You say they are active speakers? Is the lap top also connected to an AC outlet?
If so it apears that you probably have a ground loop going on. Try connecting all to the same AC outlet or try running the laptop on battery only.
Another thing to consider is how long are the cable runs from your laptop to the speakers. Keep them as short as possible and away from the AC cables to the speakers.
If these are high quality powered speakers, hte amps used are quite sensitive and responsive to any noise or such on the audio lines or AC mains.
Just looked at the data sheet for these guy's. How are you getting the line out connector from the laptop converted from the mini-jack to either a 1/4 TRs jack or to an XLR jack. Go to a store like guitar Center and look for a DI box. This will convert your signals to a better format. The good ones will convert the mini-jack to the proper gender of XLR jack. This is ht ebest world as the XLR input is a true differential input. This will also allow you to make longer cable runs and pick up less noise.
Thanks for the answer :-) , it's the AC at the first place. It's OK when ran on battery, I've just tested. I'll try to connect to the same AC outlet later on during the day and if that doesn't work I'll go for the rest of your suggestions. Right now the signal from the laptop goes out through the mini 3,5mm stereo jack with connection to two RCA mini jacks on the other end, that cable ends in two RCA's which are then inserted in a special RCA-XLR plug which then goes into the speakers.
Your problem is that the impedance on your laptop output and not the same as the input to your Tannoy speakers. The laptop puts out 32 ohms and the line input to your speakers is 32,000 ohms. To correct the impedance you should secure this cable from DAK2000. http://www.dak2000.com/Reviews/2045story.cfm
Really it is 2 problems. One is the impedence issue. The other is the ground loop/isolation issue. I have a 5150, echo indigo sound card. Everything is fine on headphones (ac mains or battery). When on the AC mains, and connected to my amp + alesis monitors, I get a terrible hum ground loop. Unusable. Terrible. No problem on the battery. All the power runs through one powerstrip, on the same outlet. The issue is what I believe to be the cheap transformers that Dell uses. Used the same connection with my older IBM laptop and it worked just fine (on battery or mains). Whether a ground loop isolation will really solve the problem? Isolation transformers can be very expensive - what is needed? A cheaper one that musicians use or one of the expensive industial boxes?
Then there is the impedence issue. The DAK cable seems good.
dagrizz
34 Posts
0
January 14th, 2004 18:00
You say they are active speakers? Is the lap top also connected to an AC outlet?
If so it apears that you probably have a ground loop going on. Try connecting all to the same AC outlet or try running the laptop on battery only.
Another thing to consider is how long are the cable runs from your laptop to the speakers. Keep them as short as possible and away from the AC cables to the speakers.
If these are high quality powered speakers, hte amps used are quite sensitive and responsive to any noise or such on the audio lines or AC mains.
Just looked at the data sheet for these guy's. How are you getting the line out connector from the laptop converted from the mini-jack to either a 1/4 TRs jack or to an XLR jack. Go to a store like guitar Center and look for a DI box. This will convert your signals to a better format. The good ones will convert the mini-jack to the proper gender of XLR jack. This is ht ebest world as the XLR input is a true differential input. This will also allow you to make longer cable runs and pick up less noise.
Mike
homesick
7 Posts
0
January 15th, 2004 05:00
canaanskier
27 Posts
0
January 15th, 2004 15:00
Your problem is that the impedance on your laptop output and not the same as the input to your Tannoy speakers. The laptop puts out 32 ohms and the line input to your speakers is 32,000 ohms. To correct the impedance you should secure this cable from DAK2000. http://www.dak2000.com/Reviews/2045story.cfm
homesick
7 Posts
0
January 16th, 2004 10:00
6ryph0n
1 Rookie
•
13 Posts
0
February 19th, 2004 20:00
Really it is 2 problems. One is the impedence issue. The other is the ground loop/isolation issue. I have a 5150, echo indigo sound card. Everything is fine on headphones (ac mains or battery). When on the AC mains, and connected to my amp + alesis monitors, I get a terrible hum ground loop. Unusable. Terrible. No problem on the battery. All the power runs through one powerstrip, on the same outlet. The issue is what I believe to be the cheap transformers that Dell uses. Used the same connection with my older IBM laptop and it worked just fine (on battery or mains). Whether a ground loop isolation will really solve the problem? Isolation transformers can be very expensive - what is needed? A cheaper one that musicians use or one of the expensive industial boxes?
Then there is the impedence issue. The DAK cable seems good.