"08-10-14: Smoffatt
Can you borrow a digital source (CD player) and play the same recording to see if you can identify the same distortion as with your analog source. If no apparent distortion, the problem may be with your tonearm/cartridge alignment.
Somewhat odd that only some recordings and/or passages of same are sound distorted. Could very well be your SUT or cartridge or alignment."
Try that first. Use any CD/DVD player you can find. It doesn't have to be expensive. If that doesn't work, I would try a different pair of IC's between your amp and preamp. I don't think you can switch your amp to run in SE or Balanced operation. I think it just runs in Balanced. I've seen several times where you can get a noise because of it. The solution, in the cases I've seen at least, was to use a good quality shielded IC. Any Audioquest with the DBS system always worked (providing that was the problem). Most ARC dealers have AQ. See if they will lend you a balanced and a SE IC to try in your system. You'll also need 2 adapters. If your dealer doesn't have them, you can get them at any music store. You need male xlr/male rca adapters for the balanced cable and male xlr/female rca adapters for the SE cable.
You've probably already did this, but you may want to try some different taps on you amp, both with and without the autoformer. Now that I think about it, is it OK to use the autoformer with an amp that already has an output transformer? Hopefully, someone that knows will comment on that. I'm not sure. |
"It so happens that I have some AQ Columbia ICs with DBS but it just didn't work after I tried them this afternoon. I also tried with different taps with and without the autoformer and it didn't work either."
Is your Columbia balanced or single ended? I know I said to try both if you can, but a balanced cable with an adapter for the preamp connection will most likely be the fix (if the problem is actually cable related.). |
I didn't realize you didn't have the Wadia in your house. I was just going by this:
"Last night I did a final test by listening again to digital sources from a Wadia 381i CD player connected to line stage of the CAT SL1. To my surprise, the same distortion also happens on the digital source which I thought didn't exist! I'm not a big fan of digital hence very seldom listen to it. The last time I listened to it were kind of background listening with lower volume. This time I crank up the volume control to about the same level while listening to LPs and the same distortion shows off immediately!"
That's why I thought you had one. Also, I didn't think you sold your 150, it just looked like you may do so. I was just saying to give it a chance before you did sell it. Its a very nice amp. I also didn't realize you had an LS25. I'm sure there's no distortion when use that with you 150. Either way, its good that you were able to figure out what the problem was. |
If you don't have a pair, see if someone will lend you a fully balanced IC. Be careful not to get a SE cable terminated with xlr connectors. You need a cable that's really balanced. Use it to connect your Wadia directly to your amp. If you do that, the noise will probably go away. Also, you may have to go inside the Wadia and adjust the overall gain settings using the dip switches. If the gain is too high on the Wadia, that can also create some background noise. |
"It's funny, because this thread is starting to feel like it will spin off much like the old thread I referenced above. Several people posting that a power amp cannot be forced to produce less output because it receives a single ended signal rather than a balanced signal. I undrstand that this result is unusual, but....."
I'm not sure I understand what you are talking about here. Wouldn't the preamp determine if the amp can be driven properly? If you had a preamp with enough gain to compensate for the difference between balanced and SE operation, it shouldn't make a difference. Or, is there something else that I'm missing? |
Thanks for the response Al. Your explanation was very good.
Martykl,
Did you happen to connect the Wadia directly to your amp? Doing so will allow you to get a feel for how well your ARC can drive the speakers. I suspect that once you get is set up properly with a balanced signal, it won't have any problems driving your speakers. Not only that, its just a very good sounding amp. If it were mine, I wouldn't be so fast to get rid of it. |
Thanks. It looks like I finally did something right. It feels strange. I don't know what to make of it. |
"10-01-14: Daveyf
Ralph, IMO the loss potential generated by the additional electronics needed to go balanced in home electronics; is more of a problem than what one typically sees as noise infiltration into the system by outside sources. Unlike in the pro audio world, in home hi-fi, we're talking of cable runs of what...a few meters at most. In pro audio it may be 50-60'++ , then i can see the potential benefit. A cable that is effected by noise that is 6" in length must be a ****poor cable IMHO."
I can't help but think of that old saying "You know enough Karate to get your ass kicked.", when I read that post. |
"If your house has no access to natural gas, would you buy a natural gas furnace? Post purchase, install propane and all the hassles in getting it to work."
A lot of people do it that way. Not only that, you can usually make a deal with the gas company. They'll give you the gas furnace for free, along with the install, as long as you buy the gas from them. |
"10-01-14: Daveyf
So Zd542, you want to expand on why you believe what i posted is incorrect.
I am all ears."
No. It was my post that was incorrect. My post was meant as a humorous comment for someone else in an entirely different thread. How I managed to put it here, I have no idea. Sometimes I'm amazed that I don't kill myself just getting out of bed in the morning. Sorry. |
"All I get from the town is water and they are billing me $10,000+ for property tax and RISING. Can you say Detroit!"
And the water is probably not very good. I think you should consider drilling your own well and get rid of the town altogether. |
