120 hz hum-- not from my audio gear but from my house-- what to do about it?

[Andolink]

I have had this problem in every house and apartment I've ever lived in. It seems the electrical wiring in homes, offices, etc. always emits a 120 hz hum audible in varying degrees throughout the building. I've always been particularly sensitive to this and it has always undermined my attempts to achieve anything close to the audio ideal of a "black" background. Being primarily a classical music listener, it's especially noticable and annoying during the frequent very quiet passages in most of my favorite pieces.

Is there any way to defeat or at least attenuate this highly distracting noise in my listening environment?

 

[restorer-john]

You are just one of the many who hears the hum. All over the world. There are parts of structures where the resonance is the greatest, some walls, rooms or in my case a few places where it is quite loud under the house (it's a pole home).

Cracking the mystery of the ‘Worldwide Hum’

Shortly after Glen MacPherson started hearing strange humming noises, he created the World Hum and Database Project so people around the world could document their own experiences with the Hum.

theconversation.com

I proved a long time ago it is unrelated to the electrical connection to my home.

 

[theREALdotnet]

It seems the electrical wiring in homes, offices, etc. always emits a 120 hz hum audible in varying degrees throughout the building.

Does it stop when you turn off the main breaker or RCD for the house?

 

[computer-audiophile]

.... always emits a 120 hz hum audible in varying degrees throughout the building.

How did you determine that frequency?

 

[restorer-john]

Does it stop when you turn off the main breaker or RCD for the house?

Even when we had a two day wide power outage caused by storms in our area, the hum under my house (where the steel poles attach to the bedrock), was still there.

 

[RayDunzl]

Hmmm...

 

[IAtaman]

Hmmm...

Ha!

 

[threni]

Hmmm...

It's like tinnitus for whales! Perhaps it's whales humming?

Being primarily a classical music listener, it's especially noticable and annoying during the frequent very quiet passages in most of my favorite pieces.

Is there any way to defeat or at least attenuate this highly distracting noise in my listening environment?

I have mild tinnitus (undiagnosed but I guess it's that) which seems worse when I listen to quiet classical (I suppose I'm listening more intently at that point as it's never bothered me at any other point) and my solution is just to turn the volume up. Perhaps another solution is to treat the noise as tinnitus and try some of the techniques for minimizing its annoyance. Maybe listen to some 120hz sine tones before listening to music in case it seems quieter afterwards?

 

[computer-audiophile]

I have had this problem in every house and apartment I've ever lived in. It seems the electrical wiring in homes, offices, etc. always emits a 120 hz hum audible in varying degrees throughout the building. I've always been particularly sensitive to this and it has always undermined my attempts to achieve anything close to the audio ideal of a "black" background. Being primarily a classical music listener, it's especially noticable and annoying during the frequent very quiet passages in most of my favorite pieces.

Is there any way to defeat or at least attenuate this highly distracting noise in my listening environment?

Have you ever consulted an ear doctor about this? Just so we don't get put on the wrong track and see it as an environmental problem.

 

[RayDunzl]

I stuck the end of a TRS guitar cable attached to an ADC in my ear:

Plenty of EMF in that body area from the grid.

Maybe some folks eardrums or follicles are tickled by the EMF in the air all around us.

 

[fpitas]

Yes indeed, it's tough to get away from line induced pickup. Well-shielded steel boxes have worked for me, when designing sensitive circuitry. But it's probably no fun living in a steel box!

 

[computer-audiophile]

As for the OP's question - if it is serious. I would first ask my wife if she also hears this humming. Or alternatively other people, preferably younger ones whose hearing is not yet damaged or impaired.

 

[Andolink]

Does it stop when you turn off the main breaker or RCD for the house?

I haven't tried that yet. I'll try that when the wife is away as she would not approve.

 

[Andolink]

How did you determine that frequency?

By comparing with a test tone from one of many such on YouTube.

 

[Andolink]

As for the OP's question - if it is serious. I would first ask my wife if she also hears this humming. Or alternatively other people, preferably younger ones whose hearing is not yet damaged or impaired.

I did that and she says she doesn't hear anything. But I really think she would hear it if she could compare with and without. I'm convinced she's just desensitized to it so doesn't notice that it's there.

 

[computer-audiophile]

I did that and she says she doesn't hear anything. But I really think she would hear it if she could compare with and without. I'm convinced she's just desensitized to it so doesn't notice that it's there.

Ok, I see! Difficult situation.

But I would try to find another person to confirm the noise to make sure it's not just in my head.
I am lucky with my wife, she is also an experienced audiophile.

 

[threni]

I did that and she says she doesn't hear anything. But I really think she would hear it if she could compare with and without. I'm convinced she's just desensitized to it so doesn't notice that it's there.

Need an abx test to be sure. Randomly turn the planet on and off blindfolded and see if you can tell which is which.

 

[Andolink]

to confirm the noise to make sure it's not just in my head

I'm 65 and have had tinnitis since age 26. I'm intimately familiar with the sounds I hear internally which is a white noise hissing type sound. I've learned to ignore that for the most part since it is without definite pitch. But the hum in my current and prior living spaces is obviously external. I do not hear it when I'm outside in a very quiet location.

 

[fpitas]

Need an abx test to be sure. Randomly turn the planet on and off blindfolded and see if you can tell which is which.

I suggest throwing a cable across the local high tension lines to shut down the grid.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I suggest throwing a cable across the local high tension lines to shut down the grid.

LOL. That’ll get you buzzing

Edit. I mean humming.