I think I need heavy ammo in shielding my office music hardware, and don't know how to narrow this down. Like a gigantic Faraday cage? Tin foil hats for all equipment? Victrolas?
Most of my listening is done at the office. I use both a portable DAC/Amp and a desktop DAC and Amp to listen to streaming lossless FLAC on IEM's and headphones. (Details below in my profile.)
I am driven to distraction by what must be EM interference. It's a fringe of static ranging over time from mild and distant to seriously distorting. It is not a fixed background static or hum, but appears only as noisy interference with a music signal, most notable with mid-frequency voices (esp. male) and massed strings, but also to a lesser degree with higher-frequency sounds. But no music, then no noise. Kind of like wax paper taped onto a speaker grille, only more fine grained.
1. It's not the DAC or amp or IEM's or headphone. It occurs with both the portable and desktop setups, and when components are rotated out and exchanged. However, it is worse on the desktop in general.
2. It's not the PC: it occurs on two laptops.
3. It's not the wall power: it occurs when on battery; and Amir's recent research suggests that isn't likely anyway.
4. It's not the streaming service: it happens with both Amazon HD and Idagio FLAC.
5. I do only have one signal source, the building's cable ISP and my office wi-fi router. But bits are bits, no? .... at least in this context?
6. I'm guessing it's not a ground loop, even though I have no balanced connections. It's not a fixed hum, and the problem occurs on two separate systems. But correct me in case I should do more with this.
6. It's probably the location, since if I bring the portable DAC/Amp home with a laptop, there's no noise.
I work in an office building. There are wifi routers, printers and office equipment galore. Also the building's HVAC room and air handlers are right down the hall.
I have a USB extension cable from the laptop signal-out to the desktop DAC signal-in and replaced it with a Cable Matters cable with braid-and-foil shielding. The headphones are the worst on this, and I also replaced the headphone cables. (But I suspect they just highlight the problem because they have a warmer midrange that showcases the noise.) These two steps did help a bit, but no cure. Meanwhile, I'm in this office 50-60 hours a week. I'm not sure where to go next! Set up client appointments and have them hum to me?
Most of my listening is done at the office. I use both a portable DAC/Amp and a desktop DAC and Amp to listen to streaming lossless FLAC on IEM's and headphones. (Details below in my profile.)
I am driven to distraction by what must be EM interference. It's a fringe of static ranging over time from mild and distant to seriously distorting. It is not a fixed background static or hum, but appears only as noisy interference with a music signal, most notable with mid-frequency voices (esp. male) and massed strings, but also to a lesser degree with higher-frequency sounds. But no music, then no noise. Kind of like wax paper taped onto a speaker grille, only more fine grained.
1. It's not the DAC or amp or IEM's or headphone. It occurs with both the portable and desktop setups, and when components are rotated out and exchanged. However, it is worse on the desktop in general.
2. It's not the PC: it occurs on two laptops.
3. It's not the wall power: it occurs when on battery; and Amir's recent research suggests that isn't likely anyway.
4. It's not the streaming service: it happens with both Amazon HD and Idagio FLAC.
5. I do only have one signal source, the building's cable ISP and my office wi-fi router. But bits are bits, no? .... at least in this context?
6. I'm guessing it's not a ground loop, even though I have no balanced connections. It's not a fixed hum, and the problem occurs on two separate systems. But correct me in case I should do more with this.
6. It's probably the location, since if I bring the portable DAC/Amp home with a laptop, there's no noise.
I work in an office building. There are wifi routers, printers and office equipment galore. Also the building's HVAC room and air handlers are right down the hall.
I have a USB extension cable from the laptop signal-out to the desktop DAC signal-in and replaced it with a Cable Matters cable with braid-and-foil shielding. The headphones are the worst on this, and I also replaced the headphone cables. (But I suspect they just highlight the problem because they have a warmer midrange that showcases the noise.) These two steps did help a bit, but no cure. Meanwhile, I'm in this office 50-60 hours a week. I'm not sure where to go next! Set up client appointments and have them hum to me?
