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Joined: Jul 2004
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Hi: I have always used a desk top but am now using a lap top. Does anyone have a suggestion for removing internal computer hum that comes through speakers? Unplugging does the trick but is not a permanent solution.
Thanks
Jennie
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Sounds like the common ground loop problem. Search the web for ground loop isolators. Radio Shack and Xitel make them for under $30.
Rachael
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Here is a link to the Radio Shack Ground Loop Isolator, currently priced at $16.99US: Ground Loop Isolator Follow the directions, don't forget that you will need an adaptor that connects from the laptop's earphone jack to the RCA connector on the Isolator and that you may need adaptors for the other end where you connect your amplifier system also. This should solve the ground loop hum problem. --Mac
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If you need something sturdier for the road, check out the Morley Hum Eliminator. Around $65.00 US. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=Ebtech+hum+eliminatorLater, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Except for internal issues, which is another story, there are some things that can cause it and which in principle can be solved without spending money at first:
Groundloop: To prevent ground loops, all signal grounds need to go to one common point, so connect devices in serie, not parallel or looped.
Non grounded connection: This is a worse scenario, since the only way would be to create a grounding yourself or correct the connections by making it grounded.
The first option would be costless, the second one is absolutelly not, therefore I am not explaining the second one (yet).
I have grounded my equipment (I got a lack of good electrical system in my very old house) by connecting the ground of my power socket to my heating system, which is grounded physically. Just a copper wire in between. Not the most pretty solution, but well it works.
Interference:
1. The speakers might get some interference of your computersystem or other electrical devices. Make sure the speakers are put further away from the interfering source. (testing through moving the speakers, when the humming seems to change, find their best position)
2. Cabling picks up interference. On a laptop, you won't have balanced connections (those nice interference eliminating cables, shielded and working through the common mode signal rejection principle), so all that you can do is to prevent any electrical device or wiring to be close to your speaker cables.
I'll be back...
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With today's laptops, experience has shown this problem is in all probability caused by the AC Ground Loop when the earphone jack is used as Line Output (or even if the laptop has a dedicated Line Output).
To achieve product safety standards and appease outfits like UL, CSA, etc. the laptop manufacturers carry the third prong AC ground from the power supply right through to the chassis common of the laptop.
*The way to prove that it is indeed the AC Ground Loop causing the hum is simple enough with a Laptop: Temporarily UNplug the AC from the socket while the system is up and running and humming, let the laptop run from its internal battery.
If the hum and noise disappears when doing the above, you need the Ground Loop Isolator in between your audio output and the input to amplifier.
--Mac
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Jennie,
Do what the nice techies say, get the isolator. Or run on batteries.
Had the same problem with my Compaq lappie. Got around it by using a two-prong adapter without connecting the ground. NOT a good idea. (I couldn't use batteries because my machine was a desktop replacement--full Pentium 4, not a mobile version. It had about an hour of battery life, unless I actually DID something with it, lol.) My musician friends eventually got isolators for their home studios.
R.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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I obviously don't know enough of laptops I must admitt. After reading Mac's advice I started to doubt about what I put in. So I started reading. Yes what Mac says is at least partly true, although I have read as well that it is as he also says a probability, so not a 100% guaranteed thing. The things I had been reading was also about interference but not as I said from outside sources, but more likely from the laptop's internal circuit. This was said to be the most likely one in some cases. To know if you got a groundloop, you need to listen to the hum itself. If it is a constant hum, not changing in "tone" (50Hz(like Europe)-60Hz(like USA) or harmonics of this tone (mostly 100Hz-Eur or 120Hz-USA)so depending on where you live) then it would be a groundloop, if the sound changes ( it would be interference). This part my studies at least still covered, so I don't doubt about that conclusion.
The most likely cause I had been reading: DC offset
The thing I did not know, which was mentioned and seems very acceptable in it's explanation, comes down to my lack of knowledge on laptops and their powersupply trouble. I write the simplified version of it. The power supply of laptops deliver noisy DC (causing interference), where the batteries deliver very pure DC(causing no trouble). The noisy DC from the powersupply often leaks out onto analog ports, and causes buzzing noises.
So if this is the case there would be another solution necessary. The solutions I have read are far too complicated for me to make it understood, even though I thought I did understand. I won't burn my fingers on that, but maybe Mac, who seems to have some electrotechnical background here has something to say about this and how to solve it. That is, if it really is an interference type of hum. If just a groundloop, I believe his ways, since he seems to be very sure about it and for sure I am not (with laptops anyway). Besides, I am pretty much autodidact in many ways, so my solutions in this matter probably do not cover the "safety-standards" for use with a laptop, or maybe anything at all. I am not a electronics but an audio engineer, so well who am I to bring up the good solution...
I'll be back...
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DC Offset does not cause the AC Ground Loop problem, it is *affected* by it, though.
Ground Loop is two or more paths to AC Ground Potential that are of different resistances. Thus the "loop".
Assuming good shielded cables, constant buzz in the audio chain is almost always AC Ground Loop problem. It is a higher timbre or buzz than that which is caused by an unshielded or broken cable. Listen for a bit of "sizzle" as one clue.
The AC Ground Loop -- and what causes it -- is unfortunately very poorly understood in many circles.
--Mac
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Don't know about the ground loop but this topic sure has a loop. I wonder if we can find an isolator for it hey Mac. Just having fun. It's sort of an inside joke. 
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Inside joke? Quote:
Does anyone have a suggestion for removing internal computer hum through the speakers?
Teach it the words?
Sry,
r.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Cheap fix: disconnect the ground wire from your computer's transformer.
Takes seconds, and it works. Theoretically, this could be a safety issue, but you're more likely to be eaten by a crocodile than get shocked.
Mike Laatz
Cape Town
Mike Laatz
Cape Town
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Get a 69 cent adapter that goes from three prong on laptop to only two prongs in the outlet to test the situation if you don't believe it.
I got paid to insert one of these into a church sound system.. they insisted<embarrassed>.
I unplugged the compaq laptop, put the two prong adapter on, plugged it in and they were amazed.
Not up to UL safety standards, but solved the problem...
By eliminating the ground I eliminated the ground loop. Even their problems with occasionaly picking up truckers and readio stations on the PA seem to have disappeared. Can't explain that one, but the ground prong on lappies is a widely known issue for sound guys.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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hey thanks for the tip. it was by acident I found tips and tricks. We played outside and had to crank it up so the hum was bad. before at lower volume wasn't as noticeable. I bought a 2 prong adpter and tried it tolal quiet. I was ready to replace my cord to the pa thabks John
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"you're more likely to be eaten by a crocodile than get shocked."
Just the other day i fell in the lake while trying to feed the crocodiles, i made it to the bank and pulled myself to safely by the wires to the ariator pump, and was shocked!
Irony at it's best. Story by imagination!
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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I had the same problem with connecting my Dell laptop to my RG20 Raven amplifier. As suggested above, I verified that it was a ground loop problem using a 3 to 2 prong adaptor.
I am going to purchase the Kensington Noise Reducing Car Audio Auxillary Cable on Amazon for $14. I think it is a better choice than the Radio Shack product recommended earlier post because it has 3.5 mm male plugs on both ends. The laptop and amp have complimentary 3.5 mm females sockets.
I might add that it is not a good idea to defeat the ground plug other than for troubleshooting purposes. The ground plug is there for our protection.
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With me the issue is the power brick from the laptop. When the laptop is powered by the brick I hear a LOT of spurious electronic radiation. Old school fix used to be wrapping it in foil, but that didn't work. I have gone so far as to plug the laptop brick in on another circuit from another part of the house with a long extension cord and it still caused a hum. So I use it on battery power when doing anything I care about, like dumping to the mixer to feed it to the 8 track recorder. It normally stays plugged into a Furman line conditioner. Even then I get the noise.
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Quote:
With me the issue is the power brick from the laptop. When the laptop is powered by the brick I hear a LOT of spurious electronic radiation.
I have the same problem with my HP.
A lot of modern notebook power supplies have a 3 wire connection to the notebook - look for a centre pin, outer cylindrical contact and on the inside of the outer contact there's another cylindrical contact. These are +'ve, -'ve and ground (or earth), with the outer contact being the ground. This introduces a mains ground (connected via the power supply) into the notebook.
Hence, ground (or earth) loop. A ground lift on the audio side may resolve this for you, but I'm not sure I'd do a ground lift on the mains connection to the power supply as doing so would defeat the saftey aspect of its presence. Technically speaking, the power supplies are NOT double insulated.
--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya  --=--You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
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Quote:
A lot of modern notebook power supplies have a 3 wire connection to the notebook
In this case it is a Dell with a barrel type connector at the laptop side. I am going to try the 3 prong to 2 prong test next. It is already running through a Furman power conditioner too.
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Quote:
Quote:
A lot of modern notebook power supplies have a 3 wire connection to the notebook
In this case it is a Dell with a barrel type connector at the laptop side.
Yup, check inside the connector from the power supply and you will see the inner cylindrical connector - it is concentric with the outer one but insulated from it in the connector.
--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya --=--You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
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