Gearslutz.com - View Single Post

silverhawk103 · 24th December 2005

Hello Fellow Slutz-

Before I begin to outline my problem, I just want to say that Gearslutz is a great, fantastic and generally groovy place to learn how great sound is massaged.

I was a lurker for the last 5 months, and through a zillion threads, I was led to purchase a Chandler TG Channel, a Distressor and a Soundelux U99, all of which I love beyond my wildest expectations when I first started thinking that a decent pre would make my Digital Performer experience as much fun and warmth as I used to have with a 57 plugged direct into a Teac 3340.

So, I am most grateful to all for their experience, opinions, shoot outs, diversions, links, and rants. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (by the way, my original budget when I started this process was $500. I have spent more than 10 times that, and don't regret a penny, though I'll be paying on it for awhile). My mic chain is glorious.

So, on to my nightmare. It's called hum and it showed up the very first time I went to record a bass track. The situation is that I live in an apartment that was wired in 1924, with two pairs of fat, ungrounded AC lines running under my floor and in my ceiling (my upstairs neighbor's power). And these lines put out magnetic fields that my pick-ups just eat up.

I have tried ground lifts, power conditioners, turning off the power to half my apartment, ferrite clamshells, and no matter what I do the fields are present wherever I am. There are a few null spots in my apartment, if I hold the guitar in an exact right position, at the exact height and angle. If I was a machine, I could play that way, but alas, I am all too human.

So, this human is screaming for help. Anyone have any ideas? (Please don't tell me to move, I love my home and it is super affordable.) I am thinking about shielding, but after hours and hours on the net have come up with nothing but a very expensive material ($18.95/linear foot) with no reliable info on what I would need to create a hum free playspace.

So, I humbly appeal to all the helpful geniuses in the house. Save me. Please.

Thanks, Steve

24th December 2005	#1
silverhawk103 Gear interested Joined: Dec 2005 Location: West Hollywood, CA Posts: 7 Thread Starter	Need Help With Nasty Hum Hello Fellow Slutz- Before I begin to outline my problem, I just want to say that Gearslutz is a great, fantastic and generally groovy place to learn how great sound is massaged. I was a lurker for the last 5 months, and through a zillion threads, I was led to purchase a Chandler TG Channel, a Distressor and a Soundelux U99, all of which I love beyond my wildest expectations when I first started thinking that a decent pre would make my Digital Performer experience as much fun and warmth as I used to have with a 57 plugged direct into a Teac 3340. So, I am most grateful to all for their experience, opinions, shoot outs, diversions, links, and rants. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (by the way, my original budget when I started this process was $500. I have spent more than 10 times that, and don't regret a penny, though I'll be paying on it for awhile). My mic chain is glorious. So, on to my nightmare. It's called hum and it showed up the very first time I went to record a bass track. The situation is that I live in an apartment that was wired in 1924, with two pairs of fat, ungrounded AC lines running under my floor and in my ceiling (my upstairs neighbor's power). And these lines put out magnetic fields that my pick-ups just eat up. I have tried ground lifts, power conditioners, turning off the power to half my apartment, ferrite clamshells, and no matter what I do the fields are present wherever I am. There are a few null spots in my apartment, if I hold the guitar in an exact right position, at the exact height and angle. If I was a machine, I could play that way, but alas, I am all too human. So, this human is screaming for help. Anyone have any ideas? (Please don't tell me to move, I love my home and it is super affordable.) I am thinking about shielding, but after hours and hours on the net have come up with nothing but a very expensive material ($18.95/linear foot) with no reliable info on what I would need to create a hum free playspace. So, I humbly appeal to all the helpful geniuses in the house. Save me. Please. Thanks, Steve