Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

N

Ned Ward

Sophomore
Jan 11, 2011
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South Bay, CA
www.nedorama.com
So... I'm testing out my new DEQ830 with my 01v setup (thank you Lee) and wanted to see how my Really Frickin Poor Man's IEM works with the Rolls unit. just sending ipod in, adjusting levels, etc.



Battery is running low, so I go upstairs and get an extra USB dock cable and the small 2-prong power-USB adapter. I plug it in on the Furman exterior courtesy outlet, and get a horrible ground loop buzz.



Hmm, I say to myself. unplug the USB cable from the iPhone, no buzz.



I plug the AC into the back of the Furman; ground lift buzz is reduced, but still bad.



I then plug both the rack power strip and the iPhone power into a separate power strip, and it's buzzing even worse.



So...

The power strip I have sucks and is in the trash.

My Furman Merit Series (older, not the new X-series) ''Power conditioner'' seems to do neither and it's ''Courtesy outlet'' is anything but.



I see multiple options, including:

SM Pro Audio DI Dock that Ben Harris very nicely reviewed:

http://www.soundforums.net/index.php?t=msg&goto=428&&srch=iPhone+power#msg_428



Plugging the output of my iPhone into a stereo DI and then into the 01v; I own a Radial Pro DI2 and could go to RatShack for the RCA-1/4'' adapters. This I'm guessing would solve the problem and let me use the power setup as above, but angers me since everything's on the same circuit.



Getting rid of the Furman unit and buying something that you folks recommend instead. Only things that would be powered by this would be:



1. Original Yamaha 01v

2. Alesis DEQ830

3. iPhone/iPod power (because battery life can suck with GPS and bluetooth on)

4. 9V wall wart for Zoom H2 digital recorder.



Is this a symptom that MOV's inside have gone bad on that outlet? Recommendations welcome. Part of me wants to get a rackmount triplite, but the extra weight worries me since the combo mixer/rack is already fairly weighty for one man to carry.





thanks.

 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

IME it's the charger that's the problem. It was explained to me but I really don't recall what part in the charger generates the noise. The problem I had was with camcorders being charged on any circuit I was using. The charging circuit put noise back into the power line. I started using ''phantom'' AC cables plugged into any empty receptacles anywhere near where I was getting my power.



Weddings, plays and such were where this would usually occur.



 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Thanks Dick. I do have a few battery backups for my iPhone - one as a gift, one as the only thing I could find in brookstone to replace an rc copter someone got me that I knew wouldn't fly and was made with questionable china labor at best.



I also have a. 60 gb iPod for my car; it's always charged so I could just take that on gigs.



Now that I think of it, our bass player plugged his line six pod xt bass floorboard into the same courtesy outlet and it buzzed like crazy. I blamed the Pod but maybe it's the Furman. All bass parts (amp) on same power circuit and radial JDI after pod into 01v; ground lift only partially cured buzz, still wicked loud.
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Milt - totally agree, given the size of it.



What do others use for charging iPhones/iPods instead, or do you charge and unplug if using for break music?



My bass players line 6 charger is also crap; line lump with partially frayed cord.
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Ned....



Try using an isolation transformer between the offending units and the console.
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Girlfriend bought me an IPod dock at Walmart. Doesn't sound so great but after a few minutes run time I noticed that it was charging. Long story short I've used it at several shows and never gotten any noise out of it. It's in storage right now. I'll have the make and model # tomorrow.

Edit: It's small enough as to not take up any room and cheap enough to discard the speakers. I think it was $20. Charges I phones as well
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

I'll try tuesday. I'm a little surprised as with the line 6 bass pod, I figured the JDI would serve as an isolation transformer.



Or are you talking of an electrical one, a la Ebtech Hum-X? That I can try tomorrow as I have one for my guitar amps.



Thanks.
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Considering the number of hum problems you have (or apparently have): Are you powering your FOH off a feed from the stage, or are you plugging it into whatever outlet might be close to FOH?
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Good question Milt. For the purposes of this test, my 01v and things are being fed from an outlet in my garage. no noise floor at all in the 01v and DEQ830 without the iphone power plugged into the courtesy or outlets in the back of the power strip.



When our band is using our PA's, it's usually at smaller bars, so we're plugging into 1 15 amp outlet on/near stage and using one of those thick extension cords with outlets spaced every 4 feet for everyone to plug into - trying to ensure that we don't have anything connected on different grounds since I don't have a poor-man's splitter a la Tim Padrick's great design.



Here's what typically goes into that 15 amp circuit:

Furman strip and 01v, DEQ830 and a 9V H2 charger (no noise)

2 QSC hpr122i

Fender bandmaster amp, 40 watt tube amp

Ampeg br-50 bass amp, 50 watt SS

Korg synth

Vox ac30, one of the reissues.



No hum on any item except bass, which went bass - line 6 - JDI - 01v. The line 6 was plugged into the courtesy outlet and buzzed like mad. Didn't have time to run the line six into another outlet, and our bass player feels he needs this for his sound, although we're starting to wean him off it.



The other thing that's odd is why do I get more hum from the iPhone power plug out of the courtesy outlet than in the back? Noticeable difference in hum level.



I have time with this long weekend to try sussing things out with an audio and electrical iso transformer and will also try plugging other things into the courtesy outlet vs the back to see if there's a discrepancy. The Furman has been fine powering the 01v and EQ and on those the noise floor is low/none as it should be.



I do know my home power sucks, which is why I bought the Hum-X for my guitar amps; I'd hear a horrible buzzing, take it to my local great guitar shop and no buzz. Hum X helps tremendously.





thanks and appreciate all the help.



Edited for clarity and couldn't scroll up to revise on iPhone (no scroll bars in message body)
 
Re: Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner + iPhone Power = Crap

Today after being bewildered (but not upset) that the Jets are beating the Pats (sorry Bob, I'm as perplexed as probably you are) I went out to the garage.







Changes from last setup:



1/4'' to RCA adapters for iPod RCA cable. was using a 1/8'' stereo to XLR and a 1/8'' stereo to RCA cable before.

Balanced TRS-TRS cable to replace the guitar cable I was using from Omni 1 to the Rolls headphone unit. Figured this might be part of the issue.





Turned on the Furman power switch, and hooked up everything, and played some music on the iphone. No buzz.



Plugged the Apple iPhone power plug into the Furman courtesy outlet, and then plugged into the iphone while playing.



No buzz.



I even tried removing the TRS-TRS cable and substituting back in the guitar cable. No buzz.





I had my Radial Pro DI2, Ebtech Hum-X, other cables, etc. ready to go but never needed them.



I still won't power my iphone/iPod during a show for break music, and now I feel



a) relieved

b) worried that now it's a weird intermittent thing. gremlins rejoice.
 
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