Maddening HUMMMM


In an attempt to get rid of a very loud speaker hum from my tube monoblocks, I've done everything I can possilbly think of, including the following;
Changed out Interconnects, the pre amp, and the speaker cables and the speakers. I've pluged each amp into a Lightspeed A/C filter, and then gotten rid of the filter and plugged directly into the wall w/o the filter. I've plugged the amps, via a 10 gauge extension cord into different wall outlets, including one dedicated outlet. Cheater plugs, then no cheater plugs, then different combos of cheater plugs or not. I disconnected the pre and had just the speakers cables to the speakers. I tired a different speaker. I've gotten up at 4 AM and turned off each circuit at the panel, then listened again. I even tried a different amp. I've lifted the cables off the carpeted floor. Using tape and assorted other devices, I've made certain that now power cords are anywhere near the ICs or speaker cables. All Components are on rack with carpet piercing spikes. NOTHING I DO ELIMINATES THE HUM.

This all started about six weeks ago when I rearranged my room and hooked up my system on the other side of the room. No hums before. Now the mega hum. This is no small noise. This is loud enough to hear in the next room. HELP ME, PLEASE, OR PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY!!!!! Thanks for any advice you might offer. I've tried everything I can think of. Kolledog
kolledog
Might be from your cable television...Do you have a dedicated line? are you plugged into the same loop as your television? My guess is that since you moved and now have a buzz its probably now being interfeared with you cable television ..Very common...Good Luck
I was going to suggest the TV as well. Try unplugging it - not just turning it off - to see if that helps. Also, do you have any battery backup/power supplies for your computer? Knock those out as well.

When you moved, did you move the system closer to major appliances, like the 'fridge?
I had this problem on a DAC and discovered that one of the ground wires on the RCA outputs had broken off. You may want to have a quick look inside and make sure all the wires at the input of your monos are still connected.

Mike
if you look on the jensen transformers webpage under the white pages section, they have a pretty thorough step by step to troubleshooting ground loop hums. see if it helps if you haven't tried it yet.
Also a "ground loop" will cause hum. Buy an inexpensive gounding plug(adapter) and break off the ground terminal. Plug your power purifier into that(it will float the ground), and see if it helps alleviate the problem. Some equipment reverses AC phase from others, and can cause 60 cycle hum(like your TV perhaps). Many pro sound amps have two "on" positions(one reversed phase from the other) for this very reason. I've lost count of the times I've eliminated massive hum by flipping a plug over the years(harder to do now that everything is polarized).
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I have had Mike's experience as well. A bad RCA jack ground will cause just what you describe. I've had it happen with cables (pulling them out by the wire is a bad habit...) but a bad jack in the amp will do it too. But if you've changed amps already....hmmmmm...

keep us posted.
Arthur
Years ago I sold an amp to a guy. It hummed. It never hummed in my system;ever. Flourescent lamps in his laundry room were the problem.---Got any; anywhere in the house or garage??
Get some cheater plugs from the local hardware store for about 25 cents each and try lifting the ground on various components until you figure it out. I agree with folks above though it's probably your tv/cable box. Good luck!
Are you getting physical hum from the monoblocks? They may be vibrating a little more since moving or being put on a new surface? Tighten up the transformer screws...
Dopogue,
Why have they gotten a lot more expensive? Or is your tongue in your cheek and I'm just being dense?
The one I have that still sports a price tag says $1.29. Still peanuts, I grant.
Didn't he say in the original post, that it humms with only amps connected to speakers and with or without cheater plugs? Why everybody is wasting time offering implausable solutions?
I don't know the answer, but I had a very similar problems, and it turned out to be improperly routed intrachassis ground portion of the signal wire.
It doesn't explain why the amps didn't hum prior to move.
It's also quite unlikely that both amps sustained the same damage during the move.
Another thought- transformer hum?
Maril555 is correct in that the hum is audible even if only the amps are connected to the speakers. I disconnected the cable box, the cable modem, and the wireless router, and the hum has diminished to pre-move levels...

Now all I have to do is figure out a way to listen to hum-free tunes after dinner while my wonderful wife wants to watch the tube.

Thanks to all who read my original post and responded.
Maril555: "Why everybody is wasting time offering implausable [sic] solutions? I don't know the answer..."

We offered "implausible solutions" because we didn't necessarily know the answer, either.

Kolledog - glad to hear that you figured out the source, and that some of the suggestions were perfectly plausible. I'd say chances are good that you moved the system closer to the TV setup... right?

I had a similar problem as my rig is close to a new plasma TV (no choice), but it was confusing as I had just received an amp upgrade, so I wasn't sure where it was coming from at first - I thought it was the amp. I now have the TV gear hooked up to an APC UPS, which I can turn off with the push of a button when I want to listen. It takes a while for the TV's clock and Guide to reset, but I don't really mind.
I had a similar issue with my system and it was the cable line. I tried the $59.00 Jensen isolation transformers but I couldn't get any picture on my digital cable (Verizon FIOS) with them installed. Got the channel guide, but none of the channels would show on the screen. Had to resort to a cheater plug on the preamp (until I can think of a better way).
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Ait, I have traced my humm problem to my cable and I have just ordered the Jensen VRD-1FF which is supposed to work with digital broadcast.
I was told the older version did not.
Perhaps that was the problem. I will let you know if it works for mine.

Kolledog Other than your Amp actually produing the humm,If you have any Video that might somehow be connected to Cable , I bet that is the problem.
I just sent the Jensen back yesterday - I assume they sent me the latest version as I only got it last week. I couldn't get any channels on my digital cable when it was installed; hope you have better luck!