2. amps-preamps
  3. 1073696856

static electricity

I have found that when I walk across the room and touch my preamp, sometimes a tiny spark travels from my finger( static electricity) Nothing unusual in static electricty, but it produces a crackle sound in my speakers. The preamp is Audio Experience Mark II (all tube). IF I touch my amp ( Velleman 4040 tube) or CD player ( AMC CD6D TUbe) I never hear any crackle. Is this dangerous to the speakers, tubes or solid state circuits?? Should this happen? Hopefully one of you fellows with some engineering experience can help. All of the equipment has heavy duty, 3 prong, detachable power cords, and are plugged into a surge protector.
davros19

Showing 1 response by sean

sean
6,231 posts
 
To answer your question, yes, gear can be damaged by static electricity. This is especially true of digital based gear and / or gear that uses multiple integrated circuits.

In order to minimize the potential for damage, run a wire from the screw on your outlet cover to something located near your rack. Prior to touching any components, touch this piece of metal. This will allow you to discharge any static electricity that you may have picked up along the way without harming the gear. Sean
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