Ground Loop problems

[fishookred]

I was recently trying to digitize a few records of mine when I came across a problem. there was a noticeable "electric" sound in the recording when my computer was turned on. I have everything plugged into a tripp lite iso- which I hoped would solve the problem but didn't. i assume it is being created by the computer itself. anyway I purchased a metra rca ground loop isolator from amazon. will this solve my problem without affecting the audio quality or am I overlooking something else entirely?
Thanks

 

[WaynerN]

Well, your computer can create a large magnetic field about it. That field will disturb the phono cartridge if the turntable is close enough to the computer.....

 

[ConradH]

Don't know what you're using for a preamp and such, but I digitize with a DIY preamp and Emu interface. What I do is run Visual Analyser (free) in spectrum analysis mode and then fiddle with ground switches, plug locations/polarities and component positioning, until every bit of hum is gone. Or at least as good as I can get it. No idea if the isolator will help as systems are different and the reasons for noise and hum problems are myriad.

 

[woodj]

BTW, what you describe is not necessarily a ground loop; not all hum is.

 

[rothwellaudio]

... systems are different and the reasons for noise and hum problems are myriad.

Indeed, yet the knee-jerk response always seems to be "ground loop".

BTW, what you describe is not necessarily a ground loop; not all hum is.

Absolutely.

 

[KingBubba]

Where is your ground wire from the turntable attached? If you are using the onboard/motherboard sound card, that may also be your issue.