Need Help!! Ref C, Vintech, interface problem

[AposL]

Hi everyone,

I have been dealing with this issue since October and I am at my wits end.

I moved in October to a different space and since then I've been getting this low electrical sounding hum in the monitors/headphones when record is engaged. I moved my whole rig to a friends house to see if it was my space causing this problem, but still had it.

My chain in a Ref C > Vintech x73i > Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 > Logic.

I've tried a different Ref C, different Vintech and power supply, different saffire, STILL there. Tried an array of different cables.

Now this hum is being recorded onto the tracks so it is a huge problem.

I am going from the manleys power supply into the mic input on the x73i out of it with a xlr to 1/4 into the focusrite. i've tried all different combinations of in's and outs. Today I got it to work with a patch cable going from the balanced 1/4 output of vintech into the saffire. awesome! tried it again an hour ago and hum is there.

This is not noise floor or anything like that, this is a distinct electrical sounding low hum. Thats the best way I can describe it.

i am going crazy.

If anyone has any suggestions I would be so appreciative.

I am ready to sell everything and become a truck driver.

[yotonic]

How are you powering everything? Do you have a power conditioner? Are you using a cheap power strip? Do you have a computer plugged into the same power strip? Have you tried ground lifts on various plugs of your gear?

Elvis was a truck driver.

[AposL]

I have a furman power conditioner in the top of my rack, all my outboard gear is on this rack. I have a surge protector connected to my computer and all the computer stuff.

I bought a ground lift socket at home depot, didn't do anything.

I even took out all my gear and connected them to different sockets around the CR, completely bypassed the rack.

[BluegrassDan]

Does it buzz without the mic plugged in? If not, there's your answer.

[yotonic]

You tried a different mic also a Ref C was it a different power supply as well? What are you using for an interface is it racked with your gear or with the computer?

[AposL]

only hums when you enable the track for recording. So basically when you can hear the mic in the monitors or headphones, the buzzing is there. It's being recorded onto the track as well.

different manley, different PS. Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 is my interface, i tried it racked and unracked.

[yotonic]

Do you have an old or other interface you can try? Did you try just your Manley and Vintech through your friends rig without using your interface? I would pursue that path next.

Obviously if other mics (2nd Manley) have the same problem when plugged into your rig then it's not your mic, I'm guessing it's the Saffire.

[AposL]

tried a different saffire, same thing.

see, im going nuts.

tomorrow im going to call an electrician to see if everything over here is how it should be. (maybe ground issue????)

if he says everything is fine, then i have no idea what to do.

[techneek]

Before you have a electrician over do you have a AC polarity checker. These are cheap and just plug it into all electrical outlets to see if you have 1 or more reversed neutral or ground outlets anywhere. This would be the white and green wires on the back of the outlet. Also the test will reveal if you have a gnd and neutral tied together. " from the manleys power supply into the mic input on the x73i out of it with a xlr to 1/4 ". Is the 1/4 trs?

[unfadeable]

^good advice.. It sounds like you have a bad ground somewhere. I would go to the hardware store and buy a .69 cent plug converter that floats the ground (turns a 3 prong into a 2 prong) and attach it one by one to each component in your rack until the noise is gone. That will tell you which piece has the bad ground. Also, try and rewire your rack running all the power cables away from audio signal cables as that sometimes causes interference.

[KRStudio]

I've been bitten with a similar issue. Check your fire wire cable. Get a good one. Not the cheap black one but a good shielded one.

[AposL]

Thanks for everyones help and suggestions

I did get an electrician here and he tried everything he could think of. Still there, he said theres only one thing left to do, he ran a dedicated line from the circuit breaker to my surge protector (bypassing the houses circuitry all together). I plugged my power conditioner (outboard gear) into my surge protector (computer etc) into an extension cord running to the circuit breaker. It was gone!

So this means that somewhere in the building the wiring is bad. But theres no way to pinpoint where. So, I have to run an extension cord from the panel outside the house into the CR. Now since my vocal booth is in a different room and im using the Manley which requires its own PS, I have to run another extension cord from the CR into the VB.

UH!

But atleast I found the problem.

So the moral of the story is, if everything else fails, its your freaking building!

[yotonic]

I've had that problem with light switches that are on a dimmer.

[AposL]

In my search for a solution I found an article that covers some reasons for hum. There is a section about solid state light dimmers.

For anybody going through a similar thing, check out this article:

Kill Studio Hum and Buzz at the Source