Title typo - PHYSICAL transformer hum.. oops.
I'll be having a look the hum from my NC 2125 soon-ish, so thought I'd get any advice and suggestions from more knowledgable people than me.
I've tried it in a couple houses, with a Audiolab DC blocker, and it's the same in all cases - An audible vibration hum from what i can only assume is the transformer. Certainly sounds like it anyway. This is accompanied by a hum from the speakers, it's been a while since I used it but from memory it's a similar frequency. The speaker noise is low enough that the gain level can be reduced on the back of the amp such that it's barely audible, but all info helps eh.
It's been mild enough that placed in a storage room next to my listening room the last few years i just don't notice it, but now it'll be going in the living room in a new house it's audible enough to hear (and annoy) on quiet days.
Me: I'm capable of identifying parts, replacing larger components (SMD aint my level yet really) and have a very basic understanding of how an amp works, though not to the point where i can say anything more than 'the round thing is the transformer and the big caps are probably the filter caps'. I'm confidant and safe working with mains equipment.
So, at some point I'll be opening it up - what would you suspect? Transformer replacement? I don't know how old the amp is, but it's been about a fair while. Possible the varnish-like compound on the windings has decayed enough to allow it to vibrate?
Somebody a while ago suggested replacing the filter caps - this would be a cheaper easier first step, but I can't quite remember who suggested it and why, so thought it worth asking you who know.
So - any ideas would be really appreciated, where to start, common causes of such a hum, and potential fixes and their likeliness of being the cause.
Thanks for reading,
Jon
I'll be having a look the hum from my NC 2125 soon-ish, so thought I'd get any advice and suggestions from more knowledgable people than me.
I've tried it in a couple houses, with a Audiolab DC blocker, and it's the same in all cases - An audible vibration hum from what i can only assume is the transformer. Certainly sounds like it anyway. This is accompanied by a hum from the speakers, it's been a while since I used it but from memory it's a similar frequency. The speaker noise is low enough that the gain level can be reduced on the back of the amp such that it's barely audible, but all info helps eh.
It's been mild enough that placed in a storage room next to my listening room the last few years i just don't notice it, but now it'll be going in the living room in a new house it's audible enough to hear (and annoy) on quiet days.
Me: I'm capable of identifying parts, replacing larger components (SMD aint my level yet really) and have a very basic understanding of how an amp works, though not to the point where i can say anything more than 'the round thing is the transformer and the big caps are probably the filter caps'. I'm confidant and safe working with mains equipment.
So, at some point I'll be opening it up - what would you suspect? Transformer replacement? I don't know how old the amp is, but it's been about a fair while. Possible the varnish-like compound on the windings has decayed enough to allow it to vibrate?
Somebody a while ago suggested replacing the filter caps - this would be a cheaper easier first step, but I can't quite remember who suggested it and why, so thought it worth asking you who know.
So - any ideas would be really appreciated, where to start, common causes of such a hum, and potential fixes and their likeliness of being the cause.
Thanks for reading,
Jon
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