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Topic: Timecode Vinyl humming

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

I apologize if this has been posted before but I couldn't find it.

I'm using a Numark TT-200 through my Hercules RMX and VDJ 6.1.2.
I'm getting a high pitch hum when my needle is on the record. WTF is going on?

Thanks.

DJ Ambient
 
Posted Fri 18 Mar 11 @ 12:12 pm
grounding issue?
 
I was thinking that too but my grounding wire is secure. Do you know the recommended distance between the speakers and turntables?
Thanks!
 
Are you sure your not just hearing the timecode signal itself?? It is a high pitched noise and you said you only hear when the needle is on the record......

Huey
 
It's very possible, but I hear it during the music and it's highly annoying, not to mention very loud.
I'm using a TT200, direct drive table. If you let the table spin while not hooked up to the PA, you can hear the motor - which is normal.
When it's hooked up to the PA, it sounds just like the motor but 10 times louder - of course, since it's being amplified.

Is there a way to minimize the timecode sound?

I am fairly new to the turntable realm, so there may be something basic that I am overlooking.

Thank you for your assistance.

DJ Ambient
 
if your using an analog mixer and a soundcard you need to check a couple of things. If the soundcard has a ground point on it use that and send your turntables through the line input and select line in on the mixer, some soundcards eg Audio 8 have the option to plug in the vdj output to line in and the turntable to the phono input. If that is the case just make sure you have line in selected, and the cables are connected properly.
 
I have the turntable connected to my Hercules RMX sound board which then connects to an analog mixer, as you mentioned.
The ground wire connects the RMX and turntable together.
However, I by passed the RMX and VDJ itself and connected the turntable to the mixer and I still had issue.
.
 
I'm not sure then unfortunately, If you have already tried the analog mixer and the turntable and getting the hum, I would try to plug in just the turn tables, herc and vdj and see if you still get the hum playing a normal record when you bypass the line out by selecting aux out (its on the vdj7 pro skins on the mixer panel), if you don't its the analog mixer (i remember when I used to have a pioneer dj mixer and a vestax scratch mixer hooked up together which gave awful feedback), but If you do still get the hum its the turntable, if so maybe you have a loose or crossed wire in the turn table, you could always crack it open and have a look, your last option is probably a ground loop isolater to kill any feedback from your computer, but hopefully one of the hardware experts can help, It would probably be better to contact numark support directly though.
 
Not sure if youve already tried this, but before you go spending hours on the phone try giving a ground loop isolator a go,

http://www.audiospares.com/product.php?productid=1187

theyre not expensive and available from most car audio spares shops, apparently i have 'dirty' electricity where i am and i get all sorts of feedback and hums, i was pulling my hair out but this simply plugged inline between mixer & whatever input source youre using and cleaned the sound up.

hope this helps,

brian.

edit: just realised thats exactly what the post above said, honestly though they do work.
 
I ordered a ground loop isolater today. I'll give it a shot, I mean, it's not going to hurt anything.

Now that you mention it, brianjohnstone, I've only used my turntable at two seperate gigs outside of my apartment. The first gig did not have a humming problem but was actually set up with their own PA system. The next gig had a lot of hum, but I had to take all my gear.
Also, I get the feedback in my apartment. How did you find out you had dirty power? Do you think a UPS might take care of this too?

Lastly, I'll give Numark a call like Synthet1c suggested and see where that gets me.

Again, thanks for the comments.

- DJ Ambient
 
i had an engineer round doing some work in my house and i asked why i had the humming, he told me that it was something to do with the way the electricity flows, and in the trade they call it dirty power, baffled me a bit to be fair, but ive got about 15 isolators now lol, on everything from surround sound to hifi, and dj gear, but they worked for me. fingers crossed it helps.
 
Thanks. I'm still waiting for mine to arrive.
In the meantime, I did some trial and error to eliminate the possibilities.
So far, I've tried different amps, analog mixers (through and bypassing the RMX), speakers, power sources, different RCA cables between the RMX and turntable, and I think that's about it. The turntable still makes the noise even if VDJ isn't running, but just having it connected via the RMX to the mixer.
I hope I'm explaining the sound right and not trying to beat a dead horse, but here's some more information. The sound is not static, crackle or fuzz. It is a constant, high pitch tone once the needle hits the record. If you have the needle on then press play, you can here the tone wind up with the motor. The sound is not audible if the vinyl is spinning and the needle is not on it.
The only thing I haven't tried yet was switching out the cartridge. Currently, it is a Shure M44-7, only a few months old. It did not make this sound before until I took it to a show one night.

As synthet1c said, perhaps a wire is loose inside the turntable itself? I don't know, but I'm going crazy with this POS.

Thanks for your help guys.
 
Everyone,
I feel like an idiot, but I have figured out the issue.

The sound is in fact the timecode signal, except amplified.
What happened was, the RMX has a phono/line switch. When I initially set up the turntable, the switch was on LINE. During the move to another gig, I must have accidently switched it to PHONO. By simply switching it back to line the timecode sound can still be heard but is a lot quieter. The mixer I'm using also has a phono/line switch and is set to LINE. I know someone mentioned making sure it was switched to LINE and I double checked the mixer, but didn't realize that the RMX had a switch too.

Thanks for everyone's help!
 
LOL glad you got it sorted.
 
haha glad you got it sorted!
 


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