Ground Loop

[Jim-surround]

I need some advice for a cheap ground loop isolator/filter. Seems I'm getting some hum from my DVD player. Everything is plugged into 1 circuit and in phase so that's not it. Probably got a plug(s) wired backwards somewhere in the house. I'm not really inclined to go through all the wiring to find it if I don't have to.

Any help would be appreciated.

[jazznsoccer]

The first thing I would try is to hook a ground wire (can be very thin) from the DVD chassis (say a metal screw on the back panel) to the grounding lug or metal screw on the back panel of your pre/pro or receiver.


You can try p/n 75-504 from Calrad. Maybe Lex at Cat Cables can give a better suggestion.

Best bet is to find and fix the root cause though.

[David Meek]

Jim first off, do not go with a two-prong cheater plug. That's just asking for major trouble. Now as far as cheap - what's your budget? Mondial makes the MAGIC Box ground isolator which goes for about $90-100 US. It'd be my choice other than finding the root cause of the ground loop and correcting it (probably your cable company didn't wire to the house ground - they're notorious).

[Jim-surround]

Thanks. I'll let you know how I got rid of the hum.

I wish I could be a little less discriminating about the sound of my system so I wouldn't keep driving myself nuts with things like this.

[Jim-surround]

I bit the bullet and got a Moster HTS1000 MKII. The hum is gone and, since everything is grounded properly, no one gets fried.

Thanks for the input.