electric-current-like noise when playing the little mark II

[Devo-lution]

Lately I am starting to notice that now and then there is some electric-current-like noise coming out of my rig... Never very loud, but present nonetheless...

However, I bought a new (louder) cab today and because of the higher volume, this noise is way more disturbing now...

It seems to be coming from the Little mark since the cab was tested just today with another amp and no static noise... also I tried three basses to see what would happen. The interesting part was that my Washburn bantam gave a constant "BZZZZZ" kinda background zound and my stingray only made these clicky "dzjolt"-kinda sounds when I didn't touch the strings for a while and then started touching them with my fingertips... My old stagg also did the continuous buzz-thingy, but way softer than the Bantam.

Is this usual? If not, what could it be? What can you do about it?

greets
Devo

[bongomania]

A surprising cause of this sound is your cell phone! Make sure your cell is nowhere near your rig, or is switched off. Unfortunately if you're in a room full of people with cell phones, there's no hope.

[Devo-lution]

no cellphones in the house turned on = stil the same noise

[TheEnthBass]

two thoughts, are any of those guitars active vs passive, that might explain the steady buzz vs jots sound... maybe... don't quote me on that.

the other is does it make that sound when it's plugged in somewhere thats not your house? If there are other things on in the home and the wiring isnt excellent you pick up all sorts of noise from stuff. Especially if the grounding in the house is not perfect. Do you have a power conditioner?

My rig makes noise at my practice spot but thats because it was wired in like 1905 and the power is DIRTY. If i use my power conditioner it is essentially silent.

Could be a number of things, instrument cables, power cords, speaker cables, patch cables starting to go? Ground issue in the power amp? All sorts of stuff. I say plug it in somewhere else first and check your cables those are the easy places to start trouble shooting imo

[rbonner]

This is the kind of stuff quality powerline filters are supposed to take out.

However, in my house, where my amp sits, the main power running in a plastic PVC tube (unshielded) is the 200 amp power service running to my circuit box. It runs diagonally across the room under the floor. I can turn my bass side to side and when it is 90 degrees to the power lines the hum goes away. Any other direction and the power induces hum into my bass.

When I had the rig setup in the living room, dead silent. Might possibly be something silly like that as I can't hear your hum, only mine.

BOB

[Devo-lution]

It does have the thing that pointing the bass to certain sides makes the hum disappear... Mine is gone when I point it towards one wall in my room...

[craig.p]

> Lately I am starting to notice [...]

> [...] now and then [...]

"Lately" is one operative word here. Look around for things people (including neighbors) have added in the vicinity.

"Now and then" is an operative phrase. What times of day? Repeatable schedule-wise? Particular days more than other days, or 7 days a week? Weekdays only? Weekends only?

I agree with what Nth Bass said, too. I'm just pushing outward a bit so you can maybe find the root cause. Something in the area may be acting as a transmitter.

[5port]

Flat panel plasma monitors are notorious for causing buzzes and hums in amps and receivers. Ask any ham.

[murphy]

Also those new energy saving fluorescent light bulbs....any dimmer switch also

Can you borrow a different head to try in the same spot?
Or take your rig to a different spot or house?

[Devo-lution]

took my rig to another place....

no buzz or hum at all... So it must be something in the environment at my place....

[murphy]

Yup
That happens sometimes

[VinKreepo]

I also have a noise problem. If you take your bass and out it up to your comp, you'll here tiny signal sounds of the comp computing through any amp. Well my bass amp does it all the time regardless of where it's at or what's around it: outside, at school, in my room.

So basically under the sun 10 ft. from any other electronics, away from any electronics under fluorescent lights, and with everything in my room off with only an internet router 50 ft away under incandescent lights.

So I assume it's in my amp and it's prevalent no matter what bass I use. When you listen to it with the human ear, it sounds like a hum. When played through the PA, it sounds like more consistent/louder hum. When played into my comp for recording (the comp is 10 ft. away behind a shelf), it sounds very loud and like the computing signal.

And of course................ it's a Behringer

[craig.p]

I know I'm repeating what Nth Bass has already said, but while you're figuring out the "lately" and "now and then" parts of this mystery, you should be verifying that site's grounding. All outlets, the panel itself, and panel to grounding rod. Also verify the presence or absence of aluminum wiring, because aluminum wiring requires special preventive maintenance. Many potential interference problems become actual interference problems because they're able to exploit a bad/faulty/misconfigured/deteriorating electrical infrastructure.

There are also some devices that'll cause problems no matter what, either because the particular unit is faulty or the design itself is faulty. One example is the heat tape we use up here in the northern U.S. on pipes that see freezing temps. It can cause buzzing on every outlet in the house -- but only while its thermostat is allowing current to flow. This example brings up another point: there are many potential sources of interference that are easy to miss. You can use your breaker box as a fault-isolation tool.