Help me solve static electricity problem


Lately I keep sending my Classe Amp and/or conrad-johnson preamp into protection mode simply by touching anything in my system. A loud pop goes through my speakers and it's very, very disconcerting. I'm smart enough to try to touch something metal before touching my rack, but this does not always work. Apparently I'm not smart enough to solve this condundrum, though. Any ideas????
vhiner
The weather has a lot to do with static electricity,even indoors.My Mother has been complaining about getting shocked for the past two weeks here in northwest Florida(lowest temperatures in years).May or may not be your problem.
Not sure what to suggest offhand, but answers to the following questions may be useful in focusing our thinking. I will say at this point, though, that what you are describing sounds to me like it goes beyond normal static effects. My guess is that something is wrong somewhere, in the system or in the ac power distribution.

-- Are the connections between components balanced or unbalanced?

-- Are the ac power plugs of all of the components 3-prong, and is the third prong (the safety ground connection) defeated on any of them via a cheater plug?

-- Are the ac power plugs of all of the components sharing a common ac outlet, via a power strip or power conditioner, or are any of them plugged into separate outlets or separate dedicated ac lines?

-- If you are using a power conditioner, does it separately filter the ac to the preamp and power amp? And what model is it?

-- Is there any likelihood that interconnect cables may have been damaged around the time this started happening, such as by being stepped on?

-- How old are the components?

-- Does the system have protection against electrical surges?

-- Do you feel a mild (or not so mild) static discharge shock when this happens?

-- Do you feel a shock if you touch a component while everything is turned off?

-- Does it happen with line-level sources, phono-level sources, or both?

-- Does the system include a phono stage, either within the preamp or separately?

-- Do you have confidence in the integrity of the house's ac wiring? For instance, is it conceivable that there could be a missing ground wire or open connection somewhere?

Regards,
-- Al
Wear NOTHING or only 100% cotton clothing(including socks) when playing with your stereo system.
avoid a wool rug if you have one in your listening room.If the air is dry use a humidifier and possibly place plants in the room. The clothing that you wear might contribute. You can also do what Lon Channey Jr did in the movie man made monster!He wore a rubber suit.
It is because of the air being so dry in your home. I use a ultrasonic humidifier in the winter when it is really dry. Get one without the replaceable filter if possible. I also touch the side of the stand before I touch one of my components, just to make sure there is no static charge in my hand. A number of years ago I sent my preamp into protection mode and it would not come out. I had to send it in for repair. Since then I have been far more careful.