Electrical Noise, Thoughts?

UltraFast69

UltraFast69

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I recently started hearing the hum coming from my preamp, DAC and streamer/server.

My system sits on a dedicated 20 amp circuit installed on a low use panel.

I tore down the system with power and interconnect to see if it’s related to a ground loop, no such luck. Also, pulled the Furutech outlet being paranoid, no issue properly hooked up and tight.

I came from a PS Audio P10, and changed to the Nordost QRT distribution system, as it did not limit my system.

There is no cable TV, and the dimmers are on a separate circuit and tested by power off, no issue.

Recently the electric company upgraded the meter and I just got off the phone with them, they indicated there has been a small amount of customers reporting issues of all sorts but in small numbers. The upgrade took less than 10 minutes to change the meter from analog to digital.

Across the street is a full remodel and the transformer is on the same pole were power goes into their home, not sure if something happened there.

Of course this is driving me crazy and also know Rex has a somewhat related issue except our homes are different in age.

Any thoughts on the meter or the home across the street?




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a] Take as much of your stuff to a friends house and try it there.
b] Disconnect all the audio and digital cables. use a battery powered music source into your power amp.
c] Have you made any recent changes? Like cables hi-fi components? appliances? HVAC? lighting? other entertainment equipment?
 
IF all that changed was the power company changing out a meter. SO did this hum start the same day of the meter change-out or the next If its the same day or the next, I say the power company has a defective meter or a bad connection. one day its great the next its hum, then bingo. OF course my opinion..
 
I had some hum, and it turned out to be ICs/ LS cables touching some of the power cables. Isolating the sensitive signal cables resolved the problem.


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Power Company is going to come out and look at it. I'll make note of Franks number, thank you
 
Speedskater said:
a] Take as much of your stuff to a friends house and try it there.
b] Disconnect all the audio and digital cables. use a battery powered music source into your power amp.
c] Have you made any recent changes? Like cables hi-fi components? appliances? HVAC? lighting? other entertainment equipment?
Click to expand...

a - that’s an idea
b - disconnected everything, now would need to find a battery source
c - recent change was the Brinkmann DAC and Christmas lighting. With this being said, I isolated everything and individually plugged power and interconnects back in and out, one at a time
 
Kuoppis said:
I had some hum, and it turned out to be ICs/ LS cables touching some of the power cables. Isolating the sensitive signal cables resolved the problem.

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Click to expand...

I will triple check that golden rule, thank you!
 
CPP said:
IF all that changed was the power company changing out a meter. SO did this hum start the same day of the meter change-out or the next If its the same day or the next, I say the power company has a defective meter or a bad connection. one day its great the next its hum, then bingo. OF course my opinion..
Click to expand...

The hum is only heard when close up to the equipment, so I am not sure when it exactly occurred, but feel with confidence it happened sometime after the meter was installed leading me to believe this could be the culprit. I did notice last night after 11 p.m. when the street went dark with Christmas lights the system went quiet, but this morning it was back to the hum and understand more noise on day versus night.
 
Did you try removing all of your power conditioners and plug all your gear straight into the wall.
 
If the power company caused it, then it could be a much bigger problem than hi-fi hum!
Do you have a 'Kill-a-Watt' meter? If so measure the voltage on several circuits. With and without big appliances running. All the reading at about the same time should be within a few volts of each other.
 
Speedskater said:
If the power company caused it, then it could be a much bigger problem than hi-fi hum!
Do you have a 'Kill-a-Watt' meter? If so measure the voltage on several circuits. With and without big appliances running. All the reading at about the same time should be within a few volts of each other.
Click to expand...

You would think if the power company was at play it would be a bigger problem, will know more tomorrow when they come out.

I have one at my facility, and will bring it home if I make no headway on a lot of tips from everyone, has to be something simple, stupid


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Speedskater said:
If the power company caused it, then it could be a much bigger problem than hi-fi hum!
Do you have a 'Kill-a-Watt' meter? If so measure the voltage on several circuits. With and without big appliances running. All the reading at about the same time should be within a few volts of each other.
Click to expand...
An electrician call under $100 a hr mostly, should be able to isolate this in under a hour. if he knows what he is doing.
 
Mike B. said:
Why not? I have run a number of systems in a home with no grounds at the outlets for decades. It is the quietest AC I have ever experienced. Same thing with my late good friend Bob Crump.
Click to expand...
If there is a fault from a line side internal component like a transformer primary short to the casework or a primary to secondary short then your equipment will end up being the safety ground path, handling high AC current until a breaker trips or a fuse blows. If there is no safety ground path then your gear will be at line potential and the ground path will be through your body. The NEC has evolved to separate the neutral from the safety ground for this reason.
 
My conclusion was DC hum was getting into my system.

After addressing the power companies meter, then onto 4 hours of cabling and placement tweaks things got far quieter but there was still hum, however notably lower, this was worth it and really cleaned things up.

Based on a tip, The Emotiva CMX2 claims to remove DC and not restrict current. I was surprised I could Amazon a same day delivery. Voila it came, it’s installed with an updated Ansuz power cable and I am in a 99.99% better place!

Things are so much better, thank you for all the feedback, I’m glad I went through this process, my system is killing it right now, case closed.

Now onto a Merry Christmas for All!


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