The members here seem to be very knowledgable and hopefully can help me. Excuse me if I go long, I want to give all information I can. When hooking my Compaq laptop up to my Yamaha power mixer(EMX 660) I get interference. The speakers pickup hissing and junk from the laptop. I have another rig where it picks up no noise at all. The setup for the problem is this... laptop and Yamaha power mixer pluged into Furman power conditioner. Gigaport sound card pluged into usb port and other end into power mixer input. speakers pluged into power mixer. The setup with no problem has a numark mixer, QVC amp and laptop pluged into furman power conditioner. Gigaport pluged into numark mixer. No sound problem there. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Interference using laptop
- Thread starter Rockinrich
- Start date
Does the laptop power supply have a 3 prong plug?
You can easily tell if this is the problem, by unplugging the laptop, and running off of battery power. If the noise goes away, you have a ground loop.
If so, just lift the ground with a 2 prong adapter.
A ground loop isolator will do the same trick, but is more expensive.
You can easily tell if this is the problem, by unplugging the laptop, and running off of battery power. If the noise goes away, you have a ground loop.
If so, just lift the ground with a 2 prong adapter.
A ground loop isolator will do the same trick, but is more expensive.
I sometimes get this problem with one of my external hard drives... what I do is end up plugging the offending piece into a different circuit and the noise goes away...
Something else you may try if using a different circuit isn't possible is a HumX device that should help eliminate the interference.
Most laptops suffer from poor grounding issues.
thanks Rick, by the way I love Rockit. My laptop does have a 3 prong power cord. Unfortunatly I don't have a battery for the laptop. I'll try lifting the ground. thanks Joker, the ext harddrive is on both systems so I don't think that is it. Is the humx device a ground loop isolator? I've tried different circuits to no avail.
Essencially yes that is what it is... but it does much more.
I was just using my hard drive as an example... in the early stages my laptop caused problems too.... I no longer plug it into my Furman instead I use a separate circuit and I've had no problems since... when I use a laptop.
Typically my rig consists of a custom built desktop PC... they are better grounded and offer much more flexiblity when it comes to sound cards than your typical laptop.
I'm not sure I understand though, why interference in one system but not the other. I wouldn't think the power mixer is the problem, but I guess it is.
I doubt it's the power mixer.... try pluggin your laptop into a different outlet from where your furman and other equipment is plugged see if that changes anything.... I know it does for me.
Like Rick said it sounds like you have a ground loop issue.... possible caused by the mixer but more likely the laptop.... your other setup sounds to be the better one which is probaly why you don't hear the problem there.
Remember a Computer has a high frequency oscillator circuit inside called a "clock" any oscillator emits a signal how far it goes and what picks it up depends on many variables.
In this case the signal jumps to the ac line where it can be radiated and amplified. Since the oscillator or clock operates on a high frequency in the gigahertz it's signal will sound like noise.
(NOTE this what you'll get in the soon to be discontinued wireless microphone band when the new digital users power up.)
In this case the signal jumps to the ac line where it can be radiated and amplified. Since the oscillator or clock operates on a high frequency in the gigahertz it's signal will sound like noise.
(NOTE this what you'll get in the soon to be discontinued wireless microphone band when the new digital users power up.)
The info above is all good, but focuses on AC input. You haven't mentioned if this problem occurs in ALL the locations in which you set up.
If it doesn't happen everywhere, you may be picking up magnetic emissions. Example: If you crank a magneto powered flashlight in proximity to a PC, you will note anything from noise to video glitches to interrupted downloads.
The cure for this is magnetic sheilding- basically a sheet metal cradle for the laptop. They are not expensive ( or you could make one), and are available at most full service computer stores..
If it doesn't happen everywhere, you may be picking up magnetic emissions. Example: If you crank a magneto powered flashlight in proximity to a PC, you will note anything from noise to video glitches to interrupted downloads.
The cure for this is magnetic sheilding- basically a sheet metal cradle for the laptop. They are not expensive ( or you could make one), and are available at most full service computer stores..
BTW off topic a bit...a ground loop insolator is the lil black box closer to the laptop or mixer...
EX-
--- ________
---------{ }--------------------mixer
--- {_______}
Or the other way around?
Nice drawing eh?
EX-
--- ________
---------{ }--------------------mixer
--- {_______}
Or the other way around?
Nice drawing eh?
I want to thank everyone for thier input. What cleared up the problem was the simplest. I put a two prong adapter on the 3 prong plug. Life is good now.
My very LAST singer of the night....No, wait! A DIGITAL karaoke singer!
You're soooooooooooo bad, but in a good way.... thanks I needed a laugh after last night....
You're soooooooooooo bad, but in a good way.... thanks I needed a laugh after last night....
Don't know what happened last night. but I truly hope all is well now, Rob.