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What the---, my Amp is picking up radio signal!!!


Audix99

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Hi all,

 

I recently moved from Mass to Louisville KY area, and I now have a problem with one amp that used to be perfect before the move.

 

The amp is Marshall 5210 50W solid-state. Ever since the move, I can now hear a radio station from my amp (AM, I think) when I turn it on.

The radio sound is totally independent from the amp's volume. Even with the master volume at 0, I can still hear it. And it's not a faint sound. It's pretty noticeable.

 

Can anyone tell me how to fix this problem??

What the heck is going on with my amp???

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A friend of mine lived near a large country western radio station antenna and had the same problem. We tried everything to shield it. We could minimize it, but never eliminate it. You might try to borrow another amp from a friend and see if it receives it. Also try to borrow a bass amp, the low pass filter may eliminate it.

Here's what the FCC says:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/interference.html

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I live an apartment in NYC and that happens all the time through my Fender Pro Junior. Unfortunately, my neighbors listen to Spanish-language radio all the time, so I can't really enjoy it. Try raising it up off the floor or moving it to a different part of your house.

As a side note, there's nothing funnier than Telemundo coming through behind Merle Travis licks.

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Thanks for all your replies, guys!!!

Well, I tried in different room and also at my friend's apartment, which is only about 1-mile from my place.
All with the same result. And it seems to be the same station.

I'm using both HB and single coil. But this happens even WITHOUT guitar cable plugged in.

BUT, my other amp (Behringer GMX 210), which is right next to my Marshall 5210, is dead quiet with no radio coming through.

Maybe, I need to do some shielding job on that Marshall? Anyone can tell me how/where to shield?

Thanks again!!!

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I actually have had this problem twice.

 

When I was in high school I bought this mini marshall stack that had 1 watt and like a 3 inch speaker. Anyways whenever I'd turn it on I'd hear talk radio!

 

This doesn't have anything to do with guitar but years later I bought this huge altec lansing speaker system for my computer at best buy and the radio stations were killing me! I had to turn my music to 4 so I could not hear the damn music on the radio! I did everything including moving my speakers as far apart as possible, moving the subwoofer, etc.

 

Nomatter how hard I tried I couldn't get rid of the radio station and I had to put up with it the remaining 2 or 3 years I lived in that apartment.

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Hi all,


I recently moved from Mass to Louisville KY area, and I now have a problem with one amp that used to be perfect before the move.


The amp is Marshall 5210 50W solid-state. Ever since the move, I can now hear a radio station from my amp (AM, I think) when I turn it on.

The radio sound is totally independent from the amp's volume. Even with the master volume at 0, I can still hear it. And it's not a faint sound. It's pretty noticeable.


Can anyone tell me how to fix this problem??

What the heck is going on with my amp???


You find that odd?:confused:

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Is it possibly a Ham radio signal you are receiving? Sometimes those guys run higher than what they are supposed to. Where I used to live there was a amateur radio enthusiast who's signal came through on my cable public television channel.
Solutions for you... have you tried the amp in other rooms? the basement?

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Try a new cable. 9 times out of 10 this is because a cable's shielding has gotten old and outside signal is bleeding in. in short, the cable becomes an antenna. Almost always when someone has an amp or pedal they think is picking up radio signals, it's really their cable; the amp/pedal just acts to amplify the signal.

 

Now, this case may not be the cable, because if it was the signal would get louder as the volume is increased. This may be a case of a poorly laid out circuit receiving a strong, local radio transmission from a nearby tower or ham radio antenna.

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Try a new cable. 9 times out of 10 this is because a cable's shielding has gotten old and outside signal is bleeding in. in short, the cable becomes an antenna. Almost always when someone has an amp or pedal they think is picking up radio signals, it's really their cable; the amp/pedal just acts to amplify the signal.

 

 

It's always been the cable in my experience.

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I had the same problem with a $250 compressor pedal. I spent a good deal of time and money with an electronics tech guy to try to remedy the problem and there was nothing that helped. The most common fix is to install Ferrite beads, but it didn't help in this situation. The company that made the pedal said that it happens occasionally when someone is near a radio transmitter tower. The strange thing is that absolutely nothing else in my studio picks up radio frequencies, including my lowly $19 Behringer compressor pedal. I eventually gave up and got rid of the expensive one.

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