Hum...help.
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Posted on Apr 22, 2010 09:54 am
shadow66
Member Since: Apr 22, 2010
Hi guys, I'm new here and was hoping for some help. I did a search and found nothing to my specific situation.
Okay I have a small home recording studio. I use an Alesis USB Multimix 8 channel board with a Tascam DP-02 8 track recorder.
I was recording Bass (It is the acoustic Ibanez AEB10E, with Sonicore pickup...Fishman). I had it checked out and it came back 100% clean.
The Bass has an XLR input and 1/4". No matter what input I use it hums. A low hum that will go away if I touch the mixer while holding the bass but it goes away even more completely if I touch the metal on the recorder.
I have tried using the Ebtech Hum eliminator and it made things a little worse with a crackling that developed. I tried messing with different outlets in my house and removing other components...nothing changes.
This sounds stupid but I am thinking of hooking a wire between my arm and the recorder while recording since it sounds stellar when I do that. But that is rigging and I hate rigging.
Anyone that has any ideas it would be a great help. Thanks!
Keith
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HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Apr 22, 2010 10:14 am You probably have a ground issue somewhere in your gears power supplies. This is the case with a friends DAW, but for him the Ebtech did the trick. You may have wiring issues in your studio space, or one of the pieces of gear in your input chain, or monitoring chain is ungrounded.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Apr 22, 2010 11:56 am Yep, grounding issue. Not sure where to steer you for clearing it up, I'd probably do the grounding strap thing as well.
You could also plug all the devices you're using into the same plug-in strip, so all their ground planes are on the same potential, nothing with +1v anywhere on the ground plane.
If you're really inspired, get yourself a UPS type device, that creates it's OWN AC, from the battery system. Then your AC should be VERY good.
On a side note, I used to live in a house in detroit, with concrete basement floor. One hot day I was playing downstairs on my super reverb (old amp, 1967). I was barefoot, and was getting a pretty steady shock through the floor, actually from the guitar / amp, and I was grounding to the concrete floor. Kinda eerie, as it was enough to notice, but not enough to really hurt, just kind a hard tingle.
Put shoes on, problem solved =).
(not really, as there's still potential floating around where it shouldn't be, but I didn't have it getting me anymore).
Apr 22, 2010 12:51 pm Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. So let me ask...what type of wiring issues are you referring to? Where should I look? How can it be fixed?
I also would like to ask your advice as to how to go about isolating the problem...what steps should I take first?
I agree pjk, I may just go the way of the grounding strap...if it harms nothing I may just cede to overcome. Also, I have everything in the same grounding strip now.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Apr 22, 2010 03:19 pm hmmm, bummer. yeah, the power strip is a quick and easy fix, if it works =).
Otherwise, I'm not much of an electrical guy, I do my own switches / plugs, etc. but not too good with finding / troubleshooting problems.
If i were to guess at it, I'd suggest getting yer meter and seeing of there's any AC on the ground pin. You'll need an earth ground to the other end, but having AC on the earth pin will definitely let you know there's something wrong. Maybe you can isolate the problem this way, dunno.
Try not to get shocked =).
Apr 22, 2010 03:22 pm If it hasn't been mentioned yet, a power conditioner/regulator might be nice...cheap ones are essentially over priced, rack mounted power strips, but the better ones "clean" the power and make sure a constantly flow of power is getting through, rather than the typical ups and downs that are common in most power supplies.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Apr 22, 2010 03:59 pm Quote:
If you're really inspired, get yourself a UPS type device, that creates it's OWN AC, from the battery system. Then your AC should be VERY good.
Hoo-Haa!
I would bring an APC UPS that I picked up over the years when I was playing out with my Super Reverb. Plug in my amp, and effects box, and i was not dependent on a venue's possibly crappy power.
JovhatoMusic is everythingMember
Since: Apr 01, 2010
Apr 23, 2010 06:58 am I was getting a lot of hum when I plugged in my Peavy Special 130 amp that had been sitting around. I just thought it was because it was old. I then plugged in my little Marshall (newer) and got the same thing. I tried my power conditioner, power strip, plug adapter, to no avail. I finally realized (woke up from a dead sleep) that it was because the placement of the amplifiers was on the other side of the wall where my electric meter was on the outside of the house. I moved the amp to the other side of the room and the issue was resolved.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Apr 23, 2010 09:44 am Oh yeah, forgot about that. Flourescent lights, dimmer switches, etc. will make hum / buzz happen.
Apr 23, 2010 09:59 am Well, I'm going to tear everything apart this weekend to see what's going on best I can. I checked the ground and it's good. So I will check wiring and component combinations to see if I can isolate as well as outlet changes from room to room
I have no dimmers or flourescents in that room.
I also realized that my office has the same issue when i use a headset mic there. Man, I'm starting to really think I have some type of electrical charge in my body making a 50/60 cycle hum. ;)
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Apr 23, 2010 11:24 am Dig. I chased a hum down for almost a year before finding it.('Hiding' in my rack gear! lol)
Keep up the hunt... you'll get it.
