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
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
555 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.

maddog66blue OP
34 posts
 

@classic8 I'll take your suggestion. I'm surprised they didn't find anything wrong with it, but it's like taking your car to the mechanic.

classic8
101 posts
 

I sent the preamp to the manufacturer and he couldn’t figure it out (he retouched some solder joints, replaced a few resistors, and declared victory); luckily the local technician did.

More to discover