[Canman]

I am having a strange problem with my newly acquired R10. These headphones seem to be super sensitive to any line noise. When hooked up to either the Earmax Pro or the Singlepower Maestro with no music playing there is noticably loud white noise as well as a subtle oscillating clicking noise. The strange thing is that this noise is dependant on where I am standing. On the Maestro, if I stand to the right of the amp the noise goes away. Anywhere else and the noise is irritating. Also, when I hook up the solid state Grado HPA-1 to the system, the noise is almost indiscernable.

Any suggestions beside standing on the right side of the Maestro when I listen?

BTW, other than the strange noises the sound is fantastic.

 

[gsferrari]

microphonics + sensitive headphones with tube amps issue...

I think this is because of the transformer position and your choice of tubes. Try tube dampers and vibrapods...

But these are sensitive headphones...the main reason why I avoid tube amps for the SA5000.

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari microphonics + sensitive headphones with tube amps issue... I think this is because of the transformer position and your choice of tubes. Try tube dampers and vibrapods... But these are sensitive headphones...the main reason why I avoid tube amps for the SA5000.

I am getting the same noise with both the Earmax and the Maestro so I can't see how it is a transformer issue. Otherwise the sound is stellar. I'll try some different tubes in the Maestro and see what happens. I've been meaning to try some different output tubes anyway.

 

[Sovkiller]

This is one of the problems that tube amps are prone to, IMO, solid sate amps is the solution, in mostly all the tube amps I have heard to the date, I have heard those same problems with hum/noises in one way or another using sensitive headphones....But maybe it is just a bad tube, so replacing them will fix the problem.....(but be prepared as later on the paranoia of having a bad tube will chase you, and make you hear the noise all the time...LOL...)

 

[bozebuttons]

Look at the driver tube of the Maestro first ,before the outputs.The R10s are very sensitive and will pick up any tube issues.

 

[braillediver]

Is the problem the side of the amp or the location where the side of the amp is?

Can you move the amp to another spot and does it have the same problem?

Is there anything cyclic on the circuit that has the amp on it, Ceiling fan, fluorescent bulb etc?

I heard this once- take an AM radio and tune it to the low end and see if the noise is there or can be found tuning around? If so can it be tracked down with the AM radio using the antenna as a pointer?

Do you have a power cord with ferrites on it? I can send you some snap on ones if you wanted to try that.

Use a pencil or chop stick to carefully tap on the tubes to identify a microphonic tube.

Try turning things off in you place until the noise goes off- use the breaker box to be 100% sure.

Try re-seating all connectors, power plugs, tubes etc.

Heck you could probably jury rig a grounded tube shield to slip over the tops of the tubes in an effort to identify the problem?

My tube gear- a DIY amp and EAR HP4 is dead quiet. They have a Black as can be background.


Good luck

Mitch

 

[Wmcmanus]

Congrats on the R10 snag. Don't know what to tell you about the noise issue, sorry. I've never noticed any such thing with my Maestro.

 

[GoRedwings19]

canman>Could it be a bad electricity supply? I don't know if you have a voltage purifiers thingies? Was you R-10 brand new or used? I presumed used??? Could it be one of the channels itself faulty????

 

[Zanth]

The R10's are ridiculously sensitive phones. I had a bad cap in my Melos and they were able to detect it long before the RS-1's one could, and only now can the PS-1's.

Any noise and the R10's will pick it up. I would fear something like one of those IEM's which are even more sensitive.

 

[GoRedwings19]

Maybe it's the sony range and high sensitivity of the phones????

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver Can you move the amp to another spot and does it have the same problem?

Bingo! I moved the amp off the shelf and placed it into a different circuit. The strange backgruond noises are gone and sweet sweet music is all that is left.

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver Use a pencil or chop stick to carefully tap on the tubes to identify a microphonic tube.

All of my 6SN7 tubes are microphonic. Is that normal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRedwings19 Maybe it's the sony range and high sensitivity of the phones????

The Sony cans seem to be very sensitive to noise issues.

You guys are great. Now I have to figure out how to set up the gear in the other room.

I've turned full circle on the R10 since I first heard them 2 years ago. I have a few things to say about them, but since the cable doesn't reach the computer, that will have to wait.

 

[braillediver]

Excellent.

For microphonic tubes you could try the high-temp O-rings (1, 2 or 3 per tube) or different types of tube dampeners?

I’ve read where you can over do the tube dampening and make the sound dull buy over dampening the tubes.


Mitch

 

[Wmcmanus]

Herbie's tube dampers helped with the Maestro quite a bit.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman Bingo! I moved the amp off the shelf and placed it into a different circuit. The strange backgruond noises are gone and sweet sweet music is all that is left. All of my 6SN7 tubes are microphonic. Is that normal? The Sony cans seem to be very sensitive to noise issues.

Hi Brian,

Great! By elimination, it was likely noise on that particular line.

I've gone through hundreds of 6SN7's, and my guess is that well over 75% of them have been noticeably microphonic. Completely non-microphonic ones are actually pretty rare. Luckily, the microphonics are completely unnoticeable in the cathode follower stage. So, I reserve my quiet 6SN7's for the driver stage, and use those that show microphonics as outputs.

The Sony cans are extremely high resolution. They just make it hard for anything to hide, whether it's good or bad.

 

[Canman]

This is interesting...I use a Monster PC-1000 power strip and when I plugged both components into it in the new location, I got the noise again. Then I tried plugging the amp directly into the wall and the CD player through the power strip. Much better. It seems that the components don't like being plugged into the same strip. I have never run into this before.

Now its time to try some good cables in place of my crappy homemade Mogami interconnects.