Speaker hum from ground loop half solved

[JJWigs]

Hi, I have a hum from my speakers (these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003L92O5Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which I'm pretty sure is from a ground loop.

I purchased this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08G9J74VX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and the hum is significantly reduced but still a problem for me. Can I solve this with a more expensive hum destroyer? Can you recommend one? Thanks in advance, hope this isn't too dumb of a question.

Edit: or perhaps it would be more cost effective to buy better speakers that don't hum at all? My old speakers don't have any issue but for the life of me I cant find what model they are.

 

[ErVikingo]

HumX is perhaps your best option as a patch

 

[JJWigs]

HumX is perhaps your best option as a patch

Looks like this costs way more than the speakers themselves, maybe I could buy more expensive ones that don't have the problem instead? Like my mystery old speakers

 

[AudiOhm]

My bet is that it is not your speakers but a problem with the equipment/cables etc. feeding your speakers.

Find and eliminate the issue, don't Band-Aid it...

Ohms

 

[JJWigs]

My bet is that it is not your speakers but a problem with the equipment/cables etc. feeding your speakers.

Find and eliminate the issue, don't Band-Aid it...

Ohms

My old speakers are fine so it would have to be something related to the new speakers right? That's why I'm thinking new speakers could be a solution. I'm using the same extension cable, the power is plugged in at the same place, it's literally only the speakers that have changed to introduce the problem

 

[AudiOhm]

My old speakers are fine so it would have to be something related to the new speakers right? That's why I'm thinking new speakers could be a solution. I'm using the same extension cable, the power is plugged in at the same place, it's literally only the speakers that have changed to introduce the problem

Not necessarily, the old setup may have been an issue that the old speakers did not display, the new speakers may be perfectly fine.

Chasing a ground loop can be a real headache.

What you are saying is these new speakers are the issue and they would cause a ground loop hum in all systems...

Ohms

 

[robwpdx]

Plug them into power with nothing connected to the 3.5mm TRS and turned on. If there is hum, you need a power line filter. If the hum only starts when plugged into the pc, then try running them without the 3rd prong on the power plug for the speakers. Report back.

 

[OldHvyMec]

Why did you change speakers and did you add anything to the system or take it away? The old system was active too?
What is the source? Does the sound change if you raise and lower the cables? Have you changed the location of the components
to accommodate the speaker change or did you move the cables? Are you using more than one component and not plugging into the same
receptacle?

 

[JJWigs]

Not necessarily, the old setup may have been an issue that the old speakers did not display, the new speakers may be perfectly fine.

Chasing a ground loop can be a real headache.

What you are saying is these new speakers are the issue and they would cause a ground loop hum in all systems...

Ohms

Ah right I see what you're saying now, makes sense. I should probably mention this is the second set of cheap speakers I've had this issue with. I'd love to know exactly what's different between my old and new ones

Plug them into power with nothing connected to the 3.5mm TRS and turned on. If there is hum, you need a power line filter. If the hum only starts when plugged into the pc, then try running them without the 3rd prong on the power plug for the speakers. Report back.

Yes the hum is still present without connecting them to the pc, just plugged in and switched on, though it's definitely louder while plugged in to the pc. I don't see a way to plug them in without the 3rd prong (uk plugs btw)

Why did you change speakers and did you add anything to the system or take it away? The old system was active too?
What is the source? Does the sound change if you raise and lower the cables? Have you changed the location of the components
to accommodate the speaker change or did you move the cables? Are you using more than one component and not plugging into the same
receptacle?

My good speakers are like 15+ years old and I can't expect them to last forever, also somebody else is using them now so I need another. They were also active yeah. Source is my pc. No change in sound while fiddling with the cables. Everything is literally in the exact same spots as with the old speakers, cables speakers pc and all, the old speakers are still fine too nothing's changed there. The speakers and pc are plugged in at different places but I can't change that with my setup.

 

[robwpdx]

Ah right I see what you're saying now, makes sense. I should probably mention this is the second set of cheap speakers I've had this issue with. I'd love to know exactly what's different between my old and new ones


Yes the hum is still present without connecting them to the pc, just plugged in and switched on, though it's definitely louder while plugged in to the pc. I don't see a way to plug them in without the 3rd prong (uk plugs btw)

If they have a hum when plugged in to the mains and turned on but not even connected to the PC, they are faulty.

So return them to the retailer for a full refund.

You should return the car audio filter too, just say it didn't work.

The car audio world of interference is very different than the home audio world. The spark plugs and spark system produces broadband noise. The very early radio transmitters were based on sparks. You can listen to automobile spark noise with any AM broadcast band radio.

It is not a ground loop, it is bad power supply design, or a bad power supply that was not caught by Quality Control - QC in China.

If you are near a strong electromagnetic field, your 50Hz mains could radiate through the plastic case into the audio part of the circuitry. That would be insufficient EMF filtering of the circuitry which would require mumetal shielding which is expensive and something almost impossible for consumers to install.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Hi, I have a hum from my speakers (these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003L92O5Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which I'm pretty sure is from a ground loop.

Why do you think that? The speakers seem to have plastic enclosures, as such they are not grounded (is the power cable flat or round?). If not grounded, it couldn't be ground loop.
- How long is your cable connecting to the PC?
- You said without connecting to PC there is some hum, what if you take the speakers to the other side of the room, power on, is there still hum?

I purchased this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08G9J74VX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and the hum is significantly reduced but still a problem for me. Can I solve this with a more expensive hum destroyer? Can you recommend one? Thanks in advance, hope this isn't too dumb of a question.

From the pictures of the device, I would say it is just hoax! you can not get a ground loop noise in a car with a mobile phone! ground loop occurs ONLY when the source and the amp/speakers are grounded individually. A mobile phone is not grounded .

Edit: or perhaps it would be more cost effective to buy better speakers that don't hum at all? My old speakers don't have any issue but for the life of me I cant find what model they are.

If your speakers at the other side of the room has less or no hum connected to your mobile phone/MP3 player, then your issue may be EMI (electro magnetic interference) because it was close to something noisy, so moving it made it better or cured it.
If the device on the otherside of the room, connected to a mobile phone/MP3 player is still noisy, it is faulty, send it back if you can.
Surely, send the gadget back, you were duped.

 

[JJWigs]

If they have a hum when plugged in to the mains and turned on but not even connected to the PC, they are faulty.

So return them to the retailer for a full refund.

You should return the car audio filter too, just say it didn't work.

The car audio world of interference is very different than the home audio world. The spark plugs and spark system produces broadband noise. The very early radio transmitters were based on sparks. You can listen to automobile spark noise with any AM broadcast band radio.

It is not a ground loop, it is bad power supply design, or a bad power supply that was not caught by Quality Control - QC in China.

If you are near a strong electromagnetic field, your 50Hz mains could radiate through the plastic case into the audio part of the circuitry. That would be insufficient EMF filtering of the circuitry which would require mumetal shielding which is expensive and something almost impossible for consumers to install.

Why do you think that? The speakers seem to have plastic enclosures, as such they are not grounded (is the power cable flat or round?). If not grounded, it couldn't be ground loop.
- How long is your cable connecting to the PC?
- You said without connecting to PC there is some hum, what if you take the speakers to the other side of the room, power on, is there still hum?

From the pictures of the device, I would say it is just hoax! you can not get a ground loop noise in a car with a mobile phone! ground loop occurs ONLY when the source and the amp/speakers are grounded individually. A mobile phone is not grounded .

If your speakers at the other side of the room has less or no hum connected to your mobile phone/MP3 player, then your issue may be EMI (electro magnetic interference) because it was close to something noisy, so moving it made it better or cured it.
If the device on the otherside of the room, connected to a mobile phone/MP3 player is still noisy, it is faulty, send it back if you can.
Surely, send the gadget back, you were duped.

What made me assume a ground loop was this article: https://blogs.qsc.com/live-sound/what-causes-loudspeaker-hum-and-hiss-and-how-to-eliminate-it/#:~:text=Though some noise is inherently,, USB and computer noise). where the sample of ground loop hum matched what I was hearing, and when the thing I bought from amazon had a positive effect I figured that confirmed it.

The power cable is round. I have my old and new speakers in the exact same spot and they've both been connected to the pc by an extension cable, so they're quite far from the pc. If the issue was EMI wouldn't I have the same problem with the old ones? In that case what could be the difference?

At this rate I plan to buy speakers of more reasonable quality and price (these I have my eye on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-R1...t=&hvlocphy=1006565&hvtargid=pla-940352016216 ) and hope they are fine just like my old ones. Worth a go in your guys' opinion?

 

[Ken Tajalli]

What made me assume a ground loop was this article: https://blogs.qsc.com/live-sound/what-causes-loudspeaker-hum-and-hiss-and-how-to-eliminate-it/#:~:text=Though some noise is inherently,, USB and computer noise). where the sample of ground loop hum matched what I was hearing, and when the thing I bought from amazon had a positive effect I figured that confirmed it.

As the article says, ground loop can happen, if you earth your PC and the speakers to different earths. Since you have noise, even when PC is disconnected, then it could not be ground loop. what the gadget does is employ a passive low frequency filter, that lessens what noise there is at the cost of reduced bass. read the many one star reviews for the gadget.

The power cable is round. I have my old and new speakers in the exact same spot and they've both been connected to the pc by an extension cable, so they're quite far from the pc. If the issue was EMI wouldn't I have the same problem with the old ones? In that case what could be the difference?

Round power cable usually means there is a third wire (ground), flat wire, as in the case of the new speakers you got your eyes on, means two wires and no ground wire.

At this rate I plan to buy speakers of more reasonable quality and price (these I have my eye on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-R1...t=&hvlocphy=1006565&hvtargid=pla-940352016216 ) and hope they are fine just like my old ones. Worth a go in your guys' opinion?

Good luck, I would have.
The first pair is substandard. The gadget is useless., even if it seems to sort of half work. Short of having a transformer inside (doubtful), it can not deal with ground loop.
Scientifically speaking.

 

[JJWigs]

As the article says, ground loop can happen, if you earth your PC and the speakers to different earths. Since you have noise, even when PC is disconnected, then it could not be ground loop. what the gadget does is employ a passive low frequency filter, that lessens what noise there is at the cost of reduced bass. read the many one star reviews for the gadget.

Round power cable usually means there is a third wire (ground), flat wire, as in the case of the new speakers you got your eyes on, means two wires and no ground wire.

Good luck, I would have.
The first pair is substandard. The gadget is useless., even if it seems to sort of half work. Short of having a transformer inside (doubtful), it can not deal with ground loop.
Scientifically speaking.

Ah ok thank you I understand about the ground loop now I think.
My pc and speakers are far enough away from eachother that I would assume they have different earths. Does that mean I'm actually likely to introduce a ground loop with these speakers I'm looking at since you pointed out they probably don't have a ground wire? Do you think it would be smart to make sure I go for something with a round cable?

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Ah ok thank you I understand about the ground loop now I think.
My pc and speakers are far enough away from eachother that I would assume they have different earths. Does that mean I'm actually likely to introduce a ground loop with these speakers I'm looking at since you pointed out they probably don't have a ground wire? Do you think it would be smart to make sure I go for something with a round cable?

Long cables are prone to noise. But not all systems suffer from it. Wait and see with new speakers. The new speakers are not grounded (flat mains cable), so I don't think so.
But ground loop is one noise out of many possible causes!

 

[JJWigs]

Got the new speakers today, still not happy with them.
Though I think I've made the wonderful discovery that I'm an absolute idiot, and the complaints I'm making are simply about regular old self generated sound, which even my old speakers make (but only when turned up way way higher than I would ever use them).
After reading another thread here it seems I should be looking for passive speakers so I think I'll be heading for a local speaker store and asking them what they'd reccomend in terms of avoiding any hiss or hum.
Thanks to all in this thread for the help, it has actually been very productive despite me have little to no clue about anything at all and making things a lot more difficult than need be