2. amps-preamps
  3. 194162-10279

Weird crackling from speakers when preamp connected

I've got an MC275 hooked up to a VTL 2.5 preamp, when I reconnected it after some maintenance, whenever I turn the preamp on then the amp, once they both warm up, the crackling starts.

I hooked up the amp to my DAC and had no issues with crackling, swapped tubes, interconnects and power cord, different inputs/outputs, same crackling issue when using preamp but no issue when connected to the DAC as a preamp.

Sonus Faber Olymica !, MC275 Amp, VTL 2.5 preamp, Auralic Vega DAC, nordost interconnects/speaker cables, panamax power conditioner.

My last step is to see if I can either borrow a tube preamp or buy a cheap one to test it.

Any suggestions are welcome as I'm running out of ideas.

 

maddog66blue
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,310 posts
 

If tubes you could have a bad tube or needs to be reseated in the preamp 

if SS check all your connections with it completely Off reinstall all cables to make sure everything is in place , and check all wires going to the preamp as well as going to the Amplifier.

shxmd
9 posts
 

Sir,

Is the Vega DAC an S1?

If S1 does it have the Purer Power supply?

If no, to either or both disregard this post.

If yes to both, post and I can provide the work around.

maddog66blue OP
34 posts
 

@shxmd

The DAC isn't an S1, nor does it have the Purer PS, that said what would be the workaround, I'm willing to give it a shot.

 

devinplombier
520 posts
 

Is there any pattern to the crackling sound, or rather does it appear kind of random / intermittent?

classic8
101 posts
 

@maddog66blue OP - I had a similar issue with a tube preamp;  I was getting intermittent static noise in one of the channels. It turned out to be a bad capacitor. The technician discovered the problem by nudging the capacitor with a wooden chopstick while the preamp was on.

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