New to Hoster and forum

[rkk1]

I have just started using Hoster after doing things the "old fashion" way for 18 yrs. I know just enough about computers to get myself in trouble. I have experienced the "hum" at certain venues and I ordered the hum eliminator. My question is will this also help sound quality? At these same venues which are older bars the songs seem to fade a bit. This happens on the karaoke music as well as audio music added to the playlist

[ddouglass]

Your hum problem comes from a lack of good ground for the building. Older buildings did not have 3 prong plugs when built and so didn't have a ground on any of the circuits. They may have added newer 3 prong outlets but may not have added the 3 wire wiring.
In those locations you will need to use the 3 wire to 2 wire converters. You can find these in your hardware store.
On your second problem can you explain this a little more in detail? Are you saying the music in the older bars is lower volume than the newer ones or are you saying the music tends to fade in and out?
If it is that the volume seems lower, then this is probably an acoustic problem and an equalizer may help with that.
If it is that the music is changing volume level as in going up and down, then this is a power problem and you may damage your equipment playing there. The only thing I could think of that would help would be a battery back-up for everything. That would level out the power and keep your equipment from being damaged by the up and down swing of the incoming power.

[billyo]

i have cables that has a built in noise/hum supressor, not sure where i got it from, and i've been trying to look for the same cable for a while,i couldnt find anyone that sells it, but these cables are what i used now on my gears in a custom built dj coffin all wired into a custom built surge protector, and my mackie powered speakers, and havent heard any hum since..i have used a 2 channel hum/noise supressor and it didnt help any, till i found these cables..

[rkk1]

Thanks for the reply. I have used my laptop for my regular music for years and I use to use a traktor program to mix the music. I up graded to a new Dell Studio with windows 7 and the traktor program was not compatible. That is what led me to Hoster because I could use both audio as wells as karaoke. I also use the media player to play regular music. I only have the fade problem when I use Hoster and it doesn't seem to be all the time.

[ddouglass]

How is it fading? Are you talking about at the beginning and/or at the end of each song?

[rkk1]

During the entire song. The volume seems to fade in and out. I thought at first it was some songs I downloaded from napster then I noticed it on some of the karaoke songs as well as regular cd's I downloaded on the computer.

[marklwood]

rkk1, are you using a laptop? Are you coming out of the headphone out?

The reason I ask is that sometimes that can cause problems. If I use my laptop, I always use an external USB soundcard with RCA outputs to the mixer. This goes a long way to cleaning up the sound. Just one example
http://www.amazon.com/IKEY-AUDIO-ICO.../dp/B002MFBVGI I use a similar item from soundblaster. Some mixers even have a USB input with a sound card in them.

Then all you have to worry about is the ground hum from the amp. The isolator you ordered will more than likely take care of that. As far as the "fade" you were talking about. The venu may have some power issues. If the service is already overloaded (most are) and you have, for instance, a cooling compressor going out, it will even dim the lights when it kicks on. In that case, a power conditioner or an uninterruptable power suppy (UPS) will be necessary to protect your equipment.

[rkk1]

Yes I use a laptop and yes I'm coming out of the headphones

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by rkk1

Yes I use a laptop and yes I'm coming out of the headphones

For the time being, you can also turn the headphone volume on your computer down as low as possible. This is a powered out (it drives the headphone speakers) running to a line level input on your mixer. By turning down the volume as far as you can get away with, you will reduce the power (and noise) running to your mixer.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by marklwood

For the time being, you can also turn the headphone volume on your computer down as low as possible. This is a powered out (it drives the headphone speakers) running to a line level input on your mixer. By turning down the volume as far as you can get away with, you will reduce the power (and noise) running to your mixer.

i am having second thoughts about your suggestion, not that it wont work, nor i'm criticising it, my question is if you turned down the headphone volume, you then have to turn up your board and in my opinion that will make the board work harder to reach or make your speakers work to its peak ( harder ) , correct me if i'm wrong ,what i do was i have my laptop volume high which is connected to one of the boards line in channel,and my board main volume is up to the unity gain, my speakers ( powered ) are on 12'oclock, and i just turned the channels gain down where my laptop is connected , works for me i havent heard a hum/noise for a while now..

[rkk1]

do you use the external soundcard? I use a powermixer and I agree that turning the computer down would be hard on the board

[billyo]

Originally Posted by rkk1

do you use the external soundcard? I use a powermixer and I agree that turning the computer down would be hard on the board

i used to, i had a extigy soundblaster, which added more hum and noise,i even bought a 2 channel ebtech noise and hum elliminator which took out some of the noise & hums but that added more cables to my gears,i use a mackie board ( profx8 )and SRM450 powered mackie speakers i dont use any ext. soundcards now, in my opinion adding more ext. sound enhancement or adapters will create more noise. hums are usually created by lows and hizz/feedbacks are mostly created by highs, i just kinda use my eq's and do the necessary adjustments.

[mindonstrike]

Originally Posted by billyo

i am having second thoughts about your suggestion, not that it wont work, nor i'm criticising it, my question is if you turned down the headphone volume, you then have to turn up your board and in my opinion that will make the board work harder to reach or make your speakers work to its peak ( harder ) , correct me if i'm wrong ,what i do was i have my laptop volume high which is connected to one of the boards line in channel,and my board main volume is up to the unity gain, my speakers ( powered ) are on 12'oclock, and i just turned the channels gain down where my laptop is connected , works for me i havent heard a hum/noise for a while now..

What Mark is saying is that the signal to the headphones is an amplified signal that your board is not designed to handle. Your input channels are designed to work best with a specific range of voltages and impedances that the headphone out is not giving. Lowering the amplification of the headphone out will get you closer to that ideal. The fact that you have to turn down the gain on the channel is evidence that the signal is too hot. The ideal signal from source to amplifier would be one that reqires no amplifying or trimming (unity) of the gains until you get to the amplifier itself, and still keep the boards faders within 5 or 10 decibals +/-. In the real world of course the ideal is impossible but the closer you can get the better your results.

IMHO
Sam

[Musicman51]

---

Your hum problem comes from a lack of good ground for the building.

Dales right spot on with that advice for you. Been playing in bands, doing DJ, and now karaoke in every venue from dives with chicken wire, to nice country clubs. And bad grounding is going to follow you if you are going to do this much. Now, i can pass on a few things this hillbilly has been told. If you think that will help you. For instance, here is a short list.

Get yourself a power conditioner. I use Furman myself. With voltage, and current meters. But hey, a 40.00 one will do the trick, with or without lights, just get yourself one.

NEVER EVER EVER do a "ground lift" on any power amp or mixer you may ever own. promise us. We want to see you posting again here on the forum.

Get rid of every one of those power strips your wife was using to plug the lamps, TV, cable box, DVD player and whatever else through...

Plug adapters are ok, except guys forget to take them off for a building with a good ground. So there are other ways.

Thats are starter for you anyway. Now lets address your hum situation. Dale was right in his answer, but lets take it one step further. What your hum is most likely from is called a "Ground Loop". You are getting AC cycle back into your audio signal. Eq, or nothing else will help it.

You have to get on a good grounded building, then find your loop source. That is AC hum you are hearing. For starters get out of that headphone jack. Use a good USB interface, that's what they're for. I don't get hum out of mine, and i use a cheap one. Speaking of external sound shaping processors. I use an external key controller, BBE Sonic Maximizer, external eq for my monitors, a microphone preamplifier.All live for karaoke, and none of them give me any hum {whitenoise}.

Check your cables, Check your cables, Check your cables, Check your cables!!!! use those thin plastic junk with the red and white ends to tie your dog up with. Good cables don't mean expensive.

If everything is hooked up correctly in your system, and your ground is good, but you still have hum..99.999% of the time it's cables. I hope this helps you out a little. Combined with the great advice billyo and dale and others gave ya. You should be able to nip this problem in the bud. Good luck, if i can lend a hand..just give a yell....

[Musicman51]

oh and what sam just said..my advice is still get out of that headphone output......

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by billyo

i used to, i had a extigy soundblaster, which added more hum and noise,i even bought a 2 channel ebtech noise and hum elliminator which took out some of the noise & hums but that added more cables to my gears,i use a mackie board ( profx8 )and SRM450 powered mackie speakers i dont use any ext. soundcards now, in my opinion adding more ext. sound enhancement or adapters will create more noise. hums are usually created by lows and hizz/feedbacks are mostly created by highs, i just kinda use my eq's and do the necessary adjustments.

All I was suggesting was a temporary fix. The trick is to get away from a powered out to a line level in. By leaving the volume up and then turning the gain down, you are just temporarily fixing the problem 3ft down the line. (or however long that cord is) You wouldn't plug you 110v fan into a 220v line. Sure it'll run great for a little while, but will surely shorten it's life. The same goes for line voltage vs amplified voltage. At maximum output you can expect 2volts out of a line out. On the other hand, headphones typically run at 5volts.

[rkk1]

Thanks for all the ideas. I just ordered an external usb soundcard I'll see how that works. My board and cd players are already plugged into a power conditoner. By the way Musicman51, I am the wife. LOL

[billyo]

the best way to find out where the hum is coming from is to first look at the last gear you added to your system when you first noticed or heard the hum, then install or connect the noise suppressor to that gear,

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by billyo

the best way to find out where the hum is coming from is to first look at the last gear you added to your system when you first noticed or heard the hum, then install or connect the noise suppressor to that gear,

As for the additional noise. She already said she WAS the wife.


I am now running and ducking

[ddouglass]

You better hide real good after that comment!!
Rkk1 I apologize for my "friend"...he is from the backwoods of Missouri and don't know no better.