[jasonb]

i recently purchased both and E5 and a PA2V2. my source is an HTC Incredible Android smart phone. when using either of these amps with this source i get interference from wifi, and some nasty nasty nasty interference from 3G. the amp is usable on wifi, but totally useless when i am using 3G. about 90% of my music listening is done streaming music, either shoutcast radio, or Rdio(an on-demand subscription service). so obviously this is not working out and i feel like i wasted my money on both amps.
 
the E5 sounds good, and the PA2V2 sounds great, but this interference makes them a not so great experience. is there anything i can do?

 

[Uncle Erik]

The best solution is to keep your phone away from your rig. Though that does not sound like a good option for you. Maybe a shielded cable would help.

 

[jasonb]

Does anybody else know if a better cable will indeed help with this? Is it the cable picking up the noise or the amp itself?

 

[RedSky0]

I'm curious too.

 

[batphink]

Put the PA2V2 and E5 in a Faraday cage.

 

[jasonb]

anybody? any options other than a cage? lol

 

[rawrster]

get an amp that doesn't have interference?

 

[jasonb]

Quote:

get an amp that doesn't have interference?

so i guess you are saying its the amps fault? not the cheap cable?

 

[rawrster]

I don't know if a cable will help but I doubt it. Usually what one does when there's interference is to keep your phone away from your amp but that's not something that can be done here. My dac/amp has some interference when there are changes to the signal my phone has and makes a noise when that happens if the phone is too close but is gone as soon as they are not next to each other.

 

[batphink]

The problem is your phone is a very powerful radio transmitter and your amps aren't sheilded.  The amps are picking up the phone's electro-magnetic radiation.

 

[mrbrad]

I have a blackberry and it can generate interference with an iPod, telephone, PC, etc. If it is in my holster, it is much better.

 

[jasonb]

well i talked to my dad who is also an electrical engineer. he gave me the idea to simply shield it myself. he told me to take the guts and put it into a shielded enclosure. instead i simply took some adhesive backed aluminum tape and lined the whole inside of the PA2V2. i lined the whole inside other than the front faceplate where the knob and jacks are. it is now dead silent over wifi and is much quieter over 3G. my main goal was to make it usable over wifi because whenever i am home i have my phone connected to my home network. i don't plan to walk around using the PA2V2, it's going to be my home amp. i wonder if i cover the inside of the front faceplate if that will improve it even further over 3g.
 
anyway, i'm glad that it is now usable with my phone over wifi. rockin out to some live Joe Satriani on my HTC Incredible---->PA2V2---->Brainwavz M2's right now.

 
the M2's don't NEED amping, but it definitely takes them to a whole different level. more dynamic and open sounding with better sound staging. next step is to find a pair of cans i like, so i can make the M2's my on the go phones and have a nice big set of cans for home use. my dad just got a pair of HD280 Pro's which i think sound pretty good, better than my HD205's.

 

[jasonb]

a pic of the inside with the aluminum tape:
 

 

 

[batphink]

Nice.

  You also might want to put electrical tape on the underside of the circuit board to prevent a short.

 

[jasonb]

Quote:

Nice.

  You also might want to put electrical tape on the underside of the circuit board to prevent a short.

i did put something there. it wasn't electrical tape, but it's definitely not going to short. thanks though.
 
amp sounds great btw. using it with some M2's and i also tried it with a pair of HD280 pro's that my dad just picked up. i might also have to grab a pair.