grounding my mixer? (the all knowing hummmmmmmm)

[classic]

Sup yalll

Im haveing a low freq hum in my recordings

I have narrowed it down to either my mixer(mackie DFX12), or my audio gear(motif, mpc,fantom)

When i unplug all the audio IN's from the mixer(motif rack,MPC,fantom rack,turntable) the hum dissapears. So does this mean the hum is coming from the audio gear or the actual mixer itself.(im using 1/4 inch stero cables)

If so do i need to ground my mixer or my equiment.??How exaclty do i go about doing that??? Can somebody point me in the right direction. I read in realted threads about grounding turn tables, but does the mixer have to be grounded as well......


FYI
I have tried using differnt power outlets etc, still the same result, i think i have really narrowed it down to the mixer or gear......

 

[Ash Holmz]

its probably the turntable ..... u should ground that if its not already grounded ... do u have the table going staight to the soundcard or does it run through the mixer? i had aterrible terrible hum until i properly grounded my table

 

[classic]

its probably the turntable ..... u should ground that if its not already grounded ... do u have the table going staight to the soundcard or does it run through the mixer?

I unplugged the turntable ( i only plug it in when im using it )
and i still get the hum, it seems like its coming from the cables coming into the mixer.

class....

 

[StressWon]

I unplugged the turntable ( i only plug it in when im using it )
and i still get the hum, it seems like its coming from the cables coming into the mixer.

class....

how old are the cables? Check the mixer, maybe somethin's on you dont see.

 

[classic]

Yea i checked everything, this isent a high pictched humm but its defianly noticable espically when i turn the volume up on the channles that are humming

I basically have 4 audio channels coming into my makie DFX12 mixer, each channel produces is own slight humming sound. When i unplug the cables the humming stops so i know it either must be the mixer the cables or the equiment.

The cables are not old(6 months) -- so im ruling those out

when i shut off my computer i still get this sound---that rules out eletronic interfernce from my computer

When i have all the audio equiment turned off and upluged i still get a hum in the mixer(from the audio inputs) so im ruling out the equiment also

--this leaves the mixer.... is there something i can do to try and reduce this??

class..

 

[bigdmakintrax]

Ok Classic here ya go and this PRO advice dawg, I got an associates in Computer Electronics amongst other things LOL so this comes in handy a lot of times in the lab, I love when I get apply real world situations and actually give out some advice.....anyhow...you could have potential difference in your equipment...grounds are always good to have though but sometimes if you know everything is grounded it still does not resolve a voltage differenc between equipment, power strips or jacks.....first try a different plug for the mixer either a dedicated wall plug or into a surge suppressor, you need to try a few different combinations....I have returned equipment before blaming it on the equipment......since you theoretically have an antenna when you start adding and subtracting equipment.....your power strip or strips can develop a potential diffeence in voltage between them and also your inside wiring.....if you cannot find that your equipment is doing it you need to one by one unplug everything.....make sure your computer is possibly plugged into a suppressor by itself then use the other one to start plugging the other equipment in.......also if you have anything plugged into the usb port that is not serving immediate need....unplug it.....I had a usb connection coming into my motif and during recording I must unplug it then low level buzz is gone....you gotta try all of the above man just like figuring out a midi bus after add another device....

 

[Formant024]

^^^ouch ground loops, use one fase lol!

Also, check your cables, DO seperate power from audio cables and situate transformers (adapters, ext. powersupplies) away from the audio cables as they create noise and humm. You can easily get these cableguides they use for office desks or office building in general, mostly a wide piece of rail in which you can place an isolator or 2 between the cables.

 

[classic]

Ohh yea i forget to tell yall i figured it out, it was a classic ground loop. i just plugged the mixer into the same outlet that all my gear was plugged into and it solved the problem(broke the loop)

class..

 

[Formant024]

^^^woot, back to party modus

 

[Equality 7-2521]

ha. yeah... all equipment in the studio should be run off the one power outlet.