Loud Amp Buzz Driving Me Insane

  • Thread starter Thread starter EWSEthan
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EWSEthan

EWSEthan

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So, all of a sudden Im getting crazy loud buzz coming from my MOD 50, but only when I play in my house. At rehearsal and at gigs I dont have this problem. I tried turning all the lights out, making sure my AC was not running. TV was off, cell phone was off, computer was off. Ive tried various guitars and cables. Im thinking it has to be an outlet issue, but this is very recent although consistent.

Any thoughts?
 
My guess would be that it's a power/grounding issue in your house. If it's not doing it anywhere else I can't imagine it's anything else but that.
 
bbaug14":3m32rgcd said:
My guess would be that it's a power/grounding issue in your house. If it's not doing it anywhere else I can't imagine it's anything else but that.
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Thanks. Im an electrical moron. It wasnt doing this until recently and then it started doing it all the time. Is this something that can just go bad one day inside the outlets in the house?
 
Multi-family home?

Any neighbors got any new appliances.... :yes:
 
if you are not getting that same noise in a different place, its gotta be electric. Maybe try a power conditioner if you haven't yet,
 
Its a single family home. I have a new AV receiver/amplifier and surround sound system in the living room upstairs from where I have the MOD 50. The guy had to install a new outlet for it up there. Could he have messed anything up downstairs?
 
EWSEthan":20xycvx6 said:
Its a single family home. I have a new AV receiver/amplifier and surround sound system in the living room upstairs from where I have the MOD 50. The guy had to install a new outlet for it up there. Could he have messed anything up downstairs?
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Absolutely! Although it's impossible to say without checking, I'm willing to bet he did not properly ground the outlet feeding that equipment. He could have reversed the polarity as well. Every circuit in your house still goes back to one central location--the panel so work on one ciruit can effect another. Go to the hardware store or Home Depot, etc and by an outlet checker. It is a 3-prong tool that has 3 lights on it with a legend as to how to read the lights--only a few bucks. Plug it in to that outlet or any outlet you are going to plug your expensive amplifier into and make sure it is wired correctly. It's idiot proof and will tell you if there is a problem. I always carry one because god only knows what kind of wiring job was done for alot of the stage wiring out there. Even with power conditioners and the like, you still have to have an outlet that is correctly wired-otherwise you are putting your amp and yourself at risk.
 
ok guys so tonight... no buzzing. could it just be variable voltage?
 
So should we all check our outlets? Or, just switch to active electronics.
 
richedie":2a3zautq said:
So should we all check our outlets? Or, just switch to active electronics.
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We should all check our outlets!!! :D
 
My girlfriend just asked me to check her outlet.
Apparently she can't do it herself. :D
 
So I decided to run some scientific trial and error tests with various lights and components on in my house tonight.

Mystery solved... its my recessed lighting upstairs in the living room!!! WTF? I have a dimmer installed up there and when those lights are on (either dimmer or full blast) I get crazy buzzing. When the lights are off upstairs its totally normal. Now...I put the dimmer in myself a few months ago. Did I royally screw it up? Anyone of you electrical experts know why this could be happening?
 
Are the recessed lights line voltage (120) or low voltage(12)?

What type of dimmer control did you use?
 
EWSEthan":dnj190bf said:
So I decided to run some scientific trial and error tests with various lights and components on in my house tonight.

Mystery solved... its my recessed lighting upstairs in the living room!!! WTF? I have a dimmer installed up there and when those lights are on (either dimmer or full blast) I get crazy buzzing. When the lights are off upstairs its totally normal. Now...I put the dimmer in myself a few months ago. Did I royally screw it up? Anyone of you electrical experts know why this could be happening?
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If it only does it when lights are on then it is most likely the lights themselves causing the buzz, not the dimmer--unless your dimmer is not grounded properly. Anything is possible when your dealing with electrical current so it's hard to say if you messed anything up. If in doubt have a qualified electrician check it out.
 
Some dimmers have an audible hum that's louder than others.

My question is this: houses have different groups of circuits, right?

So, if the dimmers in the upstairs living room are causing a problem with the amp downstairs, that means they're on the same circuit, right? Or can dimmers ANYWHERE in a house screw with guitar tone like that?
 
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