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Preamp Noise with High-Efficiency Speakers

I have Avantgarde Duo Classic Speakers, I hear a very audible buzzing noise whenever I insert an analog preamp. If I run my DAC (AMR DP-777) directly into power amp, the noise disappears. I have tried 4 different preamps (tube and SS), 3 different amps, a bunch of RCA and XLR interconnects, the problem persists. I have tried dedicated power line and two power conditioners (with Multi-wave options) and various high-quality power cords, so far nothing works, and I am forced to run DAC-direct into power amp. The buzz is not very loud but certainly audible enough to be annoying. There's no noise running the same equipment and power source into regular speakers, I am pretty sure it's just the Avantgarde (104dB sensitivity). Please share your solution if you have had similar situations. Thanks!
yingtonggao

Showing 2 responses by almarg

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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Good comments by the others. One additional thought:

By any chance have the preamps you have tried been located close to the DAC or the source, perhaps just above or below it or them in a rack? While is the power amp located several feet or more away from those components?

If so, it could be that the DAC and/or source are radiating digital noise into the preamp. If that seems like a possibility, try locating the preamp a few feet away from the other components.

Regards,
-- Al
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
... when he OMITS the active pre (and he has tried 4 different ones solid state and tube) he is reducing his overhaul system gain by maybe 40db or more...
George, note that he is talking about a line level signal from a DAC, not a phono level signal. I am not aware of any preamp that comes remotely close to providing 40 db of gain from its line level inputs, even with the volume control at max. Typical numbers these days are in the teens, or even less. And with a DAC or other digital source, commonly the volume control of an active preamp will be set such that its gain, from input to output, is less than zero in terms of db.

Bill (Grannyring), thanks for the acknowledgement. Glad I was helpful with that issue.

Regards,
-- Al
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