2. home-theater
  3. 1274585428

Signs of poor electricity in home...?

Ok folks I know pretty much that all homes have crappy power for electronic gear. However my dilemna is that I have continued to have a buzz type sound come from my spkrs whenever amp is powered on. This is the same case with three different amps and a recvr. I just completely disconnected everything and have all the gear everywhere in the living room. This was no small task.
Nht Controller
Nht Power 5
Nht Power 2
Oppo 83
Toshi HDDvd
AudioControl Bijou EQ
Panamax 5500ex
Nht A1 x 2 for bi-amping mains.
Nht X2

I use Signal pwr cables and my own custom made.
Signal, Bluejeans, monster ic's
PS Audio powerport

I have eliminated any cable combo as the culprit and have it narrowed down to the fact that with an amp plugged in, powered on, and just spkr cable connected to a spkr I get this slight buzz/hiss type noise. I mean nothing connectected to amp but what I said...electricity...and spkr cable direct to spkr. It is not the hmmmmmmmm of 60hz...it's a hiss like white noise makes when a tv channel would sign off-air if you are old enough to know what I mean. Anywho...it's bugging me to pieces. I have went to the breaker box in garage and eliminated it being the fridge in neighboring room, etc. Even with the Panamax it still gets noise to the spkrs mid/twtr...mainly mid. Volume has little or no effect on it if you are wondering.

So????? Dirty house power and what do I do. Would having a seperate/dedicated line help? I don't have dimmer lamps or any other of the typical buggers in the ac chain. No tv either as I have a Pj setup which plugs in where I use to have a ceiling fan and installed box/receptacle to pwr it.

I don't hear it if source is playing but sitting idle all 5 spkrs doing this is annoying. Suggestions please.
mnnc
mnnc OP
175 posts
 
Mlsstl...I have unplugged/seperated all gear. It's lying all around the lvng rm. Wife is giving me weird stares while I promise a quick fix...sshhhhh.

Anywho, No tv as stated in initial post. Don't have a tv in rig...those are reserved for bedroom and son's room. I use a pj with no tv/sat connected...dvd/br only. I don't watch tv personally...occasional news/weather.

Noise is definitely high freq pitch like a shortwave radio band when out of tune...a whining noise.
jeff_jones
418 posts
 
%JJones...what would foil do or more important what would it prove? Again, excuse my ignorance, what would the plugging lamp into same plug/receptacle prove? What am I looking for during experiment/troubleshooting? %
The foil is hard for radio wave like stuff to penetrate, if it had an effect on the noise that would be a good clue. The lamp with a high wattage (low resistance) bulb gives you a drain path for grunge on the ac line, again it would be a good clue if this made any difference. Just looking for something that would effect the problem & narrow down the possibilities. Good luck.
sop1
12 posts
 
I have reread your posts describing the noise and, I am not writing this to be funny or rude, but it sounds like it could be early tinnitus. Can you hear this sound in a completely quiet room or with unplugged noise canceling headphones on with no music? I have tinnitus which is exactly what you described... "Noise is definitely high freq pitch like a shortwave radio band when out of tune...a whining noise" , and it is very annoying. When there are other sounds I don't notice but when I am listening critically to quiet things or going to sleep it drives me nuts.
hifihvn
943 posts
 
>>Btw...amp plugged in alone is dead quiet as I suppose it should be as it uses B&O ice power class D.<< Is this statement an error?The more you describe the noise the less
chances of it being A/C power hum or bad power connection is less likely.A lot of power utilities will check for a poor connection in your breaker box as a courtesy.If it is not anything in your gear causing it,it still sounds like something electronic causing the problem,especially different gear doing the same.A fan speed control,even in heat/ac system,microwave oven timer clock,and on and on.A lot of appliances always have something electronic running when you think they are totaly off.Even sprinkler system timers.
mnnc OP
175 posts
 
Sop1...I understand however, noise is clearly audible though not loud-loud...but there nonetheless. If I were to cover my ears/plug them I don't hear anything hardly. Thanks.

Hifihvn...What I meant by 'amp alone' is just that...amp plugged in and powered on...nothing connected but power cord of course. When I then connect a spkr the noise is evident. The noise, whatever is causing it. has to be travelling through amp and then on to spkr/s. Center channel seems to do it most/loudest if you wanted to look at things comparatively. I had a Yamaha recvr(rxv2500) in rig a few yrs ago...hiss. Then got a BA 7120 recvr...hiss. Then bought a BA 7200 pwr amp...hiss. Now with Nht amp...hiss. So yes it's a problem with all the recvr's/amps I have had in the loop. I now have minimized setup to include:

prepro
pwr amp
oppo Br
panamax
dual a1 mono's/x2 combo bi-amping the mains lower end...
...and the svs beast.

The Panamax does help as I connected things without it...noise was more prominent...disturbing. So the Panamax is helping quite a bit.

I just purchased a PS Audio noise harvester...going to see if it helps. I just can't go spending lots right now to solve this. At the moment it's reasonable and clearly audible when within a a couple feet from mains/surrounds. The center channel seems to amplify it the most and if it's quiet in here, which it is most of time, I can hear the whining noise sitting on the couch 10 ft away. Thanks for the advice/help. I 'm going to call pwr co as I said I would...this week if I can remember to do so with everything else going on in my life at the moment. I appreciate the help/concern...much thanks.
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