Sound Recording Question

[Markybhoy]

Over the last few nights I have been kept awake by what sounds like a high pitched whine/hum something vibrating,  it kind of sounds like a fan is running from my neighbors house,  I mentioned this to them and they said they don't have any fans or electrical stuff on at night.

I asked if they had central heating, dimmer switches, fans, fish tank, pumps running, mini fridge and they dont,  they also dont seem to hear it 

I turned of the mains electricity to the house and could still hear it and cant seem to locate the position of it

Its strange as it only seems to be me that hears it,   I tried to record it with a bog standard usb mic but it doesn't seem to pick it up.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what I could use to record it so I can play it back at a higher volume to let others hear it.  Is there certain mics designed for high pitched recording / recording through brick?

I've not been able to have a proper sleep for 4 nights now   

[kayvee]

The onset of Tinnitus perhaps?

[Andy Watson]

Are you a Bristolonian ?

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/HUM-KNOW/story-20347005-detail/story.html

[Zero999]

The onset of Tinnitus perhaps?

Yes, it seems like this could be the case. I suffer from tinnitus too. It's normally not that bad. I only notice it when it's very quiet. Go and see a doctor.

[nctnico]

It could be the neighbour's fridge which resonates. Such a situation had me sleep in a different room for a couple of weeks until they replaced it. But it depends on whether your house is free standing or in a row of houses.

[TheBay]

Shut down all your computers etc and knock your mains off at the wall for a few mins, see if it stops then!
It could be a SMPS psu sat somewhere, like a phone charger ETC.

*Sorry ignore the above you have tried that*

I had this issue in an apartment I lived in, same noise every night, drove me nuts! Was not there in the day, turned out it was a gas discharge street light! I got it replaced.

Are you close to a substation?, overhead pylons?

Any recent Christmas lighting gone up over the past few days on neighbours houses?

Do you get on well with your neighbours, surely if it's that irritating it might be worth popping in there later on in the evening one night to see if it's louder there?

Pull their master fuses out of the meter on the wallbox (actually dont do that )

[sleemanj]

When you hear it, go for a walk, does the sound follow you, or does it have a specific range?

Also, do you have any toys, electronic games that kind of thing, flat batteries can often cause such devices to wig-out and quietly emit a high pitched whistle or tone, turn them off.

[Psi]

+1 for going for walk when you hear it.

Also, if it's an audible sound you should be able to record it on any normal mic with enough gain.

Sleeping at a friends place for a night may prove something also.


If it's tinnitus then putting some earmuffs/earplugs on wont reduce the sound at all, and may in-fact make the sound seem louder.
So that could be a quick test to try at night when you hear it.
If the earmuffs help at all then its likely an actual sound.

Could always rent a parabolic microphone for a few days to try and track down the source.

Maybe try turning off the gas and water valves to your house, just in case one of those is causing it somehow
And maybe even disconnect the phoneline at the demarcation point, a faulty phone or device on the line could be producing highpitch sound or relay humming.

Finally, maybe someone has put an annoy-a-tron in your bedroom?
http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/b278/

[Markybhoy]

Thanks for the suggestions it definitely sounds like fans resonating,  someone suggested a condenser mic might be able to record it.  I'm going to turn of the water to the house to in case its a pipe resonating.

I usually go to bed late so maybe I will need to wake them up one night and try turning their mains electricity off.

Its not the Bristol hum, whatever it is its dam annoying.