ETA: I have the ferrite thingies clamped around
a) the short mini-jack cable leaving from computer to the minijack-to-RCA converter
b) in several places along the paired RCA cables that go from converter to amp
c) on the plain-vanilla insulated wires that go from holes in threaded posts on the back of the amp (speaker attachments) out to the two speakers
the RCA cables are approximatey 25 feet, I think.
______________=====_____|--|_ ***
|
| wall bookcase mon desk
| to the right of bookcase is monitor stand ( |--| ) ; cables go behind it
|
| bed right of bed is open floor, don't want to step over cables in midfloor
| here
|
| first speaker then amp, then piano then second speaker
-----%---============= ###### %
Basically yes. One small (and annoying) thing, if you don’t use iTunes you need to buy an extra bit of software - Airfoil is a third party application that allows any audio source on the Mac (or PC) to send to the Airport. It all starts to add up.
You didn’t mention what the power connection to your amp is. It matters whether it is a two or three wire power cable. You also didn’t say if the interference changes depending upon whether the Macbook is attached to its power supply or not. This can matter a great deal too.
Egads!! That is a lot. A lot for a cruddy unbalanced cable connection. An Airport looks better all the time.
Agreed. Unbalanced signal cables shouldn’t be used for more than 10 feet or so. Still, I’m surprised the ferrite rings didn’t do anything.
Have you tried running your laptop on battery only to eliminate an earth loop from the power supply?
Si
Doing so right now. Yep, happens under battery power too.
How about my earlier suggestion to turn up your computer volume, iTunes volume etc. as high as they will go, and then turn your amplifier volume down to compensate? Did that make a difference? What about the opposite, turning the computer volume down and the amplifier volume up?
Also, I noticed something in your OP just now - you said that the noise only starts when you are actively using the computer? Meaning, it will be silent, and then you will click on a drop-down menu or whatever, and you will hear the radio station? Is that correct?
That is somewhat odd. It suggests a shielding problem in the computer itself. Can you also hear other noises through the amp when you are moving your mouse, like crackling noises or something, or is it just the radio?
It would be more accurate to say that it suddently toggles on or off as a reaction to me clicking on a drop-down menu or opening a new web page, etc.
It’s definitely reacting to my behavior on the computer. But sometimes it starts off as soon as I turn on the amp while connected to my MacBook Pro. Other times it doesn’t start until all of a sudden it kicks in just as I select a menu item.
Since the OLD computer didn’t do this I am not averse to a conclusion that it’s a shielding problem in the computer itself.
No other noises though, just AM radio.
Can you test with another computer?
My wag is that the audio port in your computer is kaput or at least making unwanted circuits.
I do in fact have an absolutely identical computer (identical hardware, that is) that i can test with.
I’ll let you know.