Ground Hum & Ground Loop Isolators

[VinnAY]

Originally Posted by repete66211

I've isolated the problem. The buzzing does not occur while watching stereo or surround sound [HD cable] TV. It only buzzes, and then only faintly, when the audio source is a movie on the PS3. Strange.

Cut off the roundy part of the power cord where it plugs into the wall/surge protector. Google "PS3 ground loop" and you'll find that that's the accepted cure for PS3 induced ground loops. Be warned that some folks will go "OMG you'll burn your house down" and others pay no mind to any percieved problem form floating the ground.
The stuff I've read on it was from Electricians and so forth, I've had mine configured that way for a year without incident.

The ground problem eminates from the PS3 having a grounded plug when none of the other electronics have that 3 prong style cord, they're all 2 prong. Hence a difference in grounding and the hum is induced at that point. In laymans terms.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by VinnAY

Cut off the roundy part of the power cord where it plugs into the wall/surge protector. Google "PS3 ground loop" and you'll find that that's the accepted cure for PS3 induced ground loops. Be warned that some folks will go "OMG you'll burn your house down" and others pay no mind to any percieved problem form floating the ground.
The stuff I've read on it was from Electricians and so forth, I've had mine configured that way for a year without incident.

The ground problem eminates from the PS3 having a grounded plug when none of the other electronics have that 3 prong style cord, they're all 2 prong. Hence a difference in grounding and the hum is induced at that point. In laymans terms.

Thanks for the scoop! I'll see if a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter solves the problem.

P.S. Mods, sorry for the hijacking. Feel free to (re)move this.

[arrt vandelay]

i have just resolved my ground loop issue with a wonderful product from ebtech...the humx works beautifully! i had a very annoying hum with my new eD a2-300 sub, a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter worked as well, but is not safe. i can highly recommend the humx!

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by arrt vandelay

i have just resolved my ground loop issue with a wonderful product from ebtech...the humx works beautifully! i had a very annoying hum with my new eD a2-300 sub, a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter worked as well, but is not safe. i can highly recommend the humx!

Ebtech HumX is one of the products I recommended in Post #1. The market price is around $60.

[FreddieFerric]

I need some help. I just connected an outboard tube pre-amp to my audio system. The instructions that came with the pre indicates that to some extent all tubes produce some degree of hum. I connected the turntable ground wire to the ground post on my panamax and in that setup it hummed quite loudly. I next connected the ground wire to my Marantz amp's ground post. The hum was much diminished, but still quite noticeable. Last, I connected the ground wire to the ground post on the preamp itself. It is now much quieter, but still produces audible hum. I notice that the hum goes up or down as I adjust the gain. I have never owned a tube preamp. Is this something that I'm just going to have to get used to, or is there something that I can do to virtually eliminate it? The power supply is a DC wall wart. I have plugged it both directly into the wall socket and also into the panamax. The hum seems to be pretty consistent in either socket.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by BluRayFred

I need some help. I just connected an outboard tube pre-amp to my audio system. The instructions that came with the pre indicates that to some extent all tubes produce some degree of hum. I connected the turntable ground wire to the ground post on my panamax and in that setup it hummed quite loudly. I next connected the ground wire to my Marantz amp's ground post. The hum was much diminished, but still quite noticeable. Last, I connected the ground wire to the ground post on the preamp itself. It is now much quieter, but still produces audible hum. I notice that the hum goes up or down as I adjust the gain. I have never owned a tube preamp. Is this something that I'm just going to have to get used to, or is there something that I can do to virtually eliminate it? The power supply is a DC wall wart. I have plugged it both directly into the wall socket and also into the panamax. The hum seems to be pretty consistent in either socket.

Have you tried connecting the tube preamp to another input? Try it and see. Separate all wires and cables from each other. If you have tried all possibilities and the hum is still there, your last option is to buy a hum eliminator. Check Post #1.

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Have you tried connecting the tube preamp to another input? Try it and see. Separate all wires and cables from each other. If you have tried all possibilities and the hum is still there, your last option is to buy a hum eliminator. Check Post #1.

BD, I'll give your suggestions a try as soon as the solid core IC's arrive in the next few days.

[mdabb]

Originally Posted by BluRayFred

I need some help. I just connected an outboard tube pre-amp to my audio system. The instructions that came with the pre indicates that to some extent all tubes produce some degree of hum. I connected the turntable ground wire to the ground post on my panamax and in that setup it hummed quite loudly. I next connected the ground wire to my Marantz amp's ground post. The hum was much diminished, but still quite noticeable. Last, I connected the ground wire to the ground post on the preamp itself. It is now much quieter, but still produces audible hum. I notice that the hum goes up or down as I adjust the gain. I have never owned a tube preamp. Is this something that I'm just going to have to get used to, or is there something that I can do to virtually eliminate it? The power supply is a DC wall wart. I have plugged it both directly into the wall socket and also into the panamax. The hum seems to be pretty consistent in either socket.

What tube preamp we talking about and what tubes ??? Current tubes could be microphonic or you might have other simple issues that can be solved with better shielded cables.

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by mdabb

What tube preamp we talking about and what tubes ??? Current tubes could be microphonic or you might have other simple issues that can be solved with better shielded cables.

It's a Bellari VP 130. Has a single 12AX7 tube in the output stage. I'm not sure who the tube manufacturer is as I cannot see any identification on the portion of the tube that juts out from the chassis. Currently I am using a fairly inexpensive set of Audioquest G-Snake IC's that connect from the pre-amp to one of the AUX inputs on my Marantz Amp. The input IC's are hard wired to the Technic 1210 Mk. V and are stock.

I do have on order a pair of Valab solid core silver IC's that I had intended to use at the output on the preamp.

This is my first tube component (as an adult). I'm beginning to suspect that there is an inherent hiss/hum in tubes. I'm already beginning to affectionately refer to it as it's electronic heartbeat. Still, silence is golden. Hence my query.

Otherwise, this little phono-stage has a very sweet sound to it.

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by BluRayFred

I need some help. I just connected an outboard tube pre-amp to my audio system. The instructions that came with the pre indicates that to some extent all tubes produce some degree of hum. I connected the turntable ground wire to the ground post on my panamax and in that setup it hummed quite loudly. I next connected the ground wire to my Marantz amp's ground post. The hum was much diminished, but still quite noticeable. Last, I connected the ground wire to the ground post on the preamp itself. It is now much quieter, but still produces audible hum. I notice that the hum goes up or down as I adjust the gain. I have never owned a tube preamp. Is this something that I'm just going to have to get used to, or is there something that I can do to virtually eliminate it? The power supply is a DC wall wart. I have plugged it both directly into the wall socket and also into the panamax. The hum seems to be pretty consistent in either socket.

Hi Fred,

You may also want to look into some of these Herbies Tube Dampers, they help to reduce hum and microphonics from the tubes and improve the sound:

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/tube.htm

Rich

[mdabb]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

Hi Fred,

You may also want to look into some of these Herbies Tube Dampers, they help to reduce hum and microphonics from the tubes and improve the sound:

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/tube.htm

Rich

The effect they have are "very" minimal.

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

Hi Fred,

You may also want to look into some of these Herbies Tube Dampers, they help to reduce hum and microphonics from the tubes and improve the sound:

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/tube.htm

Rich

Thanks Rich. I'll look into to this. Even if I do replace the tube I don't see how adding a damper could hurt the setup. BTW, why did you get out of using tube equipment.