Wall Warts

[Jef Veatch <veatch@mich.com>]

Lot of mention 'bout warts...  I haven't seen the biggest reason *i* hate
them.  Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Better than 80% of the 60 cycle i get in the
gear i have is caused by these little buggars.  I've found that an 8 to 12
inch seperation between an AC cord and audio cables will prevent
transferring hum from the AC cord into the audio path.  For wall warts, 
that
distance is closer to 3 to 4 *feet*.  At this point, i have a long power
strip located in the corner of my music room that holds all of the warts.
At least the enemy isolated.  :-)

By the way, for you equipment reps out there; wall warts *are* on my short
list of why *not* to buy a piece of gear.  There has to be a *strong* 
reason
to over-rule that one.  (like a JamMan for $200... :-)  I would personally
spend twice as much on a piece of gear that has a well shielded internal
power supply.  Not out of principle, but due to the fact that i don't
consider any piece of "professional" audio gear that uses a device that
creates 60 cycle hum (which *no* serious musician or engineer could 
possibly
want) so profusely to be a piece of equipment that i would consider to be 
of
any quality whatsoever. 

Whew...  Do *i* feel better...


-Jef