I have just moved house and am having problems with my RIAA phono tube preamp. It is making popping and crackling noises with the old tubes and a new set of tubes installed after my move, this did not happen at my old home with the old tubes.
Plugging the phono amp into a different wall outlet some metres away from the power amp significantly reduces these noises but does not eliminate them. So I guess that I am having electrical interference and should not be using the same power socket for the phono preamp and the power amp.
What is the best solution? Thanks.
Plugging the phono amp into a different wall outlet some metres away from the power amp significantly reduces these noises but does not eliminate them. So I guess that I am having electrical interference and should not be using the same power socket for the phono preamp and the power amp.
What is the best solution? Thanks.
If it is RF interference, you could try clip-on ferrites on all cables. The description doesn't sound like RF interference, though.
Did any contact go bad?
Did any contact go bad?
You're always better off with everything plugged into the same mains outlet. Is this noise in one channel or both? Details matter.
All good fortune,
Chris
All good fortune,
Chris
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Even the new "smart" apliances can cause noise. The new fridge I bought injected an intermittent high pitched noise through my turntable cartridge. I had to move my system across the room to get rid of it.
So man6 things can inject noise into out systems these days. Phono preamps especially. Try unplugging your interconnects coming from your turnable to the phono preamp. Do you still get that noise? That's how I discovered my cartridge was picking up the noise.
Do you have any dimmer switches in your home? They're great for adding noise.
Any new appliances or electronic devices since the move?
So man6 things can inject noise into out systems these days. Phono preamps especially. Try unplugging your interconnects coming from your turnable to the phono preamp. Do you still get that noise? That's how I discovered my cartridge was picking up the noise.
Do you have any dimmer switches in your home? They're great for adding noise.
Any new appliances or electronic devices since the move?
No new appliances, but things in different locations. It does sound like some sort of interference though. The sound even occurs when I disconnect the turntable.
Insert shorting plugs into the phono input RCA jacks, and listen while you turn off everything but the stereo, one at a time.
Thats a good idea. I started unplugging everything one thing at a time when I had a problem with my turntable cartridge. Including cell phones and WiFi equipment.
You might want to have an electrician check your mains for noise if you cant find anything causing the noise.
You might want to have an electrician check your mains for noise if you cant find anything causing the noise.
Older house? Can you take a pic of the power panel ? I can usually tell whats inside a panel based on the outside. Make a decent educated guess if it has been "fixed". That said I have seen a perfect panel that had an internally failed breaker that made the whole house dim when you wiggled it...
Thanks for all your replies.
I've isolated/turned off every appliance except the phono preamp. I've replaced all tubes and re-sweated all solder joints. I'm still getting intermittent popping/crackle on both channels with the turntable detached.
I've isolated/turned off every appliance except the phono preamp. I've replaced all tubes and re-sweated all solder joints. I'm still getting intermittent popping/crackle on both channels with the turntable detached.
It seems that we are split on blaming the power and blaming the preamp itself. From your description so far it sounds like the wall power to me but we can't be sure. We need to figure out which side of the plug is the trouble.
I think that the next step is to verify that the preamp works properly. Can you take it to a friend's house to test?
Pete
I think that the next step is to verify that the preamp works properly. Can you take it to a friend's house to test?
Pete