How loud does your carver buzz?

nduitch
nduitch Posts: 316
edited June 2010 in Electronics
I just got my first seperate power amp, a 0.5t, before I was using a carver receiver. This thing buzzes louder than the receiver ever did. I can hear it if I am a few feet away. Is this normal? Or does something need to be fixed? Or is it something inherent in the wiring of a home?

What a difference an amp makes though.
Post edited by nduitch on

Comments

  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited June 2010
    Some of the posts on Audiogon are saying that reversing the outlet plug works sometimes, anyone ever tried this?
  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited June 2010
    Hum comes from the unit itself right?

    Most likely the power transformer that's creating the hum. It's purely mechanical.
    Truck setup
    Alpine 9856
    Phoenix Gold RSD65CS

    For Sale
    Polk SR6500
    Polk SR5250
    Polk SR104


    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,072
    edited June 2010
    Yes,it's called a cheater plug, 2 bucks. The loud buzz is usually a ground loop, too many grounds, can also be a bad IC too. If the buzz is that loud though, probably a ground loop. Try plugging into a different outlet and pick up a cheater plug just in case.

    The cheater plug basically takes the 3 prong power cord and turns it into 2 prongs, eliminateing the ground pin on the power cord.

    I also might add,that if you disconnect your amp from the receiver,and the speakers, just plug it in,just the amp,if it still hums, it's your amp, if not,ground loop.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited June 2010
    I have a sunfire amp and it does have a hum not through the speakers. I talked to sunfire and they said it was a normal hum. When I go 2 feet away i do not hear it but when i am standing next to it, i do hear a buzz but like i said not through the speakers through the unit itself.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited June 2010
    kawizx9r wrote: »
    Hum comes from the unit itself right?

    This is an important distinction.

    If it is mechanical hum, sometimes you can install a foam pad under the transformer to isolate it.

    If it's electrical, look for ground loop issues as mentioned before, or faults within the amp itself. Maybe a bad ground?
  • lanchile
    lanchile Posts: 560
    edited June 2010
    The buzzing that you hear is from power transformer. check if you can isolate the transformer from chassis using some kind of pad or rubber washers.most of these commercial amps do not use good parts that includes transformers.
    When I build my diy amps I always make sure to use "good" toroidal transformers and I make sure I do not hear buzzing noise from transformers or any mechanical parts. as general cost I spent around $600 just in parts for a 100 watts integrated amps. using USA made precision 670 va toroidal transformers and 80,000uf Mundorf caps (power supply) just to name some.
    "Not even Bryston use what I use lol"
    ;)
    Make it simple...Make it better!
  • chargerman426
    chargerman426 Posts: 419
    edited June 2010
    Switching the plug would be the first I would try as the M line power plugs were not keyed to have one blade bigger then the other. I know with my carvers the always buzzed until I sent them to Rita and Bob and had them go though it and referb it.
    If life had more tubes it would be a lot smoother.