then came back and ordered four more, one for each other piece of audio equipment he had in this system.  He told us the HumDingers just made his system sound better.

We don't claim that, but with a HumDinger you will be getting cleaner electricity to your system for sure.

Heck, its only $140 and has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee, better deal than that $500 power cord that did nothing for DC at all.

Frank Van Alstine

edwyun

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #94 on: 2 Mar 2016, 06:01 am »
Interesting.  Is the Humdinger current limited at all?

Lefty052347

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #95 on: 2 Mar 2016, 06:53 am »
10 amp fuse

edwyun

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #96 on: 5 Mar 2016, 03:49 am »
^  Thanks for that.  May need to get them.

avahifi

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #97 on: 5 Mar 2016, 04:56 pm »
Our HumDinger uses a 10 ampere slow blow fuse on its incoming AC line to protect it from adverse loads after its AC outputs.

We have yet to have a customer contact us about blowing its fuse.  This just has not happened.

Frank

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #98 on: 5 Mar 2016, 05:33 pm »
Remember that a fuse only limits current by blowing. So way more than 10 Amps may flow for a fraction of a second. For instance an old fashion incandescent light bulb draws 10 times it's rated current when it turns on.

srb

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« Reply #99 on: 5 Mar 2016, 06:23 pm »
Typical ratings for Littlefuse® 3AG Slo-Blo® in 10mA to 15A sizes:

% Amp Rating     Opening Time
100%                    4 hours, Minimum
135%                    1 hour, Maximum
200%                    5 seconds, Minimum / 30 seconds, Maximum