Event Monitors

Posted on

Abomb Muchbaby
Member Since: Jul 02, 2009

Hey Guys,

I have a quick question. I have got a pair of event 20/20 active monitors. I bought them used about a year and a half ago. They have always had a teeny (and I mean teeny) tiny bit of like a hissing sound to them. This seems to be present even when there is no sound coming from them. They sound great overall, but I think that certain frequencies or tones sound a bit scratchy sometimes because of this sound.

The speaker wire that is on them is decent, not brand new, but doesn't look to bad to me. The xlr - 1/4" cables are kinda cheap-o, not sure if that might be my problem or not. I suppose the logical place to start would be checking cables. I have confirmed that the speakers are grounded, and I have had them in about 4 different rooms in my house, and that little tiny scratchy fuzzy sound is always just barely there...

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 04, 2010 01:43 pm

balanced to unbalanced could indeed be part of the issue...also possible any power cabled running perpendicular to those cables can induce noise...

I still can't say "perpendicular" without thinking of a friend of mine that always says "dickenpurpular" just to be weird. haha

Abomb Muchbaby
Member
Since: Jul 02, 2009


Feb 04, 2010 02:26 pm

Thanks DB. Can you tell me what you mean by the power cable running "dickepurpular"??? haha.... I will have to check and see if they are balanced or unbalanced cables, do you know which one is correct? Thx man

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 04, 2010 02:30 pm

It's always best to have cables running parallel, and you want to isolate power cables and signal cables into separate runs...having them together, or worse, power running dickenpurpular to speaker/signal cables can introduce noise.

I'm guessing Rob Stemple and MassiveMaster can get their geek on and cover that in diskening detail.

XLR cables are general balanced, they are three conductor, 1/4" often aren't...if they are tip and sleeve only jacks, it's unbalanced, if they are tip, ring and sleeve 1/4" jacks they are balanced...then, of course, it depends on if the connection they are plugged in to are balanced or not.

http://www.unitedmusicians.info
Contributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007


Feb 04, 2010 07:51 pm

????

If it is true that audio cables must run parallel with power cables then that's the inverse of how data cables and power cables need to run. Ethernet cables will lose tons of packets to collision if they are running in parallel with power cables. Fluorescent lights also need data cables to cross dickenpurpularly.

Wonder why audio cable is the opposite...

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Feb 04, 2010 09:04 pm

You want high-current (power, speaker level) cable to run perpendicular to low-current (digital, phone, mic, line level) cable.

Granted - A good quality shielded cable isn't going to mind much for a short run.

The Czar of BS
Member
Since: Dec 31, 2007


Feb 04, 2010 09:22 pm

Question for you Adam. If you unplug the cables from the monitors completely, do you still hear that little rizz?

If you do, then it could be that the built in amp may have an issue. If it goes away, then there is a cable problem going on.

As far as power and audio cables go. As long as the signal cable is balanced and shielded, you should be fine. Audio cables only handle signals up to 20khz. So, it's not that big of a deal.

Now, if they are unbalanced, Then, you really need to keep them away from any power source. And anything over 10' will just be a giant antenna looking for a signal.

Abomb Muchbaby
Member
Since: Jul 02, 2009


Feb 05, 2010 10:17 am

Geez oh man, I had no clue that this stuff was important at all... Guess I got a lot to learn. Well, I can't say for sure if the sound is there with out the cables plugged in, but that will be the first thing I will check. If not, I think I will investigate this perpendicularity thing... You guys mean literally (physically) the cables can't be close to eachother? That blows my mind, I really had no clue. But I guess it does kind of make sense. I will check this stuff out when I get home and have to let you know. Thanks a hell of a lot for all the help guys.

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