Noise

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BrandonB

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Noise
« on: Yesterday at 05:42 pm »
OK when I put my ear to my speakers (NX-Otica's and OB subs) when nothing is playing I hear a faint buzz.  I unplugged my source so I its just my amp and preamp I still hear it.  Is this something normal?  Is this the noise from my electric?  Is it possible to remove it completely?  I haven't started upgrading power chords etc.  I don't think that my electricity in my house is that great.  I can't think of any dimmers or the things that cause noise in the electricity but I know in one part of the house which the breaker gets kicked off once in awhile. 

yamaha626

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Re: Noise
« Reply #1 on: Yesterday at 08:06 pm »
A short description of your system would help. Simply because another member who owns, or has owned, the same equipment might have experienced a similar issue. Now having said that, electrical supply would be very near the top of my list of possible causes.

tremrej65

Re: Noise
« Reply #2 on: Yesterday at 08:08 pm »
From the main speaker this is usually coming from the amp. For instance, I hear some noise from my Bryston 3B amp, and absolutely nothing from my F5M amp.
From the OB sub, this is really surprising. I'm no expert, but I would look at noise on the electricity. Try to add a filter on the pre-amp (since this is the source for both, the speaker and the sub).

nlitworld

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Re: Noise
« Reply #3 on: Yesterday at 08:49 pm »
Oh Brandon this is a slippery slope to full nervosa OCD. First off, check to see how your cabling is dressed behind your equipment. Speaker wire separated from interconnects and everything separated from power cables. If they do cross, do so at 90° angle and hopefully still separated a few inches.

Next, if it is mains power related, filters and power conditioners can help. Dc line blockers are helpful too. Check the AVA Humdinger Here as a first check if it's DC on your AC line. Good and cheap starting point.

If the problem still persists, keep us posted and you can address next steps.

Tyson

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Re: Noise
« Reply #4 on: Yesterday at 08:59 pm »
I went down this same path.  Eventually I ended up with a DIY implementation of a Bent Audio inductive based preamp. 

Early B.

Re: Noise
« Reply #5 on: Yesterday at 09:34 pm »
OK when I put my ear to my speakers (NX-Otica's and OB subs) when nothing is playing I hear a faint buzz. 
A faint buzz is nothing to be concerned about.

Huskerbryce

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Re: Noise
« Reply #6 on: Yesterday at 11:03 pm »
I have a pair of NXoticas and OB subs.  I have the exact same issue. A faint buzz at 120 hz.  Some days its more audible than others.  I measured the buzz. Its 120hz hum.  Ive been down the ground loop fix-it quest for months.  Ive tried everything.  Turning off every circuit in the house and unplugging all equipment except amps.  Still there.  I have tried Power cords, an AVA humdinger, three different line conditioners, installing new outlets, swapping the circuits to a different side of the electric panel.  Ive tried grounding the chassis of all the equipment.  Star grounding.  Called the power company.  They think im crazy.  I tried installing 4 new copper grounding rods spaced 8 ft apart.  Nothing works.  I discovered that several light bulbs in my home also buzz at 120hz.  All over the house.  At this point I believe it is coming in from the mains.  I live in an older neighborhood with above ground power lines and transformers on the poles.  I think its likely an aging transformer.  🤷🏼‍♂️.  I have even walked up and down the neighborhood to make sure all the poles have a copper ground wire coming off of them.  Figured someone might have cut the copper off and stole them.  They are all there.   I requested to have the power company send someone out to check the transformer and possibly test my electric with some oscilloscope.  They just roll there eyes and think im hearing things.  Its very faint and I have decided to live with it.

WGH

Re: Noise
« Reply #7 on: Today at 12:14 am »
I can't think of any dimmers or the things that cause noise in the electricity...

Sometimes noise is made by seemingly benign electronics. It took me months to discover the source of a low buzz was a computer monitor plugged into my music server. Even with the monitor and server turned off the buzz was still present. The monitor's switching power supply was dumping noise into the AC line even when turned off.

Gene Hackman in the movie "The Conversation" is the classic example of a person trying to find an electronic gremlin.
https://youtu.be/btXmzToD3W4

BrandonB

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Re: Noise
« Reply #8 on: Today at 03:25 am »
I think I have figured out the problem.  It is a culmination of several  things.  When I unplugged my subs it helped quite the buzz a  bit.  I have my hi-pass filters plugged into my preamp and they are to close to each other creating noise.  Is there something I can wrap around the filter boxes to block the noise?  I also have my amplifier from my subs and my main amp plugged into the same outlet and I also had my router plugged into the same outlet as my other Sub amplifier.  I just need more outlets.  To do it right I may have an electrician come and install some outlets and run some lines straight to the box.  Im not sure if it's my imagination but my system doesn't sound that great in the evening and improves later in the night. I think this may have something to do with the grid in my neighborhood.  I bet it is overworked.     

nlitworld

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Re: Noise
« Reply #9 on: Today at 03:30 am »
Gene Hackman in the movie "The Conversation" is the classic example of a person trying to find an electronic gremlin.
https://youtu.be/btXmzToD3W4

I seem to feel like Michael McKean in Better Call Saul.  :lol:

BrandonB

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Re: Noise
« Reply #10 on: Today at 03:33 am »
I seem to feel like Michael McKean in Better Call Saul.  :lol:
No kidding I will put Tin foil on my head if it helps.....

Huskerbryce

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Re: Noise
« Reply #11 on: Today at 03:46 am »
Before you pay a whole bunch of money to an electrician, just think about one thing. With ground loops, if you have your equipment plugged into multiple different circuits, you can have different ground potentials and actually create more noise than what you solve. The easiest solution is to plug everything into the same circuit.  I ran a dedicated “home run” 20 amp circuit for all my audio electronics.  I kept the lights and charger outlets on another dedicated circuit.  That way the LEDs and chargers and all the other random stuff doesnt touch the audio circuit.

BrandonB

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Re: Noise
« Reply #12 on: Today at 09:02 pm »
Before you pay a whole bunch of money to an electrician, just think about one thing. With ground loops, if you have your equipment plugged into multiple different circuits, you can have different ground potentials and actually create more noise than what you solve. The easiest solution is to plug everything into the same circuit.  I ran a dedicated “home run” 20 amp circuit for all my audio electronics.  I kept the lights and charger outlets on another dedicated circuit.  That way the LEDs and chargers and all the other random stuff doesnt touch the audio circuit.
I understand what you are saying but I thought that running each outlet line to the box was the way to go.  I seen on YouTube video talking about it.  Then I researched what you said.  So what's up.....lol. Is there any information about how to run electricity.   I know I have seen it but don't remember where it is.