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Buzzing in Speaker while Playing CDs

I have a Cambridge CXC CD transport connected to a Schiit MultiBit external DAC. Recently there developed a buzzing in the left-channel speaker ONLYwhen playing CDs. After a bit of sleuthing, I replaced the RCA cable from the transport to the DAC with a new optical cable. The problem was temporarily resolved. Several weeks later, the same buzzing reoccurred. This suggests to me that the cables between the transport & the DAC are not the issue; but rather the transport or the DAC. Since I do not have another transport nor another external DAC, I am at a loss in trying to isolate the source of the problem. Any suggestions that you might have would truly be appreciated. Thank you kindly.

Kit

kitjv
yage
400 posts
 

Is it an intermittent buzzing or is it steady? Did the noise start as soon as you hit 'play' on the transport?

kitjv OP
69 posts
 

Yage:  It is a steady buzzing sound only when a CD is playing.

danager's avatar
danager
954 posts
 

It could be a loose connection inside the transport.  Did you try going back to the rca cable?  If you wiggle the cable at the transport connection does anything change?

 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,131 posts
 

What king of buzzing noise? Can you describe it?

You can run a simple test.
1. Take the left channel from your dac and feed the right channel on your amp/preamp with it. Does the buzzing follow the cable and is now in the right speaker?
2. Swap the channels again and feed the right channel from your DAC to the left input on amp or preamp.  Does the left speaker still buzz?

Easy to do. 
 

Possibilities…ground loop, speaker picks up interference (rfi, emi), crossover wires buzzing from the air and vibration, etc. Just speculating. Do the test let us know. 

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