Possible Ground Loop Hum

amerk84 · 1277

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Offline amerk84

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on: January 11, 2016, 06:46:21 AM
I finally figured out what was causing the pops and cracks in my Reduction. So now I just have a 120Hz(?) ground loop hum to fix. I had this problem before with my audio interface connected to my computer via firewire. Oddly enough the ground loop was coming from my computer monitor. So I just put in a ground loop eliminator (Ebtech Hum X) on my computer monitor plug and it fixed that problem. However, I was reading somewhere else on these forums that this is not a safe solution for any of the Bottlehead gear.

I am new to these DIY kits. Could someone please explain to me as if I am a 10-year-old how I should go about troubleshooting this ground loop problem?



Offline fullheadofnothing

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Reply #1 on: January 11, 2016, 08:50:49 AM
That device looks suitable. What we advise against is the long term use of a plug adapter that will remove the safety ground. Whether or not this will cure your problem is hard to evaluate without trying it.

Hum problems are usually related to a different ground reference between pieces of gear. Plug everything into the same power strip and see if the problem goes away. Additionally, the ground cable from the turntable most likely should be attached to the post on the Reduction. I say most likely because there are instances where I have had better noise performance by not making this connection (or connecting it elsewhere). It is hard to give suggestions without any knowledge of your system or setup.

Joshua Harris

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