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Hum from speaker cab - help please


smurfitt
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Hi, Ive checked the post about hums and buzzing but not found an answer to my issue. Basically I keep getting a low hum from my speaker cab at various venues. We are a 5 piece band of 2 guitars, electronic kit, vox and bass who use a backline set up so dont DI or go through a PA. I've eliminated it being leads as I've changed them for new, Ive tried other amp heads and basses both active and passive but the hum still appears now and again. All my gear is relatively new (Markbass amp & cab, basses include Musicman, Fender and 2 Ibanez. Klotz leads and Speakon cables from obmm. We always use RCD's and check wiring wiring is ok by using a mains socket tester before plugging in. Its not wall lights/dimmers etc as in some places where its happening there are none. Someone suggested a power conditioner but Ive since been told this wont necessarily resolve the issue. Could it be a grounding problem and if so will it harm my gear? How do I eliminate it without putting myself in danger by switching on the groundlift? Appreciate any help. Thanks.

Edited by smurfitt
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Your speaker cab won't hum by itself, it is coming in from the amp, though the amp may in turn be amplifying something coming in from the bass. There are really three most likely sources of hum the most common is through the long stretches of wire (mainly your leads and the wire in the pup's) before you reach the amp picking up radiation, radio waves usually but direct pickup of magnetic fields is also possible. The second possible source is in earth loops. The third is introduces via your power supply in the amp (or anything else you have connected)

Do you use fx, unplug them all and see if the problem clears, even the tuner!

Do you get hum with nothing plugged in to the amp or is it only when the guitar is plugged in? Leave the amp on for a while with nothing plugged in and the gain high whilst you get on with something else If it doesn't hum the amp isn't likely to be the problem

You've said you've tried other leads, basses and amps and sometimes it goes. I've found when people bring me this problem that they haven't been very systematic (it's usually under panic conditions at a gig).

What other gear is near your amp? I've had the transformer in one amp radiating so much hum it is picked up in the next one. Do you have cooling fans in any amp that come on and go off when it is cool,

Basically you need to be able to create the hum at will to know what is causing it.

Coincidentally my mobile has just made my computer speakers buzz, another source of intermittent strange noises.

good luck, let me know what you find.

Edited by Phil Starr
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