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Got Static?

All:

I am completely vexed and need some suggestions....

The problem: I am hearing occasional "ticks" which I believe are associated with static buildup in my system. The "ticks" occur randomly, roughly one to three times during the playback of a CD. I hear them during vinyl playback as well but it is sometimes hard to distinguish them from surface tics or pops. These "ticks" can sometimes be heard when the system is idling with the mute button disengaged--when the mute is "on" they cannot be heard. The frequency of the "ticks" appears to increase as the humidity level drops--the colder and dryer it is the more of them I hear. Thus, the problem is less of an issue in the summer (unless running the AC) and is pretty darn annoying in the winter. Sometimes, when I touch my gear I receive a small shock which is translated by the speakers. I have tried to ground my rack but this has not helped. Believing it may be a grounding issue I have also tried cheater plugs on my CD player and/or linestage--no change. The funny thing is I have been at this for 25+ years (with many different system configurations) and this issue has never been a problem until the last year or so--can't figure out why it has become one now.

Any ideas about WHAT is causing this and HOW to stop it? Anyone else have this issue?
dodgealum
dodgealum OP
1,402 posts
 
Thanks for your contributions! The room features hardwood floors with a large area rug--you can see some photos of the room if you click on my virtual system. This comment by Stereo5 has me wondering...

"If you think about it, when you build up the charge and just touch the system and get zapped, that discharge seems to do something to the system and you can get those annoying static sounds".

whether the "ticks" are a result of static that is building up in the system components without encouragement or whether I am introducing the static by touching the system thereby transferring it to the components which then reproduce the "ticking" sound. If the latter were to be true it would have to be lying there dormant somehow until enough of a charge builds up to release a "tick". Is this even possible? And why has this become a problem only in the last year or so when I have had the system set up exactly the same way in the room for five years and did not experience the static problem until just a year ago? I have changed components over the past five years--could one of the newer ones be more "susceptible" to static discharge than the others? Thanks for your help!
zephyr24069's avatar
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zephyr24069
1,241 posts
 
Get a whole-house humidifier unit and have it inserted in-path with all your Heating/Cooling ducts (Aprilaire and other manufacturers make them) to keep the humidity level in your home balanced and in a reasonable range. Experiment with what is both comfortable and good for your system. I know this seems counter-intuitive in the months where your air conditioning (or heat pump if you live where they are used for both heating and cooling) is running however it sounds like you have a combination of abnormally low humidity coupled with materials in area rugs, the shoe/sneaker soles and/or socks that you might be wearing when you move across the room. Use of AC or a heat pump for heating or cooling when you are already low in humidity in the home only serves to pull down the levels even further. You can still humidify while these devices are running to achieve a balance in the home.

One thing is certain though; you cannot transfer static to your system from across the room so if you are hearing the results of build-up even when you are sitting across the room using the remote, you have an abnormally low humidity condition in the house in general. All the other feedback is good above but you probably have something that requires a bit more work to resolve. My 2 cents....
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
A suggestion that came with a Sears room humidifier: place it near the furnace intake so that the furnace gets more-humid air to play with. I just tried this yesterday, so I have no idea yet whether it makes a difference.

There's already a humidifier attached to the furnace, but it doesn't even come on unless it's much colder outdoors than it usually gets around here (Maryland).
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,426 posts
 
Humidifiers attached to furnace usually have control - a humidistat that you can set to desired humidity. Also it requires some maintenance - changing screens or filter every year. If it is Aprilair style with air going thru screen, like mine, you need to change screen every year or they will stop working.
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
2 things: You need to increase your room's humidity, probably via a humidifier. And you can eliminate static shocks by simply placing a Bounce dryer sheet near your electronics and just touch it before touching your equipment.

If you do these 2 things your static problems should disappear...

-RW-
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