My Feckin' Amp...

raindog.promo

... is picking up a tv set from next door I think. you can hear the people talking through the amp. When it's just turned on with no guitar leads going into it.
I thought it might be the earth so changed to a 2 pronged plug and no difference.

The amp is a laney LC30 II, which is a tube amp. I'm also using it up in my attic, but it's fairly well kept up there not in a damp place or anything.

any suggestions?

PaulBrewer

NEVER disconnect the Earth.

Soundman

By any chance are any of your valves glowing a nice shade of blue?

sei046

Dont think this is the most suitable forum. The lads will give you a hand in Instruments. MOVED

Don1

I thought this was most often caused by the guitar but as you say, its not plugged in. I dunno any more than that I'm afraid, but the more experienced in here will be along at some stage.........

sei046

one of my marshalls picked up an american going on a serious anti-semetic rant. He sounded off his head.

Eoin Madsen

If it shares a wall with the TV next door the TV speaker could be interfering with it magnetically, but otherwise TVs don't broadcast signals so it's probably just picking up general radio waves in the air.

As someone already said, don't ever disconnect the earth.

If the amp has never done this before then I'd suggest you just move it and see if it's any quieter across the room or in another room.


Sei, anti-semetic signals in an amp are usually an indication that there's hidden Nazi gold inside.

Voodu Child

It happens. As Eoin says, its radio signals rather than TV most likely.

Have a look at the other devices plugged into the mains, unplug them all if possible. Some devices can basically work like massive arials, picking up very faint radio signals, and feeding them back into the mains.

If you've got an effects loop, have a look at noisegate pedals, or noise reduction. Stray interference is usually only a problem in silent passages when nothing is being played; if you can cut the signal going to the poweramp with a noisegate, this might help.

Eoin Madsen

voodoo_child wrote: »

If you've got an effects loop, have a look at noisegate pedals, or noise reduction. Stray interference is usually only a problem in silent passages when nothing is being played; if you can cut the signal going to the poweramp with a noisegate, this might help.

I think I'd sooner just buy another amp, if it was me. Noisegates and NR are horrible compromise fixes for problems that shouldn't ever exist.

But then, I have a credit card, so I'm all about the impulsive overkill solution. :pac:

Voodu Child

Eoin Madsen wrote: »

I think I'd sooner just buy another amp, if it was me. Noisegates and NR are horrible compromise fixes for problems that shouldn't ever exist.

But then, I have a credit card, so I'm all about the impulsive overkill solution. :pac:

To be fair, i've seen low-level radio interference in plenty of amps, even high-end ones, especially high-gain ones. I know the Laney is neither, but its just to illustrate that buying a new amp isn't always the best solution.

I don't agree that noisegates or NR are horrible devices - they're pretty much a must for all but the best high-gain amps. If they're smart enough to know that you're not playing, I don't see why it should be a bad thing to cut or attenuate the signal getting through to the power stage. Of course, not all of them ARE smart enough :pac:, but still, I wouldn't tarnish them all with the one brush. The ISP range get excellent reviews and recommendations.

sei046

Eoin Madsen wrote: »

Sei, anti-semetic signals in an amp are usually an indication that there's hidden Nazi gold inside.

Lol I was wondering how the amp was so bloody heavy!

raindog.promo

Cheers for the suggestions. I'll try some out.

The amp also "pops" intermittantly, I reckon it's someone changing a channel. Don't have time to investigate fully now so i'll be back with my findings in a fortnight.

NEVER disconnect the Earth.

I didn't.

By any chance are any of your valves glowing a nice shade of blue?

No, normal reddish/orange glow

If it shares a wall with the TV next door the TV speaker could be interfering with it magnetically, but otherwise TVs don't broadcast signals so it's probably just picking up general radio waves in the air.

no, it's in more or less the centre of my attic space

If the amp has never done this before then I'd suggest you just move it and see if it's any quieter across the room or in another room.

I'll give it a shot, but it'll be a bitch to move around

Have a look at the other devices plugged into the mains, unplug them all if possible. Some devices can basically work like massive arials, picking up very faint radio signals, and feeding them back into the mains.

I'll give this a shot too.

anti-semetic signals in an amp are usually an indication that there's hidden Nazi gold inside

If it did, I'd have just bought a studio instead.