2. amps-preamps
  3. 1339279201

Getting Rid of a Ground Loop

Apologies if I'm repeating what has been said here: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1277419588 but I'm having terrible trouble eliminating a buzzing sound from my Naim Nait 5.

I'm based in the UK (if that makes a difference from a grounding point of view) and I have the following equipment:

1) Nait 5 amplifier
2) BW 630 speakers
3) Sony Internet TV (I forget the number, 35", very recently bought)
4) A set top box by Sky
5) An LG TV recording / DVD player (again I can't remember the exact model).

When I plug in just the amplifier and attach the speakers, all is fine.

When I plug any source input into any of the other components (e.g. 5-pin din straight into the 3.5mm speaker-out jack on the TV), I get a ground-loop buzz.

This problem happens whether I try to attach the TV, the LG device or anything else.

I find it difficult to believe that such the illustrious Naim could be the problem, but I'm beginning to think it's a problm with the Amp ... I've changed the wall-outlet lead and the component leads but it's all the same ...

Any pointers on how to eliminate this would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
doctordjbrown
hifigeek1
770 posts
 
Disconnect the mains from the Sky set top cable box and see if the hum/buzz goes away....This should stop the buzz in your system. If it does, your cable box needs to be grounded properly. Have them come out and take care of it for you.
dhl93449
455 posts
 
Common problem when you attach TV w/cable to audio equipment. Had the same problem and it turned out to be grounding of the cable. When the cable was physically disconnected from the system, hum went away. When it was connected, it came back.

I tried all kinds of grounding for the cable, but nothing worked that well. You can get isolation devices that break the DC/shield of the cable coax (with a capacitor), but they don't often work.

What finally worked for me was using a transformer isolation device for the TV audio. It is made by ART and has two channels transformer isolated. It has both single ended and balanced inputs/outputs and is used to break ground loops for professional sound set ups. I connected the audio out from the TV (or cable box) to the ART transformer and then to the audio system.

Later when I switched to Direct TV (satellite), I had them float the dish which I grounded to my audio system ground. No problems with that setup.

Cable is tricky because the cable shield may be grounded at one end of your house to a different physical ground than the circuit ground of your audio system. Re-gounding it at your audio system may make it worse because then you have a ground loop.
saeyedoc
103 posts
 
Had a similar problem, found that 90% of the hum went away when I put the cable TV input through an isolator. Had to use a 3 to 2 prong cheater plug on my amp to completely get rid of it.
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