buzz when using headphones

Lowner · #1 10-17-2011, 06:54 AM

I just moved into an apartment in july and per my landlords rules i must play with headphones anytime i play. I noticed that i hear a buzz coming from my headphones but not when i unplug them. I also have electric heat within the walls. So i wonder if its the cause and how to eliminate it. It drives me nuts.
help me fix it!!

will33 · #2 10-17-2011, 08:38 AM

Fire your landlord, a little 5-10 watt practice amp is no louder than a group of fools sitting around watching sports on tv.

Other than that, make sure everything is grounded, if anything you have has a ground lift switch, try flipping it, make sure your bass is shielded good, try a different cord or try plugging into a different outlet if you're using a headphone out from an amp.

Some of the little batterry powered mini-amps like the marshall ms-2 have a headphone jack, then you would be isolated from the wiring in your apt. If it still buzzes and your cable is good, your bass has a bad ground or needs shielding. There are other headphone amps out there that may sound a little better for bass.

bassgod0dmw · #3 10-17-2011, 09:19 AM

Are the headphones able to handle the bass? It may very well be they can't replicate it well.

beans-on-toast · #4 10-17-2011, 09:34 AM

First try to figure out if it a buzz, hum, hiss, or distortion.

A hum is usually 60 or 120Hz, a lower frequency. A buzz is usually a higher irritating frequency. I hiss is a smoother noise.

It can be that although the noise is not picked up by your amp, the headphone circuit in the amp can be picking it up. There may be a problem in the amp's headphone circuit making it more sensitive to picking up external noise. If you can eliminate the external noise, it might resolve your problem.

There are some simple tests that you can perform. Try a different set oh headphones. Try the amp on a different power circuit (one that has a different circuit breaker on the line), if the noise goes it could be a wiring problem in the apartment. In general, overhead fluorescent lights, a light dimmer, an aquarium pump, or even a fridge motor can all cause noise in an amp. Eliminate sources like this and see if they help. If there is a nut on the headphone jack on the amp chassis, make sure it is tight.

mpdd · #5 10-17-2011, 10:03 AM

i bought a house, but when i did the apartment thing i used the cheapo behringer fx mixer and the cheapest seinhausers i could get, i would try to spell those manufacturers names correctly, but i am too sleepy now

Lowner · #6 10-18-2011, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowner

I just moved into an apartment in july and per my landlords rules i must play with headphones anytime i play. I noticed that i hear a buzz coming from my headphones but not when i unplug them. I also have electric heat within the walls. So i wonder if its the cause and how to eliminate it. It drives me nuts.
help me fix it!!

It was my cable. Got a new one and no problems. Glad it was something so simple.