Can anyone explain why when i have my system plugged into one outlet, I get a low hum in every input regardless of volume level and when I run the same power to another outlet six feet away in the same room, the hum totally disappears? Thank you in advance.
Just to be clear. In either case all the system is plugged into the same outlet.... All into hum causing outlet or all plugged into the non hum outlet. Possible problem, the duplex receptacle outlet is not wired correctly. Do you have a multimeter? Buy one of these. Power Gear 3-Wire Receptacle Tester-50542 - The Home Depot
Yes correct. I have all equipment into a surge protected power strip then plugging that into the wall. In one outlet, hum. In the other in the same room, no hum. I do not have a multimeter currently.
The outlet that gives hum may not be on the same circuit as the clean sounding one. If this is the case then it is possible an item causing the hum is on the humming outlet circuit. Try to identify what is plugged into the hum outlet circuit and unplug each one at a time. If the hum goes away with an "unplug" you have found the source. Note the orientation of each plug you remove as simply reversing it in the outlet may fix the original hum. Another possibility is that the entire circuit has a bad ground. I suspect it is from some device that is plugged in already. If you find the causing item come back and list it as there may be a simple fix to make it good to be on the circuit. The outlet itself may need to have the ground tightened. The item shown is a handy one to have in the house. For a small cost it will tell you if the ground is present but it still may need tightening. Also it will tell you if the outlet is wired correctly. If you find an issue it will also tell you that you have the power off to the outlet if you elect to do the tightening or rewiring yourself. Never go to touch or work on an outlet you have not confirmed the power is off from it.
But i am basically taking the multi-strip with all my gear and moving it to another outlet and the hum is gone. So doesn't that prove that it isn't a specific piece of gear causing it?
Pretty much I assume the strip as 3 pins? Each receptacle is a duplex? 2 plugs On the 'hummer' does it hum in both? Upper & lower? And not hum in both on the 'no hummer'?
Does the surge protector power strip have status indicating lights? Like one lit light for protected and another lit light for grounded? Maybe a third indicating light for fault? Plug the protector in the good wall outlet and check the lights status. Then plug the protector in the bad outlet. Are the lit lights status the same? If there is a fault light is it lit? Did you check, as someone suggested, if both outlets on the same branch circuit? .
What I meant was another "anything". It could be a Toaster, I don't know. I was speaking to a non audio item.
What RiCat said. Also, see if you can borrow a multi-meter and make sure when you connect the meter between the taller slotted connector (neutral) and the middle round one (ground) you have 0 VAC. It could be a cracked outlet, a loose breaker in the box or the wires are loose on the outlet as stated by RiCat or the wires are loose on the breaker end.
