[F-100]

While I was playing around with my setup last night, I unintentionally placed the interconnect cables next to the power cord and the speakers started to hum very loud. I quickly separated them apart and the hum went away. Is this normal or do I have ground loop problem?

[Rich Carlson]

That's not unusual -- I believe it is called "induced noise." I'm sure someone can give you a more technical explanation than I can. There's an interesting discussion on the Blue Jeans Cable web site at http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/humrejection.htm

This is why you often read advice to keep signal and power cables apart, or to cross them at 90 degree angles when they must cross.  As long as separating the cables eliminates the hum, you've got nothing to worry about.  Cables do differ in their susceptibility to hum, presumably due to differences in shielding.

[F-100]

Rich,
  Thanks for the info. That is the same answer I got from other forums.

[ted_b]

You got very lucky to find that the problem was induced from the cables.  Many humming problems, especially ground loop hum, are very difficult and time consuming to locate and remedy.  You did good!

ted_b