Should you be able to hear a power adapter?

[benefitz]

I'm guessing the answer is no. But if I hold the my Apple Magsafe adapter up to my ear, I definitely hear it. There's a drone with a high pitch hiss and low pitch rumble, punctuated about once per second by a lower buzz. I think there's a loose connection, because sometimes I have to jiggle the wire where it connects to the adapter. I really

Comments

[pussyofdoom]

For years now I've been able to hear power adaptors - I can't have any cell phone or computer charging in the same room as me while I'm sleeping because it drives me nuts. So I've obviously thought it was really common to hear adapters.

I hope you don't blow up.

[benefitz]

The one that really drives me nuts is TV. With the volume off, there's still a high pitched whine, and some people don't hear it. But those people are WRONG! I can that whine from across the house. And you can hear it get louder when the screen gets brighter for sunlight or an explosion or something.

[auroraintheskye]

LoL I don't think it's that they are wrong per se. It's just that different people are able to pick up on different frequencies more keenly than others.

Geez, didn't you ever hear about the controversy behind that crazy mosquito ringtone that was supposedly designed for teenagers, so they could hear their phone in class. Or certain establishments using it to try to drive away loitering teenagers. ;-)

[benefitz]

Yeah, I did hear about that mosquito thing. You're right, those people aren't wrong so much as they fail at their human worth. They're just bad people. At least we can all agree on that, right? :)

[fellmama]

I can hear one of my laptops sometimes, even with music playing.

[benefitz]

Is it the fan? That's much louder than the electronics hum.

[fellmama]

Nope, it's the power adapter. I hear it when the laptop is off. I nearly went insane trying to figure out what was making the noise.

[misshepeshu]

It's weird that you're hearing it now. Maybe you can try listening to some other power adapters as controls? Next time you're hanging out with a friend....

Please don't die. I'm the only one who gets to kill you via combustion, remember? In an automobile, and all that.

[benefitz]

I just did an experiment with a control adapter of the same model. It does buzz, but not as loudly. Interestingly, they continue to buzz after they are disconnected from the wall. They must retain a certain amount of power within the circuitry.