HS8 can't get rid of interference, do I upgrade to aluminum enclose kh120A, genelec 8030?

[yamahater]

Hi team,

I've got a pair of decade old HS8 and have recently moved to a new apartment. There is an intermittent screeching sound in both that I absolutely cannot be rid of.
I am wondering if speakers with a metal enclosure are the best option. I am considering the KH120A and the 8030s. I don't have a sub and won't have the budget to add one for some months. I've got a room just under 13ft length, speakers on stands, twelve GIK 244s? 242s? I forget, but there are twelve of those strewn about. This interference-sounding sound has me deeply paranoid that anything without a metal enclosure will lead to the same problem.

Things I have tried include:

• ferrite clips on all cables
• turning off everything, including PC, except the speakers
• unplugging the audio cables from the speakers
• turning stuff off on the breaker until things in the apartment start beeping
• unplugging the wifi router
• different power outlets
• a fancy ART power bar that claims to reduce interference somehow
• a morley hum reducer thing
• an outlet ground tester (outlets ok!)
• plugging in speaker in a different room (which did reduce noise)
• lining the outside of the enclosures with foil

and finally (y'all will like this one):

• lining the inside of the worst offender with foil
• I hope that one isn't gonna backfire

Of all of these only the foil stuff seemed to help. I reduced the problem from "I cannot stand to have these turned on" to "my sanity will probably recover eventually". I suspect that I am hearing the building's HVAC since I think I can hear a similar sound when all is quiet, some nights. I have not succeeded in recording the sound due to various other ambient hums and such. I do have a recording straight from one of the speakers attached in case someone is interested.

In closing, is a metal enclosure the best option?
Thanks for reading.

 

[LTig]

A metal housing helps but the woofer still may let RF through. It may be not too much if the woofer has a protection grill in front which is made of metal and connected to the housing.

But fixing the problem on the transmitter side (the offender) makes more sense. Did you connect the foil inside the worst offender (what is it?) to its ground? Does the offender has a good ground connection (if there is one)?

 

[amirm]

That sounds like the old cell phone interference. Did you try keeping your phone away?

 

[yamahater]

That sounds like the old cell phone interference. Did you try keeping your phone away?

I'm sure I did, but also trying right now with the phone in my fridge. It seems to help but still very much a problem. The building across from my unit looks like it has some comms gear on its roof, dish-type things and whatnot. I worry that stuff is blasting my poor yammys.

 

[amirm]

If that helps then it could be the cell tower being so close to you. Such interference is very hard to deal with but definitely worth trying another speaker. Newer designs usually have specific circuits to deal with that interference.

 

[yamahater]

A metal housing helps but the woofer still may let RF through. It may be not too much if the woofer has a protection grill in front which is made of metal and connected to the housing.

But fixing the problem on the transmitter side (the offender) makes more sense. Did you connect the foil inside the worst offender (what is it?) to its ground? Does the offender has a good ground connection (if there is one)?

To clarify by offender I mean the speaker that seems to output more of the noise. I don't know much about electricity so I doubt I grounded interior or exterior foil properly. Each speaker though is connected to an outlet that the ground tester widget said was OK.

 

[yamahater]

If that helps then it could be the cell tower being so close to you. Such interference is very hard to deal with but definitely worth trying another speaker. Newer designs usually have specific circuits to deal with that interference.

Do you think such a circuit would be more effective than a metal enclosure? For example the new Eris Studio 5 claims protection against 'RF interference' but it is in a fiberboard enclosure.

 

[TurtlePaul]

Do you think such a circuit would be more effective than a metal enclosure?

Yes. Something in the device is acting as an antenna to pick up the signal and then amplify it. It is easier to design a device removing potential antenna than having it full of antenna and shielding it. Also, using coax cables with foil shields is pretty much as effective as a metal case.

 

[kemmler3D]

You could always try building a faraday cage around your room. Might mess with your wifi reception though.

 

[crx]

I had HS50m and HS8 monitors (connected to audio interface). Both buzzed like crazy any time I moved a mouse.

Something to do with videocard and computer innards.

I bought the Behringer MicroHD HD400 Ultra-Compact 2-Channel Hum Destroyer (don't know if it's same as Morley)

I also have KH120 and they hummed/buzzed too when I moved to a new location.

Again, just threw the Behringer thing in the loop and all the noise was gone.

Just saying what worked for me.

 

[HiMu]

I've got a pair of decade old HS8 and have recently moved to a new apartment. There is an intermittent screeching sound in both that I absolutely cannot be rid of.

I had the older HS80m and had to sell those due to tweeter screeching/hiss that was a major contributor to listening fatigue.

If you're used to the low frequency capability of the HS8, you might be disappointed with the Genelec 8X30 with 5 1/8" woofers. After the Yamaha's I had the 8330+7350 but couldn't get them to integrate well enough due to the speaker/listening position/crossover freq restrictions with a listening distance of 2.2m. They sounded and measured beautifully but were just a tiny bit below what I prefer.

 

[holbob]

Tried starquad cables with the ground lifted?