Hum and Buzz on XLR Interconnect


Recently purchased a Balanced interconnect to install between pre-amp and amp. I have the same interconnect in balanced form from my CD player to pre-amp. The new interconnect connecting to amp has now a buzz/hum. When I re-install my RCA interconnect the buzz/hum is gone. Never had this problem before. My house is older and I don't think it is grounded although I use a 3 prong hospital outlet for the power cords. Any way to eliminate or is this particular unshielded interconnect just not compatible with my amp although it works on my CD player. Thanks, Steve
7671
I've had the same problem with hum useing xlr's. Try running a ground wire from your preamp to the amps.
I'd suggest you try lifting the ground on either the preamp or amp (try the amp first) by using a "cheater" plug and see if that helps. It worked for me. Good luck.
TOO MANY GROUNDS IN YOUR SYSTEM CAN CREATE THE SAME EFFECT. ARE YOU USING A LINE CONDITIONER? THIS IS A MUST! IS THER CABLE IN YOUR SYSTEM TRANSFERRING ELECTRICAL ENERGY FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE. CABLE GROUNDS AND TOO MANY GROUND PLUGS ARE A DEADLY COMBINATION.
Why in the world would you install a balanced cable if it only causes hum? The only reason to use a balanced cable with XLR's is to eliminate noise. If it makes more noise, why not just use the single-ended? Why attempt exotic, expensive and potentially dangerous (lifting grounds can be deadly) solutions to a problem you can eliminate by simply going back one step? Your amplifier is probably not a balanced design, and no amount of fiddling with balanced cable will get it to run quietly.