White noise is simply the fact that tubes aren't 100% silent, especially under some decent amounts of gain. You could try going for SLN tubes from Roger at TubeAudioStore and see if they make a difference. In my conversations with him he felt that his SLN tubes could lower the noise floor by a few dB or more in my phono stage. The question is whether the juice is worth the squeeze. $$
Slight speaker white noise from hybrid BHK 300 monos and BHK pre normal?
There is a faint white rushing noise from my Focal Kanta 3s. Left channel slightly audible inches from speaker. Right channel slightly more audible approx 1 ft from speaker. Inaudible when music is playing.
Is this normal for tube/hybrid equipment like the BHKs? In addition to BHK 300s and BHK pre, I use a tube modified Modwright Oppo Sonica DAC. Tubes are NOS Telefunken RCA and Siemens.
Had a similar issue with my previous Audible Illusions L3A linestage. My tube guy suggested the following which successfully reduced the noise floor - though not to silent.
“A flake of cathode material may have migrated into the grid of the tube. Try removing the tube and tapping it firmly on a table top, then reseat it and burn it in for 12 hours and the noise should be gone.”
I did this to all my tubes but still hear the white noise, albeit faintly. Is this a characteristic of tube/hybrid vs solid state which is dead silent?