Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YORKS)

[Nick7222]

Hi

I own a Yamaha AW16G recording unit which I use for recording music. I regularly get a strong back ground buzz/hum when recording.
I have elliminated most of the possible causes for this that I can think of yet it still persists. Someone at Yamaha told me that having the unit earthed might solve the problem (it uses a 2 pin connection at the moment), but that he isn't allowed to officially recommend such a procedure. Has anyone got any thoughts on this? or know anyone reliable they could recommend to do it? (I live in Brighouse, West Yorkshire).

cheers

Nick

 

[Andy 7671]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Is he talking about a "clean" earth.

One method, open to debate is to take it to the MET.

Whats that...? Not being funny but Im not going to recommend you do this yourself.

Some people will say you will still pick up interference from substation.

Just reread your post, are you saying you have a 230V unit with no earth, at all. This is not right unless it passes certain requirements.

All I can recommend is asking on Harmony Central forums, you should get a quick response there.

 

[Knobhead]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Another line of attack other than a dedicated CPC run to the MET is an independent earth spike not connected to any internal household earth. If your serious about your music (and it would seem you are) it would be the way I’d go.

 

[Rockingit]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Studio's and earthing can be a nightmare, full stop, that's one of a few reasons that your mixer is designed to work supply only.

Before diving into a whole load of hard work - you say that you've checked the basics; but what exactly HAVE you done? I'm assuming that this is a domestic studio so therefore you're single phase, and also that you've checked all your xlr's and DI boxes etc etc. What type of lights do you have? Anything fluorescent or with transformers?? Or dimmers.

 

[Specialist]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

A common cause of Background hum on all sorts of recording equipment is loose securing screws on PCB's.

 

[telectrix]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

the most common cause of unwanted noise is girl bands.

 

[Guest123]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...ording-studio.html?highlight=recording+studio

http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...studio-supply.html?highlight=recording+studio

 

[Rockingit]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

the most common cause of unwanted noise is girl bands.

Mate, you should have seen/heard some of the crud I've had to work with over the years!!! I think the best one was when a (now very famous) girl band when in their infancy all started strutting their stuff and pretending to sing....then the backing track CD started skipping!! Oh, how we laughed; there was nearly a puddle of technician pee backstage.

 

[trev]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Mate, you should have seen/heard some of the crud I've had to work with over the years!!! I think the best one was when a (now very famous) girl band when in their infancy all started strutting their stuff and pretending to sing....then the backing track CD started skipping!! Oh, how we laughed; there was nearly a puddle of technician pee backstage.

Remember All About Eve on TOTP in the mid 80s? Singer and guitarist all ready to mime to their single which was playing away but no one had linked up their monitors so they couldn't hear anything

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Studio's and earthing can be a nightmare, full stop, that's one of a few reasons that your mixer is designed to work supply only.

Before diving into a whole load of hard work - you say that you've checked the basics; but what exactly HAVE you done? I'm assuming that this is a domestic studio so therefore you're single phase, and also that you've checked all your xlr's and DI boxes etc etc. What type of lights do you have? Anything fluorescent or with transformers?? Or dimmers.

I remember the "Good Old Days" of PA where the only bit of the entire rig that was earthed was the mixer - all the earths were snipped-off the plug tops for the power amplifiers & everything else !!!!

It took a while before we realised that the "proper" way was to leave the earths in the plug tops connected & disconnect one end of the screen of the signal leads.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

the most common cause of unwanted noise is girl bands.

............. or - in my experience - any band with a girl chanter (singer)

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

The thing I always remember about my days behind the desk is that when the band goes down well with the crowd it's because they performed well, but when they don't it's because the soundman was carp !!!! :rolleyes2:

 

[grantr37]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

possibly something sitting too close with a transformer inside it buzzing away and at the same time producing low frequency radio interference, which will be getting amplified by the internal amplifier circuit of the recorder.....if it is this bad I think that the transformer will probably be emitting an audible buzz as well.....make sure that you buy/use good quality screened cables like those made by Shark...check that they are all pushed in firmly and twist them around and back a few times to make sure, there should be no mains cables/leads going right past them or sitting on top of them...
I had a look on google and from what I see there are sometimes issues with vibration from the hard disk drive on this model where the vibration transfers to the circuit board and shakes the components, you might want to check that all the clips and holders/screws are tightened up....

 

[Nick7222]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

Thanks for the suggestions.
The problem occurs when recording guitar direct into the unit, not with a mic or keyboard. It's not the guitar as it does it with all guitars I use, to varying degrees. It stops completely when I place my hand on the metal casing of the unit. I've got good leads, and have tried it with all near by appliances and light turned off, and it makes no difference.
There are power lines running directly over the house which I think may be part of the problem.
Does anyone know whether the earthing procedure is a) safe (I am not going to do it myself) and b) likely to do any good?

Tony, I think, suggested an "independent earth spike", does anyone know roughly how much such a thing would cost?

cheers...

 

[Engineer54]

Re: Earthing a Yamaha AW16G Recording Unit, any help would be appreciated...(WEST YOR

The earth electrodes are Very Cheap, but you have to get the earth conductor from the rod to your equipment!! For what you need it for, you would probably only need the one spike. I'd probably go for a 4mm conductor. So it's your time cost, rather than any great expense on materials...