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Topic: Gargling amp |
Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 15 Sep 2009 10:03 pm |
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I have a Roland Cube 60 that works fairly well for steel. Usually. But today, I took it to a place where there were 2 large fans running at full speed. The sound out of the amp sounded gargled. It was terrible. It was clearly coming out of the speaker. I tried different cables (short and long). No change. Then turned off the fans and it sounded fine. I think the AC power is being modified by the fans on the circuit. Anyone ever run into this? Would a power conditioner help?
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To write with a broken pencil is pointless. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 15 Sep 2009 11:30 pm
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A high-power true UPS would fix problems with low Voltage and/or severe noise on the supply lines caused by too much power being drained. A power conditioner will only smooth out spikes.
Now, I hope those big fans wasn't interfering with the air between listener(s) and speaker directly, as that could easily modify the sound-waves enough to make it sound pretty awful. |
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Larry Robinson
From:
Peachtree City, Georgia, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 3:11 am
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| The sound is being affected by the fans, not the AC power. I experienced the same problem and had to turn the fans off. |
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Gary Cosden
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 3:18 am
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| We have ceiling fans where we practice and have to turn them off every time for that very reason. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 5:10 am
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| Ceiling fans are a poor mans vibrato. |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 6:08 am poor mans vibrato
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So you guys are saying that it is from the air moving around my ears. Wow, I put my ear right down by the speaker and it sounds like the sound is gargled coming from the speaker. But maybe you are correct. Tonight, I bring close cup headphones to the place and run them run the headphone out of the amp. That should eliminate the air in the ear contribution to the problem. and yes, it is a very ugly sound.
_________________
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
Last edited by Tom Wolverton on 17 Sep 2009 7:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 8:25 am
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| You could also use an extension cord to get the amp out of the room with the fans (but still plugged into the same socket), and see what happens then. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 9:02 am
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| I'll recommend following David's suggestion, as no type of closed earphones will completely prevent the very low frequency air-vibrations caused by large fans from reaching your ears. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 10:38 am
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| Or maybe (if this is a practical possibility) you could have someone else play through the amp with the volume loud enough to be heard a room or two away, and listen from there, where the fans wouldn't be affecting the air around you. |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 11:07 am underwater on the high notes
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I think you are all on to it. Thanks for your help. By the way, I was the closest to the fans and to me, my steel sounded terrible. (much more terrible than it usually sounds : ) ). But when I asked the other players on the far side of the room about it, they didn't seem to hear what I was hearing. So yes, it might be a non-electrical, air in the ear thing. Let me just say it was horrible - like a digital effect clipping (I checked all of that - not it).
_________________
To write with a broken pencil is pointless. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Sep 2009 11:18 am
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| Most all fans have inductive (brushless) motors, and they will almost never cause electrical line problems. The only exceptions are very high speed fans or blowers (the type generally found in vacuum cleaners and range hoods). Most large fans will turn for quite a while after the power is cut, so the easiest way to find out if the air movement or the motor is causing the problem is to note exactly when the problem stops. If it ceases the second the fan is turned off, then it's electrical in nature. If the problem doesn't stop until the blade slows down significantly, then it's an air-movement (or sound wave reflection) problem. |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 17 Sep 2009 7:39 am recording sounds fine
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One last note on this topic: I recorded some songs with the recorder mic near my amp. The recorded sound is good, no gargle tone, so it must be the chopped-air-in-the-ears effect. Thanks to all for your helpful hints.
I thought was was going crazy, but you guys have proven that I am already there. : )
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To write with a broken pencil is pointless. |
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