Sounds possibly like a tube going bad….
Microphonic from Vacuum Tubes?
HI, I have a question regarding microphonic from vacuum tube. I have a Cary SLP-05, and I've changed the output gain tubes to some NOS RCA, and also recently purchased a pair of Linlai for the balanced buffer stage.
I now occasionally hear a loud pop in the music. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it is quite loud. This happens when I am streaming digital music, so it can't be those occasional pops you hear from vinyl.
Can someone tell me if this loud pop possibly caused by microphonic in my tubes? if so, how do I track down which tubes? My guess there is no easy way but change one tube at a a time, which can be extremely time consuming. Also I don't own a tube tester. I wonder that would help tracking it down.
Also I read something about vacuum tube damper rings, would that help calming down possible microphonic?
I still consider myself a newbie in tubes, so any hep will be appreciated. Thanks very much.
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- 56 posts total
When you make a change and things go south its a good bet that the problem is associated with something you did. However, that bet can also blind you to what is really going on; pursuit of the problem in that manner can yield no results if its not really the issue. Equipment turning on or off can create pops that come into the equipment on the AC line. IME, most so-called high end audio 'conditioners' are not really all that good at their job and may be unable to filter such events, or they could even cause them. Some preamps are more susceptible to this sort of thing so it is possible that the Cary is working fine but simply can't reject events like this. I see this hypothesis as unlikely since we'd have heard of it before on this forum... And of course the popping could be a failing power tube that is arcing. So it is worthwhile to do your due diligence. |
When doubt contact customer service! Thats why they have a contact number: I don't know why people consult a forum when every reputable manufacture has a support number & its free & you won't waste money on random ideas that may make your issue worse. If its known issue, you will have your answer quick: If not, they can guide you to the cause or where to seek help. |
@jb1 , OP isn't sure which component in his system is causing the anomaly, and since they are all from different manufacturers. . . . Also, I own Cary products and I like them very much, but do you know what now happens when you call Cary up for tech support? Unlike in the good old days of Cary Audio Design they now tell you to send them an email. My experience has been they are not always super prompt with a response. |
I think the trickiest thing about this issue is that it happens so infrequently, and I can’t reproduce the problem. So diagnosing will take a long while. That’s why my obvious focus is the latest change that I make to my system. I have never come across anything similar to this issue ever for as long as I’ve been listening to music on any of my equipments that I ever owned. I was hoping someone in this forum had experienced similar issue and offer a quick way to diagnose and track down the culprit, but I guess there is no easy way to tackle this. Thanks for everyone’s comment so far. I will definitely update you guys if I find and fix the issue! |
- 56 posts total