Topic: Dimmers

A new podcasting setup in the Texas Hill Country is experiencing significant audio hum and static caused by household light dimmers. Testing reveals that the interference is being picked up directly by the microphone hardware, acting as an antenna for electrical noise. Potential solutions include sourcing vintage RE20 microphones manufactured before 1995 or replacing every dimmer switch in the residence to eliminate the RF noise.

A series of technical audio failures during previous broadcasts was traced to a specific light dimmer switch located in a kitchen below the studio. The electrical interference from the slider caused significant buzzing and treble distortion in the microphones. After troubleshooting the hardware, the setup was upgraded to two Electro-Voice microphones, while an older faulty unit was discarded.