Hearing a HUM using audio cable

Tattoo · 12-17-2012, 09:24 AM

Hello. I bought the cable in the image from Monoprice and it works fine when connected to my TV from my PC sound outlet, but when I have it connected to my Sony House Stereo, I hear a HUM in the speakers. I have a short Y cable plugged into the sound card and have my PC speakers connected to one side and this cable to the other side. I hear this HUM when my stereo is on and I'm viewing a movie using Media Player Classic or when listening to music using JetAudio. When I turn off my house stereo, I still hear this hum and it only goes away when I disconnect this cable from the Y adapter.

So my question is; is there anything I can do to get it to not HUM? Is there a noise suppressor or something else that can I buy to get rid of it?

My house stereo is old, I bought it in 1990 so it's not digital in any way that I know of, if that matters. It's all listed in my sig if needed.

Hopefully someone here can tell me what I need to do for this because I'm not sure and usually, the local Radio Shack worker doesn't know squat about electronics and wouldn't be able to help.

Thank you,

Tattoo

jkkyler · 12-17-2012, 09:35 AM

A hum in speaker cables is usually due to grounding issues or a ground circuit loop. If would try using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter on the equipment that it is connected to (The Sony System) and see if that remedies it.

Tattoo · 12-17-2012, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkkyler

A hum in speaker cables is usually due to grounding issues or a ground circuit loop. If would try using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter on the equipment that it is connected to (The Sony System) and see if that remedies it.

What is a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter and how would I connect it to The Sony? It only excepts the one type. The single plug goes into the sound card and the other 2 go into the stereo so I don't understand how it would work. Can you explain a little more?

Thanks,

Tattoo

jkkyler · 12-17-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tattoo

What is a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter and how would I connect it to The Sony? It only excepts the one type. The single plug goes into the sound card and the other 2 go into the stereo so I don't understand how it would work. Can you explain a little more?

Thanks,

Tattoo

I'm talking about the power plug where you plug it into the wall

Tattoo · 12-17-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkkyler

I'm talking about the power plug where you plug it into the wall

Oh, the power cord. You didn't say that and I thought you meant the plugs on the audio cable. Hmm. The stereo plug doesn't have 3 prongs tho nor does my TV so would it still might help? I could try it if you think it'll help.

Thanks,

Tattoo

Tattoo · 12-17-2012, 05:57 PM

I found out that the power cord for my TV does have 3 prongs I tried the adapter on it and it still HUMs. I didn't think the TV hummed too because it wasn't as noticeable, but it does and the adapter doesn't help. So it has to be something else. Maybe I could try changing the outlet unless someone else has a better thing to try.

Thanks,

Tattoo

jkkyler · 12-18-2012, 04:51 AM

Try using it on your stereo plug even though it is only two prongs. Every 'hum' I have ever heard or heard of has been a ground loop issue.

12-17-2012, 09:24 AM	#1
Tattoo High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: South Chicago Suburb Age: 51 Posts: 44	Hearing a HUM using audio cable Hello. I bought the cable in the image from Monoprice and it works fine when connected to my TV from my PC sound outlet, but when I have it connected to my Sony House Stereo, I hear a HUM in the speakers. I have a short Y cable plugged into the sound card and have my PC speakers connected to one side and this cable to the other side. I hear this HUM when my stereo is on and I'm viewing a movie using Media Player Classic or when listening to music using JetAudio. When I turn off my house stereo, I still hear this hum and it only goes away when I disconnect this cable from the Y adapter. So my question is; is there anything I can do to get it to not HUM? Is there a noise suppressor or something else that can I buy to get rid of it? My house stereo is old, I bought it in 1990 so it's not digital in any way that I know of, if that matters. It's all listed in my sig if needed. Hopefully someone here can tell me what I need to do for this because I'm not sure and usually, the local Radio Shack worker doesn't know squat about electronics and wouldn't be able to help. Thank you, Tattoo __________________ Panasonic VIERA TC-P42G25 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Sony Stereo 1989 5 Components ' Amplifier TA-AX390 ' Receiver ST-JX390 ' Turn Table-PX-LS110 ' Dual Cassette Player TC-W390 ' 5 Disc CD Changer CDP-C401 ' Speakers SS-U530 Sony 5 Disk CD/DVD Player DVP-NC665P Dell Studio 540 ' Intel Core 2 Quad CPU @ 2.33GHz 2.34 GHz ' RAM 8 GB ' System Type 64-bit ' C:\ 300 GB ' D:\ 700 GB ' DVD Burner ' 24" Dell Widescreen ' 20" Dell Widescreen ' Speakers 2 Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Nikon CollPix L22

12-17-2012, 09:35 AM	#2
jkkyler I bleed for HD Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,388	A hum in speaker cables is usually due to grounding issues or a ground circuit loop. If would try using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter on the equipment that it is connected to (The Sony System) and see if that remedies it. __________________ HT- Panasonic TH-50PZ800U 1080p plasma, Panasonic PT-AX200u LCD projector, Elite Vmax Electric 100' screen, Onkyo TX-NR905 AVR, Paradigm Titan Monitor v5 fronts, Paradigm CC-190 v6 center, Paradigm Atom Monitors v5 surrounds(x4), HSU research VTF-2 sub, xbox360+hd-dvd player ,Sony BDP-S550 blu-ray, D*tv H21 HD-DVR Bedroom: Insignia NS-lcd26, Samsung BDP-1400 blu-ray Den - Vizio 20" 1080p LCD + Samsung BD-p1600 Don't believe everything you read on the internet - Albert Einstein

12-17-2012, 05:57 PM	#6
Tattoo High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: South Chicago Suburb Age: 51 Posts: 44	I found out that the power cord for my TV does have 3 prongs I tried the adapter on it and it still HUMs. I didn't think the TV hummed too because it wasn't as noticeable, but it does and the adapter doesn't help. So it has to be something else. Maybe I could try changing the outlet unless someone else has a better thing to try. Thanks, Tattoo __________________ Panasonic VIERA TC-P42G25 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Sony Stereo 1989 5 Components ' Amplifier TA-AX390 ' Receiver ST-JX390 ' Turn Table-PX-LS110 ' Dual Cassette Player TC-W390 ' 5 Disc CD Changer CDP-C401 ' Speakers SS-U530 Sony 5 Disk CD/DVD Player DVP-NC665P Dell Studio 540 ' Intel Core 2 Quad CPU @ 2.33GHz 2.34 GHz ' RAM 8 GB ' System Type 64-bit ' C:\ 300 GB ' D:\ 700 GB ' DVD Burner ' 24" Dell Widescreen ' 20" Dell Widescreen ' Speakers 2 Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Nikon CollPix L22

12-18-2012, 04:51 AM	#7
jkkyler I bleed for HD Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,388	Try using it on your stereo plug even though it is only two prongs. Every 'hum' I have ever heard or heard of has been a ground loop issue. __________________ HT- Panasonic TH-50PZ800U 1080p plasma, Panasonic PT-AX200u LCD projector, Elite Vmax Electric 100' screen, Onkyo TX-NR905 AVR, Paradigm Titan Monitor v5 fronts, Paradigm CC-190 v6 center, Paradigm Atom Monitors v5 surrounds(x4), HSU research VTF-2 sub, xbox360+hd-dvd player ,Sony BDP-S550 blu-ray, D*tv H21 HD-DVR Bedroom: Insignia NS-lcd26, Samsung BDP-1400 blu-ray Den - Vizio 20" 1080p LCD + Samsung BD-p1600 Don't believe everything you read on the internet - Albert Einstein

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