[Hollowman8904]

I have Logitech z5500 speakers, and I'm getting a buzzing sound from them.

Its really weird:

-The buzzing is the same volume, weather sound is as low or as high as it can go. It will only go away if I hit the Mute button or turn it off.

-I unplug all of the inputs, and its still there, though it does get louder when I plug in the cord from my sound card.

-When I move my mouse, the buzzing gets slightly louder.

It has me really confused. Is my amp possiable going bad? I just got these speakers last year around March.

 

[r3tard]

Is your mouse wireless? Any wireless devices near it? Cell phones and the like.. I got the same problem it was my wireless mouse and its transmitter interfering, Along with my cell.

 

[bentrinh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollowman8904 I have Logitech z5500 speakers, and I'm getting a buzzing sound from them. Its really weird: -The buzzing is the same volume, weather sound is as low or as high as it can go. It will only go away if I hit the Mute button or turn it off. -I unplug all of the inputs, and its still there, though it does get louder when I plug in the cord from my sound card. -When I move my mouse, the buzzing gets slightly louder. It has me really confused. Is my amp possiable going bad? I just got these speakers last year around March.

It's a common problem, your wires/speakers aren't shielded. Try wrapping the speaker wires with aluminum tape

 

[Hollowman8904]

Well.... My speakers hang from the ceiling and wires are 25ft long, so i think wrapping them is out.

My cell phone charger wire is wrapped around the base of the control unit. Though it buzzes while my cell is still in my pocket.

My mouse is wired btw.

 

[Hollowman8904]

Bump. It still buzzes even when i move the charger/cell/turn off my screen. I dont know what else would be interfearing with it.

EDIT: OK. I wrapped the wire that goes from my control unit to the AMP/sub. The buzzing stopped. I'm not entirely sure that the aluminum foil aided to this, because the buzzing would randomally go on and off before. It might be chance that the buzzing stopped once I wrapped it. If it starts buzzing again, I will post again.

 

[Madkat]

do you have an option for 5.1 (that auto makes it 5.1 even if its 2.1?) if its to the RIGHT the buzzing should stop

 

[TylerBello]

System try sound>>Right click>>Open volume control>>Options,make sure advanced controls is checked>>Microphone,advanced button>>If mic boost is checked,uncheck it

Ive had mic boost cause this problem on some machines,its a buzzing noise,and whenever the mouse moves,it intensifies.

 

[Ty Auchter]

Have you tried turning up the volume on your computer and turning it down on the speakers? You might not have a strong enough signal coming into the unit which could account for the noise...

 

[CyberDruid]

The buzz is some EMR from at least one device near the speakers/amp--it could be a flourescent light ballast or a desklap with a ballast or any other device with a coil (like a charger). It is most likely is introducing the EM noise to the input line of the amp--that's why it buzzes even when unplugged from the PC sound card. I replaced the 1/8" cable with a shielded stereo cable and gold-plated adapters--the noises went away.

Improper grounding in your home wiring can be a problem with sound equipment. The PSU is usually not a problem, but other 110 AC devices plugged in to outlets in the room can be introducing the noise--a quick fix would be to ground your equipment independently of your AC to a metal waterpipe or conduit or even to a ground stake.

 

[Hollowman8904]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberDruid The buzz is some EMR from at least one device near the speakers/amp--it could be a flourescent light ballast or a desklap with a ballast or any other device with a coil (like a charger). It is most likely is introducing the EM noise to the input line of the amp--that's why it buzzes even when unplugged from the PC sound card. I replaced the 1/8" cable with a shielded stereo cable and gold-plated adapters--the noises went away. Improper grounding in your home wiring can be a problem with sound equipment. The PSU is usually not a problem, but other 110 AC devices plugged in to outlets in the room can be introducing the noise--a quick fix would be to ground your equipment independently of your AC to a metal waterpipe or conduit or even to a ground stake.

Makes sense. Thanks

Please read my edit in post #5

EDIT: Well, the buzzing is back (slightly. I'm sure it will get louder again). As you said you replaced the cable with gold plated adapters and what-not, my speakers aren't like that. The cord going from my control unit to my amp looks like a monitor cable. Browse the pics:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836121120

 

[SpookedJunglist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberDruid The buzz is some EMR from at least one device near the speakers/amp--it could be a flourescent light ballast or a desklap with a ballast or any other device with a coil (like a charger). It is most likely is introducing the EM noise to the input line of the amp--that's why it buzzes even when unplugged from the PC sound card. I replaced the 1/8" cable with a shielded stereo cable and gold-plated adapters--the noises went away. Improper grounding in your home wiring can be a problem with sound equipment. The PSU is usually not a problem, but other 110 AC devices plugged in to outlets in the room can be introducing the noise--a quick fix would be to ground your equipment independently of your AC to a metal waterpipe or conduit or even to a ground stake.

Very good advice there. Also about grounding. You can also lift the ground so that you are not grounding your system Some consider this to be bad for short protection. In the world of Audio Visual it is common practice. Just in my office alone I use more than a handfull on shows with tons of wireless mics. Check out the pictures if you are curious as to what i call a ground lift.

 

[Madkat]

isnt that kinda... unsafe?

 

[CyberDruid]

Actually makes good sense--when everything is grounded it all "talks"--when each problematic device is isolated from the common ground the noise would have to be less.

 

[SpookedJunglist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madkat isnt that kinda... unsafe?

Only if there is something wrong with the device. And then there is a small risk of shock when you touch something metal on the device. But highly unlikely. Like i said we use them all the time in the Realm of audio visual. I am not talking about home Audio. I am talking concert with large scale productions where a buzz is unacceptable. and almost impossibal to get rid of without ground lifts. There are several different types we use. but the lifts in the picture are the most common. The next would be a XLR ground lift. I have never been shocked. You would basically have to touch the inside of the device to get shocked. Because It is unsafe to ground a device to its case.

 

[Hollowman8904]

So what devices would I want to ground? I only have like two of those...

 

[CyberDruid]

According to Spooked--none--actually you would want to UNground them.

 

[SpookedJunglist]

Well what I would recomend is taking two power strips and ground lifting one and not the other. And start testing them one by one. multiple combinations. But monitors make noise [crt] Dimmed lights make lots of noise. Flourescent lights do too[case lights?]. And I am not positive but i think your speakers are already lifted 3prong vs two prong. Check it. IF it is 2prong skip the lifting and work on moving things around[EMI is the culprit, or unclean power, possibly the amp itself.

Check your speakers. Find an empty outlet in the house. And plug in the speaker set up to it if no buz take a mp3 player and plug it in and check if it only buzzes with a signal. If it buzzes with nothing it could be either unclean power, Fix this with a battery backup. Or bad amp, No easy fix.

I am back to work but i will check back later.
Good luck
Spooked

 

[Hollowman8904]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberDruid According to Spooked--none--actually you would want to UNground them.

Whoops that what I ment. I UNgrounded my case and it still goes. But now I'm confused even more:

I unplugged the all of the audio cords, and it stopped. I have 4 cords going in: Front Left/Right, Center/Sub, Rear Left/Right, and Coax digital.

I had to unplug all four for it to stop, even the digital, which isn't supposed to be able to get interfearence.

I think it is something inside my computer. When I load or move the mouse or type or pretty much any kind of activity, the buzzing gets louder for the duration of the activity, then goes back down to a low buzzing again. The buzzing is loudest when I click or load something.

 

[busa]

Most buzzing in audio equiptment is caused from what is known as a 60 cycle buzz. 110v ac runs at 60 cycles per second.This can usually be fixed by ungrounding(good call spooked) or switching polarity on 1 or more items in the same outlet. This can be accomplished by using an ungrounded adaptor with both prongs the same size to allow you to reverse polarity on the plug. I have also seen fans and controllers cause a buzz in a pc audio system. Try unplugging fans and any lights in the rig 1 at a time.

 

[Hollowman8904]

Quote:

Originally Posted by busa Most buzzing in audio equiptment is caused from what is known as a 60 cycle buzz. 110v ac runs at 60 cycles per second.This can usually be fixed by ungrounding(good call spooked) or switching polarity on 1 or more items in the same outlet. This can be accomplished by using an ungrounded adaptor with both prongs the same size to allow you to reverse polarity on the plug. I have also seen fans and controllers cause a buzz in a pc audio system. Try unplugging fans and any lights in the rig 1 at a time.

Flipping the plug doesn't work, and my case is ungrounded. But what confuses me is why the buzzing gets louder when I click the mouse or load something.

All of the following are on the same power strip:
PC
LCD Monitor
Cell Phone charger
External Drive Enclosure
The Speakers in question