2. misc-audio
  3. 1026867876

HELP - my speaker just turned into a radio

I just got my new EAD TM8000 today and hooked it up to my Classe CA300 amp driving Innersound ISIS speakers. There's more to the setup, but this seems to be the only relevant part.
EAD has balanced outputs to front speakers, so they give you a balanced - RCA plug to put in there.

First try

hook it up and turn on the amp first - the left front ISIS is humming slightly, nothing too bad.
turn on the EAD and the left speaker is now a radio

turn off the EAD. 15 seconds go by and it clicks and then the radio is gone, but the humming remains.
turn off the amp and switch the cables at the converter plugs from left to right to see if it changes speakers.
turn on the amp, the right speaker hums
turn on the EAD and now the right speaker is a radio

turn it all off
and now I switch the IC's on the amp end from left to right
turn on the amp, the LEFT speaker hums
turn on the EAD, the LEFT speaker is a radio

turn it all off

pull the IC and cable for the left speaker and route them to the ADCOM I have driving the center channel

turn it all back on

no problem

what the heck is going on?
angela100
sean
6,231 posts
 
Yes Angela, that is a cheater plug. While you would have to do this anyhow since you would be relocating your amp, try moving your speaker cable into a different area and position. It is strange how stuff like that can affect the situation. While your cables should not be extremely susceptible to RFI due to their low inductance / high capacitance design, you never know. I would also make sure that all of the connections are tight. Rather than just make sure that they are "snug", break them loose, re-seat the wires and then tighten until snug. Sean
>

PS... Off to work i go : (
angela100 OP
435 posts
 
ok, I didn't move the amp yet, but did play around with the speaker cable and I'll be damn if I pick it up in the air behind the speaker, it goes away, if I lay it down, it comes back, but still very faintly.
I have also plugged it into the same power outlet as the EAD now only I am having to use an extension cord to get it over there. If I plug it in at the outlet next to the amp, even with picking up the cable, the radio is there and stronger.
ok, so I have bandaided the problem, what's the real cause?
poor shielding in the speaker cable?

-aj (feeling kinda good but not quite yet)
angela100 OP
435 posts
 


The adaptor that EAD sends to connect RCA IC's to the EAD on the front channel (EAD has balanced inputs only on front channel) is NOT shielded! If I wrap aluminum foil around the adaptor, the problem goes away!

Is that a hoot or what?!?!?

I am talking with them about either sending me some shielded adaptors or some balanced IC's (it is also TARA labs now, so they have all this at the ready)

By the way, Roger Sanders walked me through the steps this morning, where I was connecting one thing at a time and then asked me to put the aluminum foil on the adaptor.

I am SO glad this is so easy to remedy and I found the real problem!

Cheers,
Angela
dbrambrink
2 posts
 
-A-
Did you ever get all of your phantom audio issues taken care of (Ground Loop "Hum" and Speaker Cable Antenna)?
-D-
angela100 OP
435 posts
 
thanks for checking in.
Roger Sanders solved this one for me -
Yes, the XLR - RCA adapters that EAD ships with their unit are not shielded. The quick fix was to put aluminum foil around the adapter grounding the foil to the EAD chassis. The long term fix is that I have having Innersound make me a pair of XLR IC's.
Bob Bundus solved this one for me -
The hum on the TV was due to the TV cable not being grounded to house ground. I ran a wire from the cable outlet to the screw on the electrical outlet and took care of that problem.
This community is so nice and helpful. That even I can trouble shoot through some really wacky stuff "on my own" and enjoy a wonderful listening experience.

Life is good.
-aj
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