Solving ground loop problem
Solving ground loop problem
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rednotdead

Original Poster:

1,246 posts

248 months

Tuesday 8th November 2011
quotequote all
Just moved house, no change in hifi/AV kit or cables but got a really nasty buzz coming through the speakers. Narrowed it down to the plasma tv which is connected to the AV amp via a single hdmi lead.

With the tv connected to the mains (even with plug socket switched off) I get a buzz through the speakers. Unplug the tv completely and it goes away. Tried several mains leads for the tv and even several sockets round the house with the same result. Reading around it sounds like a ground loop problem - could be wrong though.

Anyone got any ideas how to solve this or do I need to call in a good sparky?
TIA

VEX

5,259 posts

268 months

Tuesday 8th November 2011
quotequote all
Is the TV and the Amp using the same plug, via a power strip or on different sockets completely?

Is the TV and / or the AV Amp using a two or three core mains cable.

V.

Hoover.

5,993 posts

264 months

Wednesday 9th November 2011
quotequote all
I had a similar issue when I moved into my flat...... I isolated the issue to the comunal terristal ariel, ie when arieal connected buzz through whole sound system regardless weither tv on or off, disconnected ariel no buzz.

My solution was to get cable, and also since they have redone/replaced the ariels for digital no issue there as well.

rednotdead

Original Poster:

1,246 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th November 2011
quotequote all
Tried the TV and amp on different sockets (that are spurred from each other), also socket at other end of house and also on the same Olsen bar - same problem.

The Yamaha amp is a 2 way flex and captive at the amp end. I'm using the Yammy as a pre-amp - it puts out FL and FR to a naimuniti. When the naim is used the buzz is apparent, plug my speakers into the yammy and the buzz disappears so I'm beginning to suspect the naim now. It is currently plugged into a separate socket (spurred off the same one that is providing the tv and yammy). I haven't tried plugging the naim into the same olsen bar as the tv/yammy yet.

rednotdead

Original Poster:

1,246 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th November 2011
quotequote all
Hoover. said:
I had a similar issue when I moved into my flat...... I isolated the issue to the comunal terristal ariel, ie when arieal connected buzz through whole sound system regardless weither tv on or off, disconnected ariel no buzz.

My solution was to get cable, and also since they have redone/replaced the ariels for digital no issue there as well.
No aerials involved - all cable. Tried removing all the coax/V+ box from the equation and the buzz remains.....

So frustrating trying to pin this down.

Hoover.

5,993 posts

264 months

Wednesday 9th November 2011
quotequote all
rednotdead said:
So frustrating trying to pin this down.
I know what you mean, took me a few weeks to find what my problem was...... re-wiring speakers, reconnecting everything etc... a royal pita

Goodluck

rednotdead

Original Poster:

1,246 posts

248 months

Sunday 20th November 2011
quotequote all
Problem solved. Unplugged everything, spent an hour swearing and sorting out all the cabling and making sure all the mains leads were plugged into the same power block. What a pain in the 'arris job!