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Does anyone recognize this odd sound?

What is that noise?

  • RF

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Caps

    Votes: 1 25.0%

  • Transistor

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Neither

    Votes: 3 75.0%
  • Total voters
    4
A

AndrewCAudiophile

New Member
I recently plugged in a vintage power amp and preamp. I got close to the right speaker I can hear the noise that you'll hear in the video that I posted the link to. It's a very quiet distortion/hiss sound. After swapping through cables switching speakers around, I figure that the culprit must be the preamp or the power amplifier. Does this sound like RF disturbance? I tried my best to move electronics around the room and isolate the system but it doesn't seem to make much of a change, if any. Does it sound like a bad cap or transistor? If you use headphones when you watch the video it should make the sound easier to hear. If anybody has any ideas it would be much appreciated. Thanks kindly.

 
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BamaBilly said:
It doesn’t sound like RF I’ve experienced before.
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Interesting. Any ideas? Driving me crazy. It's coming from tweeter as far as I can tell; and I've tried different speakers. It kind of makes the noise along with the music/when the music is playing. It's very quiet but sometimes I sit close to my speakers so it's annoying. The left side is crystal clear, the right side has that sound
 
Try swapping your speaker connections to see if the noise changes channels. If the noise stays in the same speaker the problem is the speaker.
 
BamaBilly said:
Try swapping your speaker connections to see if the noise changes channels. If the noise stays in the same speaker the problem is the speaker.
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also try swapping the turntable leads to see if the sound swaps channels, but not both at the same time lol.

I'm thinking it's a cartridge alignment issue, or a defective stylus.

To the OP, is the right channel also louder?

I realise this is a one source system, but why not connect a CD player just to see if the issue persists with a different source.
 
Grenadeslio said:
also try swapping the turntable leads to see if the sound swaps channels, but not both at the same time lol.

I'm thinking it's a cartridge alignment issue, or a defective stylus.

To the OP, is the right channel also louder?

I realise this is a one source system, but why not connect a CD player just to see if the issue persists with a different source.
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I'm actually not using a turntable. Using my DAC but I could try to swap that out and use my CD player to see if there's still any issues. Good point though; it could be an issue with the DAC; I'd rather that be the problem before my preamp or amp. There hasn't been any issues with the DAC in all of its use so we shall see. If anyone else has any ideas in the meantime, let me know. Thanks for the input Grenadeslio
 
AndrewCAudiophile said:
I already changed speakers, and the sound stayed on the right side so I'm thinking power amp or pre.
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Then swap the connections L/R between the power amp and pre amp. If it stays on the same side it's the power amp. If it follows the change in connections it's upsteam; pre amp or source.

If it's upstream then swap connections L/R between source and pre amp. Does it stay on same side or follow the change in connections?

There isn't any need quite yet to start swapping whole components. Simply swapping connections should narrow it down.
 
AndrewCAudiophile said:
I'm actually not using a turntable. Using my DAC but I could try to swap that out and use my CD player to see if there's still any issues. Good point though; it could be an issue with the DAC; I'd rather that be the problem before my preamp or amp. There hasn't been any issues with the DAC in all of its use so we shall see. If anyone else has any ideas in the meantime, let me know. Thanks for the input Grenadeslio
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Can't help on the sound, but here's a few things to try to help ID the source (apologies if you've tried them already)

- try a different input on your Pre-amp (e.g., from CD to Aux or Tape or whatever else you have available)
- Switch the input from the pre-amp to amp connectors from R to L
- switch out the pre-amp for a different one
- switch out a different amp
- switch out some different speakers
 
whoaru99 said:
Then swap the connections L/R between the power amp and pre amp. If it stays on the same side it's the power amp. If it follows the change in connections it's upsteam; pre amp or source.

If it's upstream then swap connections L/R between source and pre amp. Does it stay on same side or follow the change in connections?

There isn't any need quite yet to start swapping whole components. Simply swapping connections should narrow it down.
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As in just leave the cables coming out of the preamp and reverse them going into the power amp (so left is right and right is left going in) to see if the sound swaps sides?
 
So; I got back to testing out the system again. I changed sources multiple times...the sound stays on the right. Speakers swapped, sound stays on the right. Reversed the left and right cables going out of the preamp, stays on the right side. Must be the power amp? If so, what are some plausible causes for a low level, higher frequency hiss/distortion (that's barely noticable from a few feet away; and unnoticable at normal listening distance) coming from the tweeter on one side? Solder joint? Failing cap or resistor? Any ideas would be helpful.
 
whoaru99 said:
Seems that way, but the final test would be to change the speaker wires left to right at the amp connections. If the strange sound moves to the left then it's pretty much confirmed from the amp.
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Right so just plug the left speaker into the right side of the amp and the left speaker into the right channel...the sound finally moves over to the left side we know it's something wrong with the right channel in the power amp, right?

*Edit: right speaker into the left side
 
AndrewCAudiophile said:
Right so just plug the left speaker into the right side of the amp and the left speaker into the right channel...the sound finally moves over to the left side we know it's something wrong with the right channel in the power amp, right?

*Edit: right speaker into the left side
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Yes, that's what I would do.

One other test you could do. Does your amplifier have A and B speaker sets? If so, I'd try the B speakers. I have an amp that has a problem with the A speakers, but not the B speakers. I use it as it is for now, but will probably repair it someday.
 
Buanadha said:
Yes, that's what I would do.

One other test you could do. Does your amplifier have A and B speaker sets? If so, I'd try the B speakers. I have an amp that has a problem with the A speakers, but not the B speakers. I use it as it is for now, but will probably repair it someday.
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Hey thanks for the advice :). No it's a straight stereo power amp with no A/B. When I take the power amp to tech to have him take a look ill update with what the issue is...that is after I confirm tomorrow by reversing speakers cables at the amp.
 
Sounds like crossover distortion from an under biased output stage. Is it a class A/B transistor power amp? If it is crossover distortion, it's a fairly easy fix.
 
Sounds like the source. Listen to Eric Clapton "River of Tears" and you hear pretty much the same effect in the right channel.

 
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