hum when hooking computer to analogue receiver

[cgutz]

My son's computer hums when we hook the headphone out to the tape in on his Yamaha receiver. All other sound equipment (ipod, laptop, droid phone) have no hum when hooking the head phone jack to the tape in.

Any ideas why he gets hum from this one computer?

 

[cademan]

Sounds like a ground loop issue. You can try and take a piece of wire and ground it to the computers metal chassis, and then attach it to the metal case somewhere on the receiver.

 

[pioneerSRV]

I've heard some nasty onboard soundcards hum no matter what you do, but I don't know how your setup is. Honestly, you'd be better off trying out an inexpensive DAC in my opinion.

 

[ChrisMarantz]

Some sound cards just seem to create hum when connected to a amplifier. Drew Kaplans, DAK Industries makes a impedance matching ground loop isolating interface that will usually eliminate the hum.

http://www.dak.com/Reviews/2045Story.cfm

 

[Tinman]

Yeah, I had to use a rat shack hum eliminator (same thing as above) between my pc and receiver as well. All gone.

Marc

 

[BrokenHill]

The problem can be cured with the Ground Loop Isolator Model: 270-054
from Radio Shack, I use it on my desk top computer and on my lap top.
Works like a charm, just as Tinman explains.:thmbsp:

 

[audiojones]

I have this exact same problem when connecting my computer sound card to my SX-950. I tried grounding both chassis to each other, to the earth and even using separate circuits to no avail. Thanks for posting this - now I have a solution!

 

[LivingColour]

Just a random thought that probably isn't a solution. But if this is a desktop computer, it could be a fan in the case causing interference. Probably a long shot, but just an idea.