{"id":6743,"date":"2022-12-13T22:27:49","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T03:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audioapartment.com\/?p=6743"},"modified":"2023-04-21T09:56:32","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T13:56:32","slug":"why-do-speakers-hum-when-you-touch-the-plug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audioapartment.com\/instruments-and-equipment\/why-do-speakers-hum-when-you-touch-the-plug\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Speakers Hum When You Touch the Plug Jack or Cable? (Explained)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
I’ve seen my fair share of odd habits among sound engineers and musicians. But one thing that always seems to baffle me is the tendency for some speakers to hum or buzz when you touch the plug jack or cable. It’s like they’re alive and trying to communicate with us through the power of electricity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in all seriousness, there’s actually a scientific explanation for why speakers hum when you touch the plug jack or cable<\/strong>. In this post, we’ll delve into the world of electrical currents and impedance matching to uncover the truth behind the mysterious humming of speakers. So let’s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why does the speaker hum when you touch the plug jack or cable? <\/strong>When you touch the plug jack or cable of a speaker in a home recording studio, it can cause the speaker to hum due to a change in the electrical current flowing through the circuit. This change in current can disrupt the delicate balance of the impedance matching between the amplifier and the speaker, causing the speaker to produce a humming sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In most cases, it is not normal for speakers to hum. Speaker hum is typically caused by a problem with the electrical circuit or the impedance matching between the amplifier and the speaker, and it can be fixed by identifying and addressing the underlying issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are some situations where a small amount of hum is considered normal<\/strong> and may not be worth worrying about. For example, some amplifiers and speakers may produce a small amount of hum due to the design of the circuit, and this hum may not be noticeable unless the system is played at very high volumes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, some speakers may produce a small amount of hum when they are first powered on, but this hum should quickly disappear once the speaker has warmed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A variety of different factors can cause humming speakers<\/strong>, but the most common culprits are interference from other electrical devices in the home studio and electrical ground loops. Here are some of the reasons why speakers hum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take note that the electromagnetic frequency range from 30 Hz to 300 GHz is prone to radio frequency interference (RFI), a frequent kind of EMI. Because of electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, and electrical conduction, EMI will introduce noise to an audio signal. Electric current creates magnetic fields, while magnetic fields induce a current. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of the aforementioned power mains, humming may be produced in both the audio wire and the speaker. Similar interference, noise, and hum in the audio conductors and, by extension, the linked speakers may be caused by adjacent and distant radio wave transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Connecting electronic components in a manner that creates several pathways to the ground is known as a ground loop. It is preferable for a pair of points in an audio circuit to have the same ground reference potential. Different ground potentials exist between these two places in a ground loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suppose a mixing board and an active speaker are both connected to the ground in the correct manner. A speaker’s input is wired to the mixing board’s output. The shield of this audio cable is connected to the ground of both the speaker and the mixer, creating a closed conductive ground loop that protects the signal from electromagnetic interference and returns it to the source.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIs it normal for speakers to hum?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Typical causes of speakers humming<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Electromagnetic interference<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Electrical ground loops<\/h3>\n\n\n\n