Hum through my moniters and how to stop it.

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My powered moniters are picking up radio frequencies and it's driving me nuts. When i place my palm on the metal back of the moniter, the radio frequencies can't be heard. Of course I can't stand there with my hand on the back of the moniter so how do i resolve this issue? Any quick fixes?

― biz, Sunday, 16 October 2005 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Sounds like you have a bad earth somewhere.

― NIall, Sunday, 16 October 2005 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Are the plugged into the same outlet as your audio source?

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Sunday, 16 October 2005 17:48 (nineteen years ago)

hey I've got this same problem (I'm a couple blocks away from a radio transmitter).
I've also got crazy static discharge, which has totally knocked out my audio interface/tv/firewire ports on my computer (and caused a lot of sparking).

I've heard that generous use of ferrite cores can help with the RF interference problem though. When I was looking for answers, someone pointed me towards this: http://www.palomar-engineers.com/RFI_Kit/rfi_kit.html but I haven't gotten it yet. I did pick up some ferrite cores at radio shack, and I've had limited success with them. Problem for me is that I've simply got too much stuff to isolate everything (like every piece of electronics, cable, every synth, mic, power supple, phone line etc... everything in my apartment picks up interference and goes nuts).

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Sunday, 16 October 2005 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

I live very near 3 huge radio towers on Capitol Hill. I know i'm going to get some interference but i can listen to NPR without tuning in a radio through my speakers. The one that makes the most noise is plugged into an outlet with 1 other light plugged in and unplugging the light doesn't effect the hum. When I place my hand on the speaker, the radio is completly silenced. I thought something easy could be done. I'll take a look at the ferrite cores but they sound scary.

― biz, Sunday, 16 October 2005 22:57 (nineteen years ago)

what if you put something hand shaped on it?

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 16 October 2005 23:02 (nineteen years ago)

like, something that isn't your hand.. surely that'd stop it too

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 16 October 2005 23:02 (nineteen years ago)

see, now that's that type of advice i'm looking for. surely around halloween there are some fake hands lying around. just duct tape it to the back, you're a genius. I'll report back with the results!!!

― biz, Sunday, 16 October 2005 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

Fantastic advice.

― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Sunday, 16 October 2005 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

I remember a song called "Bad Grounding" by some horrible death metal band from the 90s where it was just a humming sound for a while and then the band came on and went, "ha ha ha. We're [name of band]. We hope you liked our little joke" in thick European accents. God I wish I remembered what band that was.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 17 October 2005 00:22 (nineteen years ago)

Might I suggest ridding of all your monitors. Think of the calm that would ensue. No more interference, ahhhhhhhhh.

http://www.ottisoft.com/images/2dsim1.jpg

― Stoooeeee, Monday, 17 October 2005 00:45 (nineteen years ago)

FAR OUT

― blunt (blunt), Monday, 17 October 2005 03:21 (nineteen years ago)

Try plugging the monitors into the same electrical outlet as your stereo.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Monday, 17 October 2005 04:15 (nineteen years ago)

When we run into that problem in the studio, the solution is usually to plug EVERYTHING audio-related into the same outlet, by using lots of power-strips in series. I know Louie the Lightning Bug would freak, but it solves the problem most of the time.

― Chris Anderson, Monday, 17 October 2005 05:22 (nineteen years ago)

That's what breakers are for, to stop the fires! Try it out and see, worst that could happen is ugly mess of cords and gotta reset breaker.

― Cal Ripken, Monday, 17 October 2005 05:24 (nineteen years ago)

whoa... biz, you have *exactly* the same problem as me.

I live two blocks down from said radio towers (on Madison & 16th, approx.). Just moved in, not thinking of the towers much. Thinking of them a lot now.

(ps... I do have *everything* in my apartment plugged into the same source right now... I've also got many of the electronics grounded to one another, though when I get time I'll do some more of that... and some more ferrite core fun... I haven't had anything blow up on me since, but I did get a nice jolt of current run through me while holding onto the end of an audio cable and tapping the body of my computer)

― Brandon Mitchell (A.H.), Monday, 17 October 2005 06:32 (nineteen years ago)

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