Capacitor Across Power Switch to Control Switch On Noise?

[Mooly]

It can be as simple as this for a single supply. Input to the collector, output on the emitter. Use a highish gain transistor, even a darlington. Choose R and C to give a slow rise. You would have to experiment with values but try say a 1k and a 1000 uf for starters. A darlington transistor and you could use a higher value R and lower C as the base current needed would be a lot less.

Same type of circuit (it's basic but would work) could be used to power a relay too.

Arcing mains switch contacts give a very brief pulse of noise... if your preamp make a noise that lasts a second or too I reckon it's something else going on... hence the slow start and mute idea.

[DreadPirate]

Here is one I found using L200. Slow rise, but will it kill the noise?

Figure 11:
http://www.st.com/stonline/books/pdf/docs/1678.pdf

[Mooly]

Originally Posted by DreadPirate

Slow rise, but will it kill the noise?

That depends on what's causing the noise. It may well not.

What I would do to test, is leave the AC power on and just switch the DC and see if that alters anything. That proves immediately whether it's the AC switch arcing or not.
You have to narrow it down... and circuits often do make noises as the rails rise. The surest way is to mute the output with a relay that shorts the signal output to ground, and that only opens after the supply has been present for a few seconds. And it's so easy to do...

The L200 is way over the top and may well not achieve anything.

[DreadPirate]

Originally Posted by Mooly

It can be as simple as this for a single supply. Input to the collector, output on the emitter. Use a highish gain transistor, even a darlington. Choose R and C to give a slow rise. You would have to experiment with values but try say a 1k and a 1000 uf for starters. A darlington transistor and you could use a higher value R and lower C as the base current needed would be a lot less.

Same type of circuit (it's basic but would work) could be used to power a relay too.

Arcing mains switch contacts give a very brief pulse of noise... if your preamp make a noise that lasts a second or too I reckon it's something else going on... hence the slow start and mute idea.

I'll give this a try if the cap across mains does not work. What would be a good candidate for the transistor available at Radio Shack?

Am I looking for a Vcb<24V and Ic of a few amps?

[Mooly]

"Rat Shack" lol
We don't have those here It's not going to draw much current is it ? a preamp. Something like a TIP41 or BD131 etc

[indianajo]

A good source for the hobbiest for mains rated caps and Metal Oxide snubbers is a dead PC power supply (switcher). These are full of these things, up near the fuse. You can see the little UL CSA VCO label on the caps. The Black or blue things are snubbers, the last supply I scrapped out had double diode head on symbols printed under the snubbers. Snubbers important to suppress lightning on the mains. Lots of improvement in components in the last 20 years. If you don't have a dead PC,charity resale shops usually have underpowered supplies for a couple of dollars.

[gmphadte]

Put one more switch on the DC line.

[Bonsai]

What's causing the noise? is it mains bourne interference (so arcing across the mains switch thats causing radiated or conducted noise thats causing pops/crackles etc on the circuits output signal) or is it your circuit thats' making a noise as it powers up or down and the DC operating point is not stable during these events. These problems require completely different solutions. If its th e firs t one, then som e kind of snubber across the switch may well help. Also try a cap acorss th emains lines (make sure you select one thats suitable for the job!!!). If its the second issue, use a relay to mute the output during turn on and turn off events.