appletree
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2007
- Posts
- 82
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- 10
Hello Recently I bought HA-160 (just the amp without DAC) and I am having some static noise issues when using my desktop PC as a source with only exception being toslink. However usb link to DAC -> HA 160, or onboard sound -> SPDIF -> DAC -> HA 160, or onboard sound -> analog out -> HA 160 (basically any metallic link between PC and HA-160) is causing a harsh (really brutal) ear-piercing static noise and its intensity depends on the headphones.
E.g. with Q701 I was trying to listen like that for a while, but had to stop because I started to listen tinnitus like harsh static noise even with headphones off. With HD 595 it's even worse - it's basically listenable just for few seconds (it's so strong it is overpowering the music).
Note: I've also tried all the connections on three different desktop PCs in two different rooms with the same noisy results on all of them. Two of those PCs use high quality PSUs: namely Enermax Modu82+ series and Seasonic X series PSUs.
Also note: Everything works OK using a laptop - including DAC over USB, only desktop PCs were affected
I purchased the HA 160 under impression that there were some noise / hiss issues but those were resolved long time ago, e.g:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/497166/burson-audio-ha-160-review
"According to Burson, the ground loop was limited to a few computers. To fix this, Burson has used a different transformer."
Goal of my question is to determine which of these three cases does my situation fall into:
1.) I have a broken unit (Burson's tech support disagrees)
2.) I have an old unit (prior to the transformer fix) despite buying it brand new just few days ago (which again should justify RMA)
3.) The unit works perfectly according to the updated specs, there is just something profoundly wrong in the way how HA-160 handles desktop PC as a source (three desktop PCs failing in the same way can not be a coincidence)
I would therefore like to ask any HA-160 owners if they would be willing to test their HA-160 amps in a desktop PC. It should be pretty simple. Connecting the minijack stereo output of your on-board soundcard directly to the amp and clicking play then trying with both headphone jacks on the amp if any of them is giving you similar symptoms as I described above.
Some easy to drive headphones like HD 595 should be the best to test with (but it's immediately apparent even on HD650) You can also try with PC -> USB -> DAC -> HA 160 or similarly over coax link. Just make sure the DAC isn't something fancy like with galvanical isolation of all inputs or something (that's why test with onboard sound -> analog out should be the most straight forward)
Any help will be very much appreciated. It would be great if you could also write down if you are using the 120V version or the 230V version - just in case (I am using the 230V here)
E.g. with Q701 I was trying to listen like that for a while, but had to stop because I started to listen tinnitus like harsh static noise even with headphones off. With HD 595 it's even worse - it's basically listenable just for few seconds (it's so strong it is overpowering the music).
Note: I've also tried all the connections on three different desktop PCs in two different rooms with the same noisy results on all of them. Two of those PCs use high quality PSUs: namely Enermax Modu82+ series and Seasonic X series PSUs.
Also note: Everything works OK using a laptop - including DAC over USB, only desktop PCs were affected
I purchased the HA 160 under impression that there were some noise / hiss issues but those were resolved long time ago, e.g:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/497166/burson-audio-ha-160-review
"According to Burson, the ground loop was limited to a few computers. To fix this, Burson has used a different transformer."
Goal of my question is to determine which of these three cases does my situation fall into:
1.) I have a broken unit (Burson's tech support disagrees)
2.) I have an old unit (prior to the transformer fix) despite buying it brand new just few days ago (which again should justify RMA)
3.) The unit works perfectly according to the updated specs, there is just something profoundly wrong in the way how HA-160 handles desktop PC as a source (three desktop PCs failing in the same way can not be a coincidence)
I would therefore like to ask any HA-160 owners if they would be willing to test their HA-160 amps in a desktop PC. It should be pretty simple. Connecting the minijack stereo output of your on-board soundcard directly to the amp and clicking play then trying with both headphone jacks on the amp if any of them is giving you similar symptoms as I described above.
Some easy to drive headphones like HD 595 should be the best to test with (but it's immediately apparent even on HD650) You can also try with PC -> USB -> DAC -> HA 160 or similarly over coax link. Just make sure the DAC isn't something fancy like with galvanical isolation of all inputs or something (that's why test with onboard sound -> analog out should be the most straight forward)
Any help will be very much appreciated. It would be great if you could also write down if you are using the 120V version or the 230V version - just in case (I am using the 230V here)