New ultra has HDMI ground loop

[Vegas]

Got a Ultra today , for the bedroom system , hooked it up and as soon as I connected the HDMI cable from TV’s hdmi arc port to
the Ultra’s HDMI input I got a humming noise …. Ground loop . The noise goes away when the hdmi cable is disconnected. Any suggestions ? Possible faulty hdmi input on the Ultra?

I tried 3 different cables.
All equipment is plugged in to the same outlet. PS Audio S300 amp , Salk speakers , Sony TV , Dish Network.

My Eversolo DMP A8 doesn’t have this issue , although it is in a different room / system.

Thanks

Bk

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

Swap the ultra and a8 - still the same issue on the ultra? (Or try the tv into the a8)

Just wondering, is the hum audible from the ultra headphone out too? (Turn it down first.)
If so, still audible if the ultra isn't connected to the amp?

Basically, unplug everything then start attaching things / turning them on until the hum comes back.
By "the same outlet" I'm assuming some sort of power strip. Got another one to try?
Good luck!

 

[harkpabst]

Swap the ultra and a8 - still the same issue on the ultra?

That's some reasonable advice.

Just wondering, is the hum audible from the ultra headphone out too? (Turn it down first.)
If so, still audible if the ultra isn't connected to the amp?

Basically, unplug everything then start attaching things / turning them on until the hum comes back.
By "the same outlet" I'm assuming some sort of power strip. Got another one to try?

And some more of that.

 

[jed1]

I mentioned to another thread about Ultra's power cable. It is missing a ground pin. Just because I plug everything into a same outlet, it does not guarantee that every equipment shares a same ground. Does you TV have a ground pin? Eversolo DMP A8 has a ground pin. Can you flip power plug if possible - that may resolve the issue.

For my WiiM Pro Plus setup, I use a USB power adopter with ground pin. So that my powered speakers / subs / DAC shares a common ground.

 

[adias]

To the OP: you may try flipping the unit’s plug into the wall outlet, or use the unit’s ground pin and connect that to the house ground.

 

[Mr Ee]

That's some reasonable advice.

Good to know my time here isn't completely wasted!!

 

[Vegas]

I can’t swap with the A8 easily due to the A8’s location- it’s deeply embedded in a cabinet that’s not easily accessible…

I sent it back to Amazon and ordered another one .
If the new one behaves the same , I’ll try using the ground pin on the unit and flipping the plug.

It’s definitely the HDMI . Happens even when TV is unplugged. So could possibly be from the satellite coax cable , but none of my other setups do it and they’re all using HDMI ARC and all are on same Dish system. Didn’t have this problem when a AVR was in use .

I’ve never had a ground loop this loud before in the last 40 years … makes me suspect the unit. As a matter of fact , I’ve never had a ground loop at all.

Appreciate the sage words everyone….
I’ll update in the next day or two - new one will be here tomorrow.

Bk

 

[onlyoneme]

Got a Ultra today , for the bedroom system , hooked it up and as soon as I connected the HDMI cable from TV’s hdmi arc port to
the Ultra’s HDMI input I got a humming noise …. Ground loop . The noise goes away when the hdmi cable is disconnected. Any suggestions ? Possible faulty hdmi input on the Ultra?

I tried 3 different cables.
All equipment is plugged in to the same outlet. PS Audio S300 amp , Salk speakers , Sony TV , Dish Network.

My Eversolo DMP A8 doesn’t have this issue , although it is in a different room / system.

Thanks

Bk

Which devices in the audio chain are earth grounded and which ones are electrically connected together, for example with RCA cable or digital coaxial or hdmi/USB?

 

[Kampernaut]

I had a similar issue with a WiiM Mini. Turned out to be a faulty unit that I verified by getting another. Linkplay replaced the faulty device.

 

[Vegas]

Which devices in the audio chain are earth grounded and which ones are electrically connected together, for example with RCA cable or digital coaxial or hdmi/USB?

All components are are plugged into a grounded 3 prong outlet - the amp , tv , Dish receiver and Ultra . All are 2 prong plugs except the amp - which is 3 prong. Dish to tv is hdmi , tv to Ultra is hdmi arc out to Ultra , ultra to amp is RCA.

Bk

 

[pieterv1]

Curious to hear your findings when you receive your new unit tomorrow! There's Amazon Prime sales tomorrow & on Wednesday (at least in Belgium) and I'm hoping for a discount on the Ultra

I would definitely use HDMI as well.

 

[Vegas]

Faulty unit , new one arrived today …
All is good , must have been a faulty HDMI input …. Very loud feedback .

Appreciate all the words guys !

Bk

 

[DoubleTap]

I got my Wiim Ultra for Christmas and for a while I didn't have this noise. I connected my Samsung G80SD monitor to the Ultra with HDMI, then used the optical out to go to my Parasound Halo Integrated Amp. Absolutely no noise

Later, I decided to use the Parasound as just a power amplifier by using the home theater bypass inputs (which must be volume controlled as this makes it work like a power amplifier) and the line out on the Ultra - this is where it gets weird. At first I thought it was the 15ft RCA cable (Ultra is on my desk, amp is on a nearby shelf) I tried a higher quality, shorter cable and there was a lot less noise, but it was still there. I moved the Ultra off my desk and away from potential EMI sources and the noise didn't change.

Then I noticed that the HDMI arc cable was really long and thin - so I unplugged it and the noise stopped.

I also tried using the optical output to a Modi Multibit DAC and connecting the DAC to the amp - even with the HDMI cable connected, there was no noise (probably because of the galvanic disconnect by using optical?)

Next, I tried using the USB out on the Ultra to go to my Monoprice Headphone Amp - even with the volume almost all the way up and nothing playing, there was no noise coming through the headphones but my speakers were still producing the same low level crackle and hum.

The issue - for me at least - seems to be the result of using the line out with the HDMI ARC connected (even when using the streaming sources)

The few things I have left to try:

1. A shorter, higher quality HDMI cable. Would an optical cable work? I use an optical Display Port cable to connect my PC, perhaps this would give me the isolation I need for the ARC connection?

2. Swap the Ultra on the assumption this one is defective

3. I've been toying with the idea of getting a digital amp like the Peachtree Gan - but I'd have to sell the Parasound amp (which I love) and I'm not sure if it really makes sense or gets me where I want to go.

4. I was originally thinking of getting a VTV or Buckeye hypex amp but I'm assuming I'll have the same issue with the analog out on the Ultra until I get this figured out.

 

[DoubleTap]

After trying different cables and unplugging things, it's clear that the source of the noise is my personal computer and my work laptop.

When I connect just my monitor (which has smart TV apps) through ARC, there is no noise. As soon as I connect a computer, the noise comes back.

My work around for now is a USB to optical device and an optical switch. It seems to limit the audio to 44.1 but it works.

Not sure if I should swap out my Ultra or not...

 

[DoubleTap]

The new Ultra has the same noise in the HDMI/ARC input. I wonder if it could be my monitor? Either way, I don't think it's fixable.

I wish I could find a way to send an optical signal to the ARC input - that would solve the issue and give me another input.

As it is, I have a USB DAC, my CD player and my PC all running optical to a 3 way toslink switch and sharing the optical input on the UItra. It works fine but it's less elegant than I'd like...