Audio - Eliminating earth loops

I have a friend that has a sound desk and one input to it is from an electronic organ that produces a nasty earth loop (buzz) problem not 50 hertz mains.

Temporarily lifting the earth off the organs mains transformer completely eliminates the problem, but this not a genuine or safe 'fix'.

I recall seeing an article in some electronic magazine some time back of a

240v mains unit that could be put in line with either the sound desk or the 'equipment' but can't now recall where I saw it!

Can someone please offer some suitable suggestions to rectify this problem?

A mains isolating transformer should do the trick, but am wondering if there is some other cure?

jerd

Reply to
JERD
Loading thread data ...

I've used an isolating audio transformer (10K / 10K) to solve this problem. It's not ideal quality wise, but an electronic organ sound isn't going to suffer unduly from the degradation. Better to not mess with the mains side if you can avoid it IMO.

Reply to
Bruce Varley

"JERD"

** Best idea is to provide the organ with a balanced output connection.

Get one of these fit it inside the organ near the existing jack output:

formatting link

Wire the 10kohm side to the jack and the 600ohm side to a stereo jack or a male XLR.

The ground terminal of the stereo jack or pin 1 of the XLR can be left unconnected to eliminate ground loops.

The signal from the transformer can now be fed into a mic input or line input on the audio desk.

** The organ already has one of them.

.... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

completely

Even cheap DI boxes have a ground lift switch, which leaves the instrument grounded, but isolated from the mixer ground. Have you tried that yet?

a

problem.

Why not, good quality audio transformers are routinely used in pro audio, and don't cost the earth. Studio quality is more expensive, but unnecessary in this case.

That's for sure.

MrT.

Reply to
Mr.T

"Bruce Varley"

** Long as the 10k to 10k tranny is installed at the receiving end on the link - the signal quality is normally fine.

The little trannys in a metal can sold by Altronics ( M0705, M0706 etc) are a good example.

** Very few keyboards these days would use a mains earth connection, they mostly either use plug-pak adaptors or are of "double insulted" onstruction - so the one alluded to by the OP must be nearly antique.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Could be a Hammond L3. They'll live forever. I talked to one of the roadies during a BB King concert, he said that BB forbids any modernising of gear used in his shows.

Reply to
Bruce Varley

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.