hum/ground noise

Dexter_prog

Dexter_prog

New Metal Member
Apr 5, 2006
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
I live in an apartment and the fucking building does not have a proper ground connection (or however it is called), as many other buildings in my stupid country. So whenever I use distortion I get this fucking hum/ground noise and I was wondering if there's any way to get rid of it. Here are two examples (one while playing and the other one while not playing and without a noise gate)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1643345/zz99 - Misc Shit/jävla hum.mp3


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1643345/zz99 - Misc Shit/jävla hum no noise gate.mp3

DIs: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1643345/zz99 - Misc Shit/DIs.rar

Is there anything I can do?


Oh, by the way, the stupid search limiter on this forum (ultimate metal, not specifically the Andy Sneap forum) doesn't allow me to search words under 4 letters so I can't search "hum". Stupid rule.
 
I work as a ship-electrician at the moment, and to avoid ground-loops etc on sensitive systems, we use an isolating transformer or a UPS ... Often UPS's are called "Clean power" .. I remember when I worked on a big passenger ship here on the coast of Norway, there were NO radio noise or ground loops (I did get the time to record some DI's through ampsims etc, was able to play with max gain without the slightest noise)! Someone should try to build a studio in a ship some day, the steel walls makes the gear sing like a bird :D heh.. a little off-topic though, beer ;)
 
Why not try to eliminate the problem at the source rather than fixing it with a plugin that could screw up your sound?
 
ebtech hum eliminator dude - google search it. Doesn't seem to affect the sound in anyway. I'm pretty sure its just 2 isolated transformers... I dunno - works a charm though ;)
 
The_Shred said:
I had a hum problem so I purchased the ART DTI and all's well now :)
Click to expand...
When I connect that to Argentinian electricty (using a transformer), wouldn't the ground noise still be there?
AEL89 said:
ebtech hum eliminator dude - google search it. Doesn't seem to affect the sound in anyway. I'm pretty sure its just 2 isolated transformers... I dunno - works a charm though ;)
Click to expand...
Can't use that, different plugs from the ones used in Argentina, I wonder if using transformers would affect it. Anyway, what should I plug that to if I had one? The computer power cable, right?
 
Well a transformer will isolate the noise. Best bet is to fix the ground loop where it starts, but sometimes it's hard to track down, so any hum isolator gizmo will work to get rid of it.I wouldn't blame it on a ground in the mains though, technically the ground i think you are refering to is nothing more than a saftey ground(doesn't really affect sound, just there to keep you from getting fried if your equipment shorts to the chassis).

Does your DI box/reamp box have a ground lift? Usually flipping it will get rid of it.
 
Ahh ok...

Do you have a laptop? Try recording through a laptop on battery power and see if the noise is still there... This would tell you if its the PC causing the issue or the Firebox itself.
 
Wolfeman said:
Ahh ok...

Do you have a laptop? Try recording through a laptop on battery power and see if the noise is still there... This would tell you if its the PC causing the issue or the Firebox itself.
Click to expand...
Ohh, good suggestion. My dad has a netbook, I don't own a laptop. So I should record some DIs in his netbook and then do post-processing on my computer? I don't understand if the hum is recorded in the DIs or if it is produced when I use a distortion plugin (currently TSE x30, but happens with every distortion plugin), that's why I ask
 
HOLY SHIT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!:mad: i thouug this was caused by my crapy cables and the fact i used passive picckups ...now i know it doessnt! its sound exactly like the clip you posted! y really interisting in a soulution to this too!
 
http://www.mediafire.com/?z5yhqmngzkx

I used ReaFir, TSE x30, Kefir, Ryan's impulses, ReaEQ - In this exact order.

I only spent like 2 minutes getting the sound so its not the best but it will do for the short clip. I managed to kick the shit out of the song, meaning I got rid of the hum! I can post the FX chain file later if you want to test this out.

Have a listen to the clip man! Is on Mediafire because my dropbox account is fucking up all the time, I get 404's all the time with it :(
 
No you're thinking of the X-hum. I'm talking about the hum eliminator. Its a little passive box with 2 isolated transformers. Put it between the 2 things that are causing the ground loop.
 
Dexter_prog said:
Ohh, good suggestion. My dad has a netbook, I don't own a laptop. So I should record some DIs in his netbook and then do post-processing on my computer? I don't understand if the hum is recorded in the DIs or if it is produced when I use a distortion plugin (currently TSE x30, but happens with every distortion plugin), that's why I ask
Click to expand...
Ok, I was trying this but when I plugged my Firebox to the laptop I realized that by using the 6-to-4 pin firewire cable I would have to use a power suply for the Firebox to run, so back to square one (ground noise again, though I think there was slightly less noise)
muckypup1 said:
http://www.mediafire.com/?z5yhqmngzkx

I used ReaFir, TSE x30, Kefir, Ryan's impulses, ReaEQ - In this exact order.

I only spent like 2 minutes getting the sound so its not the best but it will do for the short clip. I managed to kick the shit out of the song, meaning I got rid of the hum! I can post the FX chain file later if you want to test this out.

Have a listen to the clip man! Is on Mediafire because my dropbox account is fucking up all the time, I get 404's all the time with it :(
Click to expand...
After listening to my and your clip again I realized there was something fucking up the sound even more than the ground loop, also, my shitty Firebox was bleeding the metronome in. Anyway, what did you do to get rid of the hum?

AEL89 said:
No you're thinking of the X-hum. I'm talking about the hum eliminator. Its a little passive box with 2 isolated transformers. Put it between the 2 things that are causing the ground loop.
Click to expand...
But when I connect that thing to the electricity wouldn't the problem be there? Anyway I doubt I will find that thing in my country :/
 
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