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Double Bass "humming" sound from my Headway edb1

#6
More often than not, it's not a grounding problem with the device. It's usually the electrical service in the building or bar you're plugging into. Now I'm not saying that your Headway couldn't have a problem, but if the issue only happens at specific locations, and is repeatable, then it's likely a problem with the service in those locations.

Is this a problem using an amp, the DI, or both? If it's just a DI issue, most preamps have ground lifts on them that can eliminate ground loop hum in these situations.
 
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#8
robobass said:
Some devices are more affected by grounding problems that others. There is the option, though not always practical, to attach a long wire to the amp's frame at one end, and place a big metal clamp at the other, which you attach to a cold water pipe or other earth ground.
Click to expand...

I would highly recommend NOT DOING THIS! You don't know what is properly grounded, and what isn't, and could be creating a potential problem in the event of a ground fault.
 
#11
Maybe someone has a ground loop.

Screenshot 2017-01-20 15.20.04.png
Screenshot 2017-01-20 15.20.40.png
 
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#13
It would be helpful if we knew what your whole signal chain was. Is this humming via DI to a PA? Is it to an amp? Is it to both? It sounds like a garden variety ground issue that we all experience from time to time at venues that have dodgy electrical service. And sorry to sound like a broken record here, but as I and others have asked - have you tried the ground lift switch on the Headway?

However I still have to ask, is this problem isolated to specific locations? For example, does it always happen at one bar you play no matter what you do? Does it never happen at your regular rehearsal.

I think if you can provide us with the details, then we can probably give you a better educated guess as to what is going on.
 
#16
Kristian said:
It's both to PA and amp.

Yes, I've tried the ground switch. Sometimes gets a bit better but it never solves it completely.

Its only in certain places and sometimes less sometimes more...

Sorry for not answering properly.
Busy day...
Click to expand...

No worries. Yes I would lean towards a grounding issue at the venue, in which case there is not a whole lot you can do.

I would also check all of your cables just to rule out the simple stuff.
 
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#18
robobass said:
Some devices are more affected by grounding problems that others. There is the option, though not always practical, to attach a long wire to the amp's frame at one end, and place a big metal clamp at the other, which you attach to a cold water pipe or other earth ground.
Click to expand...

You won't get much of a ground from PVC water pipe. Any additional ground has to be tied to the ground at the service entrance, for safety reasons. There's another possible ground loop, as well.
 
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#19
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#20
Useful, but it will only tell you so much. I wonder if there's an easy way to determine if there is a good earth ground. North American codes are not friendly to stuff like this, as using the galvanized conduit as a ground is almost certain to cause trouble. Over here it's the 50Hz which makes life difficult.
 
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