Solutions for interference issues
Discussion
Beer fridge - you need a suppressor (a capacitor) fitted across the power connection to suppress the mains spike.
With main fridges, they come with one fitted. Over time they lose their effectiveness, and so a replacement restores silence.
A beer fridge should be built to the same standard, but, you know. Check first if it has a suppressor capacitor fitted. If so, look at replacing it.
Alternatively, Russ Andrews (I know, I know) has a kit. This is I think the only time I've ever seen something sold on their site cheaper than the going rate. £12 according to the Web page. You also get to return it if it doesn't work, I think.
https://www.russandrews.com/vdr-contact-suppressor...
For the switch mode power supply on the laptop, it's radiating RFI, and that's being picked up by the line level interconnects which have inadequate shielding. Because this is low frequency noise the cable shielding needs to be better than just foil. Also, any cable just listed as 'shielded' will have the bare minimum which isn't enough to deal with the noise from your PSU.
Tge gold standard for shielding is this RCA lead non eBay. Item number 233923936822. Forget your fancy Audio Quest or Van Den Hul and even QED. This one is the daddy.
Have a think about replacing the PSU if the one you've already got is an aftermarket item. But if it's the genuine article, then those eBay leads will give the best interference protection.
With main fridges, they come with one fitted. Over time they lose their effectiveness, and so a replacement restores silence.
A beer fridge should be built to the same standard, but, you know. Check first if it has a suppressor capacitor fitted. If so, look at replacing it.
Alternatively, Russ Andrews (I know, I know) has a kit. This is I think the only time I've ever seen something sold on their site cheaper than the going rate. £12 according to the Web page. You also get to return it if it doesn't work, I think.
https://www.russandrews.com/vdr-contact-suppressor...
For the switch mode power supply on the laptop, it's radiating RFI, and that's being picked up by the line level interconnects which have inadequate shielding. Because this is low frequency noise the cable shielding needs to be better than just foil. Also, any cable just listed as 'shielded' will have the bare minimum which isn't enough to deal with the noise from your PSU.
Tge gold standard for shielding is this RCA lead non eBay. Item number 233923936822. Forget your fancy Audio Quest or Van Den Hul and even QED. This one is the daddy.
Have a think about replacing the PSU if the one you've already got is an aftermarket item. But if it's the genuine article, then those eBay leads will give the best interference protection.
As above, you can filter the mains both at the fridge and at the hifi.
Radiated pick up can be improved by better shielded interconnects, moving things, different PSUs etc etc.
At one point I found using optical output from my PC was the answer, now it's fine on wired output!
RF interference can also get into some amps via the speaker wiring.
I have two supposedly identical Arcam amps, one has RF suppression caps on the speaker terminals inside.
You could try ferrite beads on the speaker wires?
Maybe move them to see if the effect changes?
Twisting the speaker cables can help.
Unfortunately a lot of 'classic' hifi was designed before the days of EMC standards and the world being awash with noise.
I have worked with getting products through approval, sometimes it takes a bit of work to understand how problems occur.
Dark Art sometimes!
(Some engineers would like their customers to believe that!)
Radiated pick up can be improved by better shielded interconnects, moving things, different PSUs etc etc.
At one point I found using optical output from my PC was the answer, now it's fine on wired output!
RF interference can also get into some amps via the speaker wiring.
I have two supposedly identical Arcam amps, one has RF suppression caps on the speaker terminals inside.
You could try ferrite beads on the speaker wires?
Maybe move them to see if the effect changes?
Twisting the speaker cables can help.
Unfortunately a lot of 'classic' hifi was designed before the days of EMC standards and the world being awash with noise.
I have worked with getting products through approval, sometimes it takes a bit of work to understand how problems occur.
Dark Art sometimes!
(Some engineers would like their customers to believe that!)
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