Ground Loop

[Ned]

Does anybody know how to solve a ground loop problem on a laptop running a firewire soundcard. Its a Dell XPS and RME 400 card.

Ta

[TechMouse]

Does anybody know how to solve a ground loop problem on a laptop running a firewire soundcard. Its a Dell XPS and RME 400 card.

Ta
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=ground%20loop%20isolation&ModuleNo=33172&doy=27m11

[dan the acid man]

can you hear anything if you plug straight into the onboard sound ? if it has onboard sound that is

[bushby]

http://www.behringer.com/HD400/index.cfm?lang=ENG

[TechMouse]

Bushby's option looks rather more rugged.

(As ever...)

[bushby]

I've got one of those thingies from maplins and they do the job but I recently got the Behringer thing and like Mark said; it's more rugged. Plus you can plug TRS cables into it where as the thing from maplins is phono only and the attached wires aren't very long.

[prozac]

cheers for the info!
ive had problems with a ground loop hum too...
must get that beringer jobbie!

[Barely Human]

Or if your really skint, remove the earth lead off the plug on your laptop power supply. Not reccomended, but cheap.

[prozac]

Or if your really skint, remove the earth lead off the plug on your laptop power supply. Not reccomended, but cheap.

yeah, i heard that tip recently-not sure if i wanna mess with my laptop tho!

[Barely Human]

Ive been doing it for years. If you get an extension lead, take the earth off that and then plug your power pack into that. By rule of thumb, you shouldnt be able to do any damage to your laptop as this is protected through the neutral wire and the breakers in your house. the earth wire is connected to the case of electrical equipment so if something live inside the machine touches the case, it wont go live, thus saving you from an electric shock. Since a laptop runs on 12v DC usually, then your really not putting yourself our your equipment in imiediate danger. Probably the most unsafe part in doing this is your actuall transformer in your power pack. However you do so at your own risk ;)

[prozac]

ill give it a try tomorrow, i have a few extension leads about the place
im sure i can sacrifice one!