Speaker Buzz regardless of volume

[Adam Kessel]

I'm not really sure where to post this, but hopefully someone can
point me in the right direction if there is a better place.

I have a pair of Yamaha YST-M10 speakers that occasionally start
buzzing loudly. It's a deep, loud sound. It is provoked when I have
the volume turned up loud particularly when there is a low sound from
the sound card. It also frequently occurs when I first turn on the
speakers regardless of whether any sound is coming in.

The volume has no effect on the buzz, and no other sounds can be heard
from the speakers once the buzz stops. Even turning off the computer
has no effect. The buzz is very loud.

Turning the speakers off and on rarely stops the buzz. Sometimes
plugging and unplugging the speakers will eventually stop the buzz.
It turns out the most effective way to stop the buzz--that works every
time--is to unplug the non-powered speaker.

Like many computer speakers, the left speaker has a power in, stereo
in, and mono out to the other speaker. The right speaker just has
mono in. (all standard 1/8 inch headphone jacks). Unplugging the
right speaker at either end always stops the buzz.

Someone posted about a vaguely similar problem several years ago here:

http://shorl.com/gufinigybefra

But I don't think this quite explains my problem.

I mostly would just like to understand what might be causing this, and
perhaps how to fix it.

Thanks for any tips!

 

[Larc]

On 6 Aug 2003 19:50:13 -0700, Adam Kessel pondered exceedingly, then took quill
in hand and carefully composed...

| I'm not really sure where to post this, but hopefully someone can
| point me in the right direction if there is a better place.
|
| I have a pair of Yamaha YST-M10 speakers that occasionally start
| buzzing loudly. It's a deep, loud sound. It is provoked when I have
| the volume turned up loud particularly when there is a low sound from
| the sound card. It also frequently occurs when I first turn on the
| speakers regardless of whether any sound is coming in.
|
| The volume has no effect on the buzz, and no other sounds can be heard
| from the speakers once the buzz stops. Even turning off the computer
| has no effect. The buzz is very loud.
|
| Turning the speakers off and on rarely stops the buzz. Sometimes
| plugging and unplugging the speakers will eventually stop the buzz.
| It turns out the most effective way to stop the buzz--that works every
| time--is to unplug the non-powered speaker.
|
| Like many computer speakers, the left speaker has a power in, stereo
| in, and mono out to the other speaker. The right speaker just has
| mono in. (all standard 1/8 inch headphone jacks). Unplugging the
| right speaker at either end always stops the buzz.

It sounds like a 60Hz hum. Something is probably grounding your sound system.
The non-powered speaker may be the culprit. Is the lead to that speaker
permanently attached to the speaker, a plug or does the speaker have + and -
leads? If the latter, try reversing them. Make sure + and - leads aren't
touching anywhere.

Larc



§§§ - Please raise temperature of mail to reply by e-mail - §§§

 

[D]

Try muting your "line-in".

D.

 

[Adam Kessel]

It sounds like a 60Hz hum. Something is probably grounding your sound system.
The non-powered speaker may be the culprit. Is the lead to that speaker
permanently attached to the speaker, a plug or does the speaker have + and -
leads? If the latter, try reversing them. Make sure + and - leads aren't
touching anywhere.

I've made a short MP3 of the buzz for your enjoyment:

http://bostoncoop.net/adam/pub/noise.mp3

Does this confirm the 60Hz hum theory?

The connection between the two speakers is just a standard headphone
wire, with 1/8 inch jacks at both ends (albeit mono, rather than
stereo jacks). Do you think the problem could be this wire itself?

I'm curious to understand how grounding the sound system would cause a
hum. Can you point me to a resource that might explain this
phenomenon?

 

[Jon Danniken]

I've made a short MP3 of the buzz for your enjoyment:

http://bostoncoop.net/adam/pub/noise.mp3

Does this confirm the 60Hz hum theory?

Nope, it sounds like a feedback loop in a crossover, or a bad solder joint
somewhere. If that's the case, return them for replacement, or open them up and
fix them yourself, if you're the adventurous type.

Otherwise, does wiggling the connections make any difference? Shaking the
speakers make any difference? Do the speakers make the noise when unplugged
from the sound card? Do other speakers work fine on your system? Is there a
fluroescent light nearby?

Jon

 

[Adam Kessel]

Nope, it sounds like a feedback loop in a crossover, or a bad solder joint
somewhere. If that's the case, return them for replacement, or open them up and
fix them yourself, if you're the adventurous type.

I am the adventurous type. As long as something isn't going to explode
on me, I'll open it up.

Otherwise, does wiggling the connections make any difference?

Not that I can tell. As I unplug the left speaker, it does start to
limit the sound, and of course it eventually dies when the left
speaker is unplugged. It takes 3-4 seconds after the left speaker is
unplugged for the buzz to stop.

Shaking the speakers make any difference?

I just tried shaking them pretty hard, no noticeable result.

Do the speakers make the noise when unplugged from the sound card?

Yes. The speakers often make the noise at power on, regardless of
whether they are plugged into the sound card. With the sound card
plugged in, deep and loud sounds trigger the buzz.

Do other speakers work fine on your system?

Yes, I connect it to a stereo occasionally and that's totally fine.

Is there a fluroescent light nearby?

Halogen, but no flourescent.

 

[Adam Kessel]

I don't have any way of measuring it, but that sounds higher than 60Hz. Also,
is the static (breaking up) part of what you're hearing or just an artifact in
the mp3?

No, it's really breaking up like that. The mp3 is a pretty accurate
representation of what I hear.

Possibly. It definitely sounds like a connection problem, especially if the
static is part of it. Maybe something has loosened, or maybe there's a bad
solder joint. You say the non-powered speaker appears to be at the root of the
problem. Have you tried that speaker on something else such as a walkman-type
radio to make sure it's not 100% of the problem?

I just tried plugging my Neuros into the left speaker only, and it
seems to be playing okay. But it's not particularly loud since that
speaker doesn't have it's own power input. I'm not sure how I would
get it to buzz without it being plugged in to the other (powered)
speaker).

"Grounding out" or more precisely a "ground loop" in audio can occur if there is
any improper connection between the + and - poles.

That's helpful. On your advice, I also found this website which
gives a pretty good overview:

"Ground Loop Basics"
http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/basics.html