Electronic 'popping': DJ gear and smoke machine
Discussion
Thinking this might be a good place to start given the electronic gurus that reside in these parts!!!
Mobile DJ - pubs, halls, weddings - that type of stuff. Have quite an elaborate lighting rig and run the audio through a mixer desk to two active speakers (either KV2s or Mackies). To get the best effect for the lights, I use a fogger machine - a little, low pressure pump that heats a smoke fluid and emits the vapour on the press of a remote button, connected to the unit through a cable.
Unless you pay silly money, these things rarely last long and have just got a new one. Used it a couple of times but two gigs last week; every time I pressed the button to emit the vapour, it interfered with the audio - creating an electronic 'pop'. Only on first press. If I pressed it again straight away, no problem but if I left it for 10 mins, would do the same.
Have tried to plug it in direct to wall socket and can't really move it too far from the gear. The volume of the equipment has no bearing on this either. Even with the sliders all the way down, it still pops.
Just wondered if there was anything I could get that would eradicate the problem.
Mobile DJ - pubs, halls, weddings - that type of stuff. Have quite an elaborate lighting rig and run the audio through a mixer desk to two active speakers (either KV2s or Mackies). To get the best effect for the lights, I use a fogger machine - a little, low pressure pump that heats a smoke fluid and emits the vapour on the press of a remote button, connected to the unit through a cable.
Unless you pay silly money, these things rarely last long and have just got a new one. Used it a couple of times but two gigs last week; every time I pressed the button to emit the vapour, it interfered with the audio - creating an electronic 'pop'. Only on first press. If I pressed it again straight away, no problem but if I left it for 10 mins, would do the same.
Have tried to plug it in direct to wall socket and can't really move it too far from the gear. The volume of the equipment has no bearing on this either. Even with the sliders all the way down, it still pops.
Just wondered if there was anything I could get that would eradicate the problem.
Hi there
It will still pop with the faders down as the interference is coming into the amps on the speakers (they are active I think?) or at lease interfering with the power amps after the line output of your desk.
I would suggest you either make sure the machines is earthed ok (and the pa), and/or put an inline mains filter in.
HTH
It will still pop with the faders down as the interference is coming into the amps on the speakers (they are active I think?) or at lease interfering with the power amps after the line output of your desk.
I would suggest you either make sure the machines is earthed ok (and the pa), and/or put an inline mains filter in.
HTH
coach said:
Hi there
It will still pop with the faders down as the interference is coming into the amps on the speakers (they are active I think?) or at lease interfering with the power amps after the line output of your desk.
I would suggest you either make sure the machines is earthed ok (and the pa), and/or put an inline mains filter in.
HTH
Will give that a go! Cheers.It will still pop with the faders down as the interference is coming into the amps on the speakers (they are active I think?) or at lease interfering with the power amps after the line output of your desk.
I would suggest you either make sure the machines is earthed ok (and the pa), and/or put an inline mains filter in.
HTH
What make/model is the smoke machine?
It could be RF interefence due to the switch arcing?
How close to your amplifier is the smoke machine and the remote control when this happens? (think of a mobile phone next to your laptop when a call comes in, you hear the RF pulses as the phone negotiates the call)
I would expect the remote to be a low voltage affair that on a cheap model is probably firing a relay inside that is causing the pops. It could however be switching mains voltage at the remote, which if used right next to the amps will cause interefence.
It might be a simple case to get a capacitor installed to surpress this or simply a case of moving the unit a bit further away from your main amps.
It could be RF interefence due to the switch arcing?
How close to your amplifier is the smoke machine and the remote control when this happens? (think of a mobile phone next to your laptop when a call comes in, you hear the RF pulses as the phone negotiates the call)
I would expect the remote to be a low voltage affair that on a cheap model is probably firing a relay inside that is causing the pops. It could however be switching mains voltage at the remote, which if used right next to the amps will cause interefence.
It might be a simple case to get a capacitor installed to surpress this or simply a case of moving the unit a bit further away from your main amps.
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