Vibration / Operating Hum - is this normal?

J

James Bowtine

New Member
Hey guys,
long time user of the HDR1000s, which ran silently, just acquired a new HDR1100s and was surprised by the quite noisy vibration, pulsating hum of this thing. Is this normal?

Placing on a wooden surface and we have our own mini-747 going 'round.

I guess, is this normal and if so, do you guys recommend any nullifying anti-vibration bases as its very noticeable?
 
There are three potential sources of vibration/noise: fan (does the 1100S have one?); HDD; PSU (is it internal, or external wall-wart on the 1100S?).

A high-pitch whistle or unchanging hum is likely to be PSU, caused by a loose component. Fan noise is raspy if something is rubbing, or accompanied by the rushing noise of moving air if the fan is having to work hard.

The most likely is the HDD. These are usually fitted with anti-noise rubber mounts, but it is possible your unit has been badly constructed so that the isolation is compromised, or maybe as a cost reduction the rubber mounts have been left out of the design. Alternatively the HDD may be faulty and creating excessive noise.

Either way, standing the unit directly on a flat panel (eg a shelf) will act as a sounding board and amplify the sound. Just putting a cloth under it will help enormously.
 
OK, so I'm leaning very much to the 'spinning hard drive component' vibration inside the chassis. There's no whine or white 'power' sound that I can determine.

What I'm kind of getting at here, is this the normal build - is this a point where I return the product, or would the replacement do the same.

You're suggesting cloth rather than something like rubber feet etc.?
 
James Bowtine said:
You're suggesting cloth rather than something like rubber feet etc.?
Click to expand...
I guess you have a tea towel in a drawer somewhere you can fold up and try out immediately - fancy rubber feet would need to be sourced. The only risk with a cloth is if there are ventilation holes underneath the unit.

James Bowtine said:
What I'm kind of getting at here, is this the normal build - is this a point where I return the product, or would the replacement do the same.
Click to expand...
Only you can judge that, but if the cloth cures it (ie the objectionable sound is purely conducted rather than being radiated) you probably don't have a case.
 
I actually don't want to return it - but then again I have no benchmark to what's normal, hence the sign-up to this forum.

Thanks Black Hole, I'll obtain something suitable and see if it alleviates the issue. Although having to do this seems wrong from the get-go; tech should be silent.
 
Except the last Humax box, which was completely silent 'in comparison'.

I appreciate anything moving will emit something audible.
 
We have a 1010S. I think the 1100S is just a later version, but don't count on it.
PSU is a separate brick. There are lots of holes in the underside.
I just listened to ours and with my ear actually against the front of the box I can hear a very faint whirring and muffled clicks, both presumably the HDD. I can't think of a good reason why your 1100 should be significantly worse, though some makes of HDD might be a little noisier.

Given that these boxes are expected to be used in a quiet room and placed on a shelf or similar then I think I would probably send this back for a replacement (note the SN in case they just send it straight back). If the replacement is the same then it's probably normal and you'll have to decide whether to live with it or not.
 
I'm not a big fan of returning stuff out of respect for the people in the shop (I bought it from Richer Sounds). A packet of felt pads stacked a few up neatly adhered to the underside of the box has lifted the whirring off the cabinet now.

All we're left with is a white noise purring, which is fine. Call it a pleasant woosh, which I'm surmising is what they are all kind of like.
 
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