VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Foog · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:58 am Post subject: Monitor noise

After years of recording via headphones exclusively, I finally bought my first pair of studio monitors - KRK Rokit 5's. Unfortunately, I am nearly finished renovating my boothroom (TM), and I finally have a recording space so well isolated that the ever-so-quiet electric hum of the powered amp in the speakers is like an ice pick in my ear. After putting so much blood, sweat, and tears into reducing my noise floor, I am really reluctant to bump it up even if it is only by a couple of decibels.

After doing all the usual troubleshooting (unplugging everything in the chain and discovering that the noise was indeed emanating from the speakers even when everything else was unplugged and removed from the space), I decided to go out and purchase a Furman PL-8C power conditioner to see if that would help. And now here's an indication of how minor the noise really is: not only did the power conditioner do nothing to alleviate the nearly inaudible hum, the hum of the damned conditioner itself (sitting on my desktop while I tested it) actually added to the background noise.

So I am not sure what to do at this point, or whether I should do anything at all (other than return the unneeded Furman at the very least).

On the negative side, there is an added noise to my room that I can't seem to get rid of. Plus, I have noticed that when I edit a voice track using the monitors, I miss some of the more subtle clicks/pops/various-and-sundry-undesirables that I would notice and deal with when editing with the headphones.

On the positive side, this is the first pair of real speakers I have had in any room in many a year. And for those of us unable to afford a sports car, cranking up the tunes of our misspent yoot' in a nicely isolated boothroom (TM) is a great substitute manifestation of the ole' midlife crisis. (Wheee!) Plus, I'm not wasting all that time getting rid of the unnoticeably subtle squeaks/pops/sundries that 99.9% of clients are also not going to hear.

Now, I'm thinking that some of the hum noise issues will be alleviated when I finish the internal sound treatment. So far only two of 4 bass traps are up, and 2 of 4 rockboard (like OC703, but more Canuckistani) panels are up, and I have hella-many Auralex squares on order to cover any remaining bare spots. But will it be enough, or will the hum drive me mad like some sort of latter-day Tell Tale Heart? Am I a fool for forgoing the electron microscope-like resolution of my headphones, or would keeping the monitors be a great way to wean me of my penchant for editing the wind pop from every eyeblink and insect fart out of my my recordings?

What say you, cooler and wiser heads with experience in these matters? Keep the monitors or slink back and return them?

Bonus question: if I return the Furman, am I just asking for lightning to hit my house and burn everything out?
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Andrew Fogarasi

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Plug your monitors into a power strip and cut it off when recording. At least you'll know its not in your recording.
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www.asapaudio.com

Foog · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:43 am Post subject:

ricevoice · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:12 pm Post subject:

Foog · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:33 pm Post subject:

ricevoice · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 7:54 am Post subject:

It's noticeable but I got used to it pretty quickly.
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com

dwpthe3rd · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:06 am Post subject: Thought...

Are you using the balanced line inputs on the KRKs? I used to have a pair of those speakers and I eliminated 'hum' by switching the monitor inputs from the -10 unbalanced to the +4 balanced, which are typically the canon type plug or TRS 1/4' plug.
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dwpthe3rd

Foog · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Thought...

dwpthe3rd · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:57 am Post subject: Jusst might be the KRKs...

I had a pair of the KRK 5 Gen 2 for several years. I recall what seemed to be a 60hz hum until switching to the balanced line in and then minimal noise, at least not noticeable with my room noise floor.

Not to suggest going on a witch hunt, but some AC line filters are better than others at providing linear filtration across the entire AC bandwidth. I use a level 3 power cleaning device which seems to work well. Share your solution when you get it!
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If attacked by a mob of clowns go for the juggler.

dwpthe3rd

Jason Huggins · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:32 am Post subject:

I use the KRK VXT4s and though you can hear them if I get real close, the actual noise that they add is negligible. One is about 3' behind my mic and it has never been an issue. I use balanced cables.

Foog · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:46 am Post subject:

I went back to the music store earlier this week and decided to test every monitor they had. I got funny looks when I explained that "no, I don't want to hear any music or anything else through them", but they were accommodating once I explained my problem. I took one of each monitor into their quietest room and plugged it in (AC only, no input at all). Sure enough, the KRK's were the loudest "electronically", with an annoying hum. All the others were pretty much silent. Except for the bleddy tweeters! Almost every single one had a distracting hiss coming off the tweeters.

Almost? Yeah, almost. It seems that the overpriced German ones are quiet both electronically and tweeter-hissification-wise. Figures! So now I have a pair of Adams F5s that cost double what I was planning to spend. Who says you can't buy your way out of a problem? (don't tell my wife)
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Andrew Fogarasi

vkuehn · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:59 pm Post subject:

If it helps you sleep any better... you didn't pay that much more than what some of us have paid for Yamaha HS5 speakers and seem to be describing a speaker that may exceed the performance of the Yamahas.

Foog · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:22 pm Post subject:

Funny you should mention those - out of the half dozen or so monitors I tested out, the Yamahas were the noisiest in terms of tweeter hiss. They might be the bee's knees for accurately reproducing sound, but the hiss was a deal breaker.

Mind you, my guilty conscience is what is keeping me from sleeping well. A more levelheaded man would have just went with the power-strip on/off when recording option and a cheaper pair of monitors.
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Andrew Fogarasi

Ed Fisher · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:02 pm Post subject:

Interesting.

I too have an issue (in a very quite environment) of hearing the speakers very low level power amp hum.

(I thought it was JUST me)

My solution. Cut them off while recording.

It's kind of a PITA..but if I left them on there would be feedback..so there is nothing quite like the SCREAM of tweeters tying to burst you ear drums...to act as a friendly reminder.
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"I reserve the right to be completely wrong."

Foog · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:46 pm Post subject:

It's been about a week of using the F5s and I must say... wow! And "huzzah" even! They sound lovely, and seem to pick up most of the glitches and pops I need to address. Not quite as sensitive to the unwanted sounds as my headphones are, but I'm coming to think that this is a feature, not a bug. I am spending orders of magnitude less time angsting over saliva pops and near-inaudible clicks because they are even more near-inaudible through monitors than they are through headphones. Ahhhh, the awe-inspiring power of blissful ignorance. It's downright liberating it is!

I'm going to keep the fredphones in their box all next week and see how that works for me.

(I've been leaving the monitors on when recording auditions, and turning them off when recording actual work. Seems a happy compromise so far. Plus, I keep telling myself that the KRKs were too noisy for auditioning even. I almost believe it, and anything that helps me justify hanging on to these beauties is a boon.)
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Andrew Fogarasi