Supratek Owners Thread

Mine does the same, scratching sound when using the remote, totally quiet when moving it manually.

@jslateiv  Thanks!   The noise makes me wonder if a better motorized pot would be an overall sonic improvement but not sure what to even change it to or how.  That little bit of noise is a worthwhile tradeoff for how good the preamp is. 

@gryphongryph Thanks!  Good to know it's the same on your preamp too.

In completely separate news, a 6SN7 died in the Chardonnay last night.  I was listening to music, heard a loud unpleasant sound from my right speaker and then the speaker went silent.  Swapped around amps and speakers just to troubleshoot that they were working fine and then started swapping tubes.  Visually, the tube looked fine, maybe a little dimmer than the other, but it was pretty dead sonically.  Had a nasty ozone-like smell to it.  Luckily, had a backup pair of tubes.   Have never experienced that before and it definitely surprised me.  

Any new production 6SN7 that anyone would recommend?   I'm running Sylvania GTB now and would like to try a new tube vs a potentially old "NOS."

@nymarty you can try loosening up the volume control and recentering it in the mounting hole. Other options are a DACT or Kozmo but I don't think you have room for mounting internally of you want remote volume.These volume controls are bigger than the original Alps which your pre amp came with.

Nice to see the thread come alive again.  
The remote volume pot has been scratchy from day one for my new 2023 Cabernet.  If I move it quickly up and down a few times by hand it stops making the noise using the remote until the next time it gets turned off then on.  Doesn’t seem to be an issue for me unless it starts progressing.

I have had a handful of NOS tubes become very noisy and/or then go dead.  Common in my tube experience.  I have not found a new 6SN7 that can match the good NOS tubes.  Some like the Elite Linlai E-6SN7.  I tried a pair and did not care for them.  Very detailed and too solid state sounding and just didn’t pull me into the music.   I prefer the warm full encompassing sound.  A few fav’s are Raytheon ‘50’s 6F8G flat plates, Melz ‘50’s 6SN8, Sylvania ‘50’s 6SN7 GTA military shorty, heavy chrome down side with T-plates.

@nymarty   The motor in those is noisy from an emi standpoint and generates some hash in the circuit when it is engage.  Once the vol. is set though,  the motor is not doing anything so not generating the noise,..  you could probably find a different control that is quieter when driven but I doubt there would be a big increase in SQ from the different pot,  just less noise when ramping the vol. up/down.   The Kozmo's are nice but wont fit.  For what it's worth,  every Supra I've had on the bench exhibits the same noise when the motor is engaged.  Just the nature of that particular control.