Noise with Headbox II

[Grendizer]

Hi. I recently bought this hedaphone amp from Pro Ject and I don't know if it's working properly. I get kind of a static noise when having the volume pot over 15% and under 85% of the pot travel. This noise gets worse when I touch the Headbox box with my finger, noise gets louder specially if I touch the front of the amp.
I'm going to the store and I'll try it there to discard that it's my installation. If it still happens there and they tell me something like "-Don't worry dude it's normal" I'd like to know if it's true. First dedicated headphone amp.

Thanks in advance.

 

[olblueyez]

Sounds like a bad amp. If it had tubes you could blame one of the tubes but since its not I would think its the amp.

 

[atbglenn]

I have one and it is totally quiet at all volume settings. There must be something wrong with either the amp, or somehow your source is at fault. Did you try it without the source connected?

 

[Grendizer]

Well, amp is ok. Tried it in the store and I don't get the noise. Probably my electrical installation. Damn old buildings from Barcelona.

The guy in the store offered something that would lessen the problem. I get the noise from touching the enclosure because it's not grounded at all (that's what he said), not even internally. He said that grounding it it will make less noise. I declined the offer as I want to keep the product warranty and because it will probably won't be needed in the future as I'll move to another flat. This one doesn't sound good.

Can the completely lack of grounding be a manufacturing fault? The tech guy in the store said it's more like a feature.
I'll contact ProJect support too.

 

[Markj]

I have the Headbox SE2, about 15 month and is totaly quiet. Sounds good with Edition9 and OK with HD800. Bright with K701. I took the cover off and it is an intergated circuit, cover is just heavy sheetmetal for shielding. I don't think your power outlet is the problem. Headbox is not gounded it is has a wallwart for power and same size prongs . Might be some fluorescent light in the building or phone or tv cable ground feeding in AC wiring.

 

[Grendizer]

You're probably right Markj. Bit of cable mess hidden behind my monitor. Any opinion on this issue :http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/new...phones-429987/

 

[PedroH]

I have a HeadboxII exactly with the same problem.
 
I am not using it anymore but as far as I remember the noise decreased a bit if I set the source (Arcam irDock) volume to maximum and from then on regulate the volume only on the HeadboxII.
 
Pedro