Can age cause hum in a receiver?

Mr. Sharpe

I've had this receiver for probably 8 years and was hooking a different DVD player to it. I noticed that there is an audible hum coming from the receiver. I have never noticed this before I got right over it and just happened to hear it. I was wondering what could be causing this if anyone knows? I can it from two feet away. Like I said the receiver is probably 8 years old. It's a Sony STR-DE597.

Also the outlet it's plugged into, the plugs are loose in them and it is very old. I will soon be replacing it as I have had to replace several outlets in my home because they are all two-prong outlets and the plugs sit loosely in the outlet.

Could replacing the outlets help with the hum or is that unfixable due to the age of the receiver, then it wouldn't unfixable of course.

I also read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_hum

shaneybrainy

I think that age can eventually lead to hum at least in an amplifier. Before I got my Polk setup in my room I had two Infinity speakers hooked up to 25 year old Sony Subwoofer. I ran the speakers from the subwoofers built in amplifier. That woofer sat in my room for the past 5 years until just recently. As of last week it was humming so bad I couldn't bare it any longer. Their was only a slight hum 3 to 4 years ago, now it has grown in severity. I think that it's age, and you might as well get a new receiver if its becoming too problematic. I of course replaced that setup with my new Polk Audio one and my Sony STR-DG720 doesn't hum at all. The subwoofer was a hand me down from my father, I asked him if he ever remembered it humming and he said no. I am positive it is a common age related problem.

BlueFox

Everything goes bad, or deteriorates, as it gets older. Like it or not, that is the truth. Whether that is the problem in this case is to be determined.

I just noticed tonight my 25 year old refrigerator magnetic door seal is not working very well now. I can lean a sledge hammer against the door to make a better seal, but that is probably only good for another 5 years or so. At some point, I will have to buy another refrigerator.

Mr. Sharpe

anonymouse wrote: »

You may have a ground loop. Try unplugging all sources from the receiver, leaving only the speakers connected. See if that eliminates the hum. If it does, you have a ground loop. Report back and we can advise further.

I'll try that, may be tomorrow or the next day... or the next who knows. I'll be sure and let ya'll know for sure though. I read about ground loops in that link but I haven't a clue if I have one.

shaneybrainy wrote: »

I think that age can eventually lead to hum at least in an amplifier. I think that it's age, and you might as well get a new receiver if its becoming too problematic. I of course replaced that setup with my new Polk Audio one and my Sony STR-DG720 doesn't hum at all.

Oh yeah I'm replacing it one day lol know how that is... I saved forever to get my Denon 3910, now I have to save for a new receiver as much as I'd like to just put on a credit card then it'd cost more:( and it isn't a REALLY bad problem, I just noticed for the first time tonight and like I said, I was two feet away from it, can't hear it from the couch.

dudeinaroom

Find a tight outlet and plug it in there, A loose plug can lead to a buzz or humming sound, better yet replace the plug. The receiver could be just fine.

George Grand

That line of Sony receivers break themselves just sitting there.

tonyb

I have a sony str de-835 off the kitchen, had the darn thing for at least 10 years and is still solid. Just have a sonos hooked up to it now and it gets alot of play time with never a hum. I'm more incline to think your problem is the outlet and/or ground loop issues rather than the receiver itself. For starters, go to home depot and buy a hospital grade receptacle and change the one you have now. See if that helps any then we can move on to the next step.

Mr. Sharpe

dudeinaroom wrote: »

Find a tight outlet and plug it in there, A loose plug can lead to a buzz or humming sound, better yet replace the plug. The receiver could be just fine.

oh yeah, I need several of them. one for that, one for my boy's room, and another one for somewhere random.

tonyb wrote: »

I have a sony str de-835 off the kitchen, had the darn thing for at least 10 years and is still solid. Just have a sonos hooked up to it now and it gets alot of play time with never a hum. I'm more incline to think your problem is the outlet and/or ground loop issues rather than the receiver itself. For starters, go to home depot and buy a hospital grade receptacle and change the one you have now. See if that helps any then we can move on to the next step.

Will do for sure! That one you have is big haha.

thanks all!

cristo

I had a Yamaha Integrated amp that hummed (the receiver itself, not the output signal) because
the power transformer had begun to delaminate with age.

Mr. Sharpe

that stinks, I don't think it would but I need to check make sure my onkyo isn't doing it.

Mr. Sharpe

I turned my sub on and this is the first time I've noticed it humming before. it's bad.

Also, I replaced the outlet and the receiver is still making the hum.

Mr. Sharpe

My Onkyo isn't doing it, the Sony is. changed outlets still hum.

the Onkyo is on outlets that do have ground wires and the Sony outlet does not.

BUMP