Monitor Position and Hum -_-'

[Pedro Teixeira]

Hey, I just got the ultimate stand 45, and although I think they're a bit taller than I expected it totally change the perception, everything is much more "wide", much more clearer... I can definetly hear a difference for the best..
Should the whole monitors be at ear level, or just the tweeter?

And there is another thing, I knew I could hear ground noise from my monitors, but when they were on the table I couldn't hear almost anything... but now I hear ALOT of ground noise when they're ON, not playing any music... What should I do to prevent this? This means that my ac isn't grounded? I have one of those "protection" boxes, that just protect from electrical discharges... What can I do about that? Thanks

 

[Joematthews]

check there arent any audio and power cables running along side each other. Also do the old unplug everything and plug it back into the chain to isolate the buzzy component. Check your cables and stuff like that aswell.

Also, tweeters should be at ear level although it doesn't really matter THAT much. The reason why they should be at ear level is that high frequency is much less omnidirectional than bass is so the difference in bass driver level does not matter as much.

Joe

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Also, tweeters should be at ear level although it doesn't really matter THAT much. The reason why they should be at ear level is that high frequency is much less omnidirectional than bass is so the difference in bass driver level does not matter as much.

True, the bass frequencies aren't as directional as the high frequencies, but you should also consider the phase response when setting up the monitors. AFAIK your best bet is to have your ears in the middle of the tweeter and the woofer, so the distance between them and your ears is as equal as possible.

 

[scorpio01169]

I've always been told they should be between the tweeter and woofer.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Yes, they're quite between the woofer and the tweeter... I'm really OCD when it comes to position the monitors... but it's the ground hum that's annoying... for example if I touch my computer, I feel that "vibration" of the electricity... it's not shocking, but I can feel a vibration

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

And if I plug my iphone to the usb on my computer and get a call put it next to my face I get a shock... really small one but I get :\... and my computer is through a UPS and then into that protection box with multiple conections..

Oh I notice now that the Left one is doing more than the right one :\\ It's really annoying..

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

You guys think that something like this could help? http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tracks_pc_200.htm

And/or connecting from my audio interface to my monitors, unbalanced > balanced?

 

[::XeS::]

I have something similar in my system.
When I connect an external monitor to my macbook pro, the right speaker plays a hum sound and it changes if I have different brightness in the monitor. Sometimes it stops if I move the monitor cable.
I think it could be the power cables that go near some audio or monitor cable..

 

[ahjteam]

I really suggest you get an electric engineer to pay a visit before someone dies or gets seriously electrocuted or you fry your stuff up. Its worth paying the ~50 bucks to do it

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Great... now there are some spikes............ Sometimes comes a "buzz" that last's like 0.2 secs, this happens like from 2 to 2 mins or so ... W T F

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Im listening to music right now... and I can definitely hear a lot... and it's only from the left side... this only happened since I put both monitors on Ultimate Stand 45 and since I changed the jacks.... they we're some random cheap ones and exchanged both for Planet Waves Speaker Jack Cable..

 

[ahjteam]

I'm not kidding. Unplug all the electric devices, call the electric repairman (or ask your landlord), because there is definately something wrong with the electric system of your house.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

ahjteam, I will do that! When you have your monitors on with no music, you don't listen anything at all? In terms of hum/noise

 

[Joematthews]

True, the bass frequencies aren't as directional as the high frequencies, but you should also consider the phase response when setting up the monitors. AFAIK your best bet is to have your ears in the middle of the tweeter and the woofer, so the distance between them and your ears is as equal as possible.

I just did some maths and thinking about it I am not sure it actually matters as long as the phase difference is constant, although I would appreciate it if someone who has more experience could explain a little more

Thinking more about polar patterns etc has made me believe that the best position is with the tweeter ever so slightly above ear level becasue that way you are compensating not only for possible phase difference but also dispersion characteristics.

And then I did some more thinking that led me to believe that it really doesn't matter that much and as long as you know your speakers you can mix well.

Joe

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I just did some maths and thinking about it I am not sure it actually matters as long as the phase difference is constant, although I would appreciate it if someone who has more experience could explain a little more

I'm not saying my statement is an absolute fact, but that's the positioning I've always been told to use, and my audio physics teacher seconded that, giving a pretty thorough explanation on why it's the best way to level your monitors. Of course, everyone has their preferences, but he's a really credible teacher and I don't doubt him on this case

 

[Joematthews]

I will take your word for it then You are so lucky to have a descent teacher. All ours are appauling (Im in lower 6th form UK). One of our new teachers got the sack today so we are understaffed and all the staff are incompetent bar 1 who knows a lot but is imposible to follow. It will be a minor miracle if I pass.

Joe

 

[ahjteam]

ahjteam, I will do that! When you have your monitors on with no music, you don't listen anything at all? In terms of hum/noise

I usually have always something on because I have mild case of tinnitus. When I don't have music playing, I can only hear the fan from my computer, which masks the really low volume noise from my monitor speakers. If I put my ear right next to the monitors, I can hear a really quiet hiss, buts its so small that its inaudible 1 meter away and it doesn't bother me.

 

[ze kink]

My monitors hum too, and it seems it's an issue with my FP10. I've read quite a few complaints about noisy outputs in the FP10 so it seems it's a standard issue in them. If I unplug my monitors from the FP10, there's no hum at all, and there wasn't any hum with my Emu 1212M with the same monitors. It doesn't bother me at all though, it's inaudible if there's any music on, and if I need to be really, really quiet, I'll just use earphones instead.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

ahjteam, that's what I used to hear... I used to put my ear next to the monitor and could hear a quiet hiss... that's normal. But since I put them on the stands... it's horrible.. and now I hear a ocasional "hiss" or "buzz" from the left monitoir

 

[ahjteam]

Did you call the electrician?

PS: Are you sure that your stands just aren't resonating? I mean how much they weight and what material they are made from?