Buzz coming from disconnected speakers?

R

rjsilva

Active Member
I arrived home this evening and noticed a buzz/hum coming from my speakers which aren't connected! I moved one around the house and the only thing that seemed to make a difference was the direction it was pointing.

Wouldn't there have to be a serious radio/magnetic (not that I know) transmission to cause something like that? Is that legal? I recently moved here last week, but this is the first it's happened. Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
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I discovered it! It was a downstairs dimmer switch that wasn't all the way up controlling a light that had CFL bulbs. Amusing, but scary that it can generate so much electromagnetic energy.
 
I was in my basement today, where I have a Kenwood KR6600. I was fiddling around and had it on the am band between stations and heard this bad hash interference. After checking around, I found out the interference was coming from....me! You will be amazed at how much RF a good pacemaker can put out, I even set off door alarms in stores! I do know that speakers can respond to outside signals. I once heard a taxi driver's voice come over my Goodmans speakers when I was living in the city, and the stereo was off.
 
johnda said:
I was in my basement today, where I have a Kenwood KR6600. I was fiddling around and had it on the am band between stations and heard this bad hash interference. After checking around, I found out the interference was coming from....me! You will be amazed at how much RF a good pacemaker can put out, I even set off door alarms in stores! I do know that speakers can respond to outside signals. I once heard a taxi driver's voice come over my Goodmans speakers when I was living in the city, and the stereo was off.
Click to expand...

yup, I pretty commonly heard cell-phone beeps when using my '64 GE radio...those text-messages (much to my bemusement) act exactly like morse code:D. Also, I don't know if this is everybody, but I tend to have a ton of electical interferance just by touching things...and I swear that street lights on occasion go off when I walk under them, At first I thought it was random chance, but then one night 4 of them went off in a row...Anyone else have this kind of stuff :sigh:?
 
rjsilva said:
I discovered it! It was a downstairs dimmer switch that wasn't all the way up controlling a light that had CFL bulbs. Amusing, but scary that it can generate so much electromagnetic energy.
Click to expand...

I hope that was a dimmable CFL or you could end up with a fire.
 
How would the energy transfer to the speakers? Induction to the voice coil or choke?
RF to something in the crossover?

That would be interesting if the conditions could be recreated.
 
tshoejohn said:
How would the energy transfer to the speakers? Induction to the voice coil or choke?
RF to something in the crossover?

That would be interesting if the conditions could be recreated.
Click to expand...

Could be induction to any coil in the speaker. When working on speakers with a soldering iron the speakers will buzz when I put the soldering iron (on) on axis with the center of the VC (right behind the middle of the magnet) or near the center of an air core inductor.
Spooky.
 
33&athird said:
yup, I pretty commonly heard cell-phone beeps when using my '64 GE radio...those text-messages (much to my bemusement) act exactly like morse code:D. Also, I don't know if this is everybody, but I tend to have a ton of electical interferance just by touching things...and I swear that street lights on occasion go off when I walk under them, At first I thought it was random chance, but then one night 4 of them went off in a row...Anyone else have this kind of stuff :sigh:?
Click to expand...

You were abducted by aliens weren't you?
 
33&athird said:
and I swear that street lights on occasion go off when I walk under them, At first I thought it was random chance, but then one night 4 of them went off in a row...Anyone else have this kind of stuff :sigh:?
Click to expand...
Yep, it's my personal bad luck superstition. Screw friday the 13th and black cats, When that many lights go out as you go underneath them, you're in serious trouble.:no::D
 
rjsilva said:
I discovered it! It was a downstairs dimmer switch that wasn't all the way up controlling a light that had CFL bulbs. Amusing, but scary that it can generate so much electromagnetic energy.
Click to expand...

You should see what my dad can do with his 400 watt ham radio to the stuff in the house. :yes:
 
johnda said:
I was in my basement today, where I have a Kenwood KR6600. I was fiddling around and had it on the am band between stations and heard this bad hash interference. After checking around, I found out the interference was coming from....me! You will be amazed at how much RF a good pacemaker can put out, I even set off door alarms in stores! I do know that speakers can respond to outside signals. I once heard a taxi driver's voice come over my Goodmans speakers when I was living in the city, and the stereo was off.
Click to expand...
Makes you think those guys with metal in their heads that say they can pick up radio stations aren't kidding!
 
33&athird said:
yup, I pretty commonly heard cell-phone beeps when using my '64 GE radio...those text-messages (much to my bemusement) act exactly like morse code:D. Also, I don't know if this is everybody, but I tend to have a ton of electical interferance just by touching things...and I swear that street lights on occasion go off when I walk under them, At first I thought it was random chance, but then one night 4 of them went off in a row...Anyone else have this kind of stuff :sigh:?
Click to expand...

I have street lights go off when I drive my truck under them at times. I've heard CB radio come thru my home stereo speakers when it was off too.
 
GordonW said:
QFT. "Standard" (non-dimmable) compact fluorescent bulbs do NOT react to reduced voltage well. They can and will overheat...

Regards,
Gordon.
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You need to either: 1) replace the bulbs with dimmable ones (they make dimmable CFLs) or 2) replace your dimmer switch with a standard switch. You definitely want to do that now to avoid a fire.
 
At the church I go to one Sinday there was a high pitched hum comming thru the PA during the service. The ministers use a wireless mike system and they were turned off along with the PA mixer,amp, but the whine was still there? The church is large and has 60 ft cielings and is approximatley 100 ft square. Eventually the sound was tracked down to a mans hearing aid in the back. The high pitch noise didnt hasve anything to do with the PA.
 
x_25 said:
You should see what my dad can do with his 400 watt ham radio to the stuff in the house. :yes:
Click to expand...

A friend of mine can light up a florescent tube with his CB radio antenna. Needless to say, the power output is a little higher then most people deem proper.
 
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