brucedog

Hi All,

I see at LOT of posts from folks who are fighting noise of some kind getting into their otherwise great-sounding audio.

Here's my story:

You can look at my eqpt profile for details, but I run an inverter and desktop pc in my Saturn Wagon.

There's always been a wee bit of inverter buzz in the sound system, and my audio was mobo sound (no PCI sound card). The mobo sound had a slight hiss, too.

I decided to upgrade from onboard sound to a Creative X-Fi PCI sound card.
After installing it, I was really happy with the THX spatial features, 10-band eq, and "crystallizer" that sharpens and increases punchiness.

But, there was a horrible hiss coming from my rear amp speakers. Grounds and cables were just fine. Just couldn't find the problem, so I decided to folllow the example of some of you and install an in-line ground loop isolator between my carpc and my rear amp. You can bet I was nervous; after installing a hi-fi sound card, I didn't want to lose fidelity gains to a crappy loop isolator.

I ran over to Radio Shack just before closing, and bought part no 270-065 grnd loop isolator for $16.99. Worked like an absolute charm! Not even the slightest inverter buzz, and any verrrry slight hiss is either my amps, or the source cd (ripped as .wav file...)

Bottom line: I hear not a whit of reduction in audio qiuality due to insertion of loop isolator.

Maybe my experience can help someone. Happy carpc'ing.

hari-bhari

so where does this ground loop isolator actually go? i have a slight bit of hiss coming that seems to be sourced from the amp itself. it happens even if the pc is off and the just the amp is on, so i dont think its in the source from the computer

brucedog

First, yes it does sound like your amp may be the source of the hiss. Try disconnecting any and all inputs to the amp; just leave the spkrs connected. Turn amp on and that will be the amps natural hiss. I guess really high-end amps aren't supposed to hiss at all.
I don't have that kind...

I have always expected some small amt of ambient hiss; I suppose the listener must decide when it's too much.

Oh, just be sure that your power connections to your amps are solid, and that the nise you're hearing isn't actually alternator or other "whine" (sa opposed to hisssssss).

The groung loop isolator is a cylindrical little "can" with audio cables coming out axially, with RCA males on eachj end. Plug one end into amps, other end to a RCA to 1/8" adapter for regular computer outputs. Check:
http://www.radioshack.com/search/ind...0isolator&sr=1
...for details.

Happy carpc'ing!