Noisy Hi-Fi - Crackles, Pops and Static

Housey

Housey

Housey

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Joined
21 Feb 2006
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I seem to have picked up some significant line noise on one of my Hi-Fi systems.

Naim SuperNait 2 / Dac V1 / MA GS10 stand mounts.

With nothing playing I can hear quite a lot of noises and crackles and pops. Sounds like my Amp could be struggling?

I will upload a video example shortly but welcome any thoughts. I’ve a Hive system and Powerline Ethernet in the same area so wondering if that might be an issue?
 
What have you done to troubleshoot so far:
  • tried with the powerline gear switched off?
  • disabled Hive gear temporarily?
  • tried other cables?
  • tried another input on the amp?
  • disconnected the DAC to amp cables and listed to the amp & speakers alone?

Is this something you've noticed just recently, and has anything else changed in- or around- your system? (when did the Hive gear get installed. When did the powerline gear get installed? Did the noises coincide with any of this?

What interconnect cables are you running between the DAC and the Naim amp?

Do you have any other devices nearby using wallwart style transformers?
 
lucid said:
What have you done to troubleshoot so far:
  • tried with the powerline gear switched off?
  • disabled Hive gear temporarily?
  • tried other cables?
  • tried another input on the amp?
  • disconnected the DAC to amp cables and listed to the amp & speakers alone?

Is this something you've noticed just recently, and has anything else changed in- or around- your system? (when did the Hive gear get installed. When did the powerline gear get installed? Did the noises coincide with any of this?

What interconnect cables are you running between the DAC and the Naim amp?

Do you have any other devices nearby using wallwart style transformers?
Click to expand...
NAIM DIN connection between Amp and DAC. Digital from TV and CD into DAC.

I moved the cables around, but nothing more as busy day but will move stuff around tonight as suggested. Nothing has changed near term, it has only become apparent lately and been in place for years.

I also removed all so just the Amp connected to the speakers and see video.
 
Housey said:
https://youtube.com/shorts/Q6wb1klJBOQ?feature=share

I can’t embed it for some reason but here it is. I have put the amp to maximum volume and I move between sources but no difference.
Click to expand...

Ooo that isn't a good sound at all. Daft but worth checking a couple of things, if you are using single-wire to you speak terminals, then check links are tight between the top and bottom, also worth disconnecting and moving each speaker away from the amp (after turning it off, of course!) then putting them back. I have heard something similar on a Naim in the past, different model, but it had developed a transformer fault and it needed to be repaired.
 
The Supernait 2 ran from 2013 to 2019. It's not that old that I'd expect dying capacitors. The sound from your vid does remind me of digital signal pulses.
 
I’d have thought that it would be noise in the mains.
How viable is it to add in a dedicated spur from your RCD? I know that it’s far from free, but I did it for my own system and think that it helped.
 
lucid said:
The Supernait 2 ran from 2013 to 2019. It's not that old that I'd expect dying capacitors.
Click to expand...

You never expect anything until it happens. :) I am sure the MTBF of the components is well within their lifetime, but things do go wrong well before that!

lucid said:
The sound from your vid does remind me of digital signal pulses.
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought that as well ,but as you said in your earlier post get rid of all the Wi-Fi/heating etc. stuff and see where you are at.
 
I will do some tests tonight with different cables, speakers etc.

I had a large surge a while back. It took out a UPS, TV and made my amp play up a bit. To be fair my power supply company owned it and paid me for new stuff, but it's been a bit temperamental and last 3 or 4 weeks been getting worse and worse. Because of where I live is remote and we share some common issues with supply we have had occasions it blow stuff, but we had that all fixed now (new supply routed in).

I should also add my amp never gets turned off.
 
Housey said:
I will do some tests tonight with different cables, speakers etc.

I had a large surge a while back. It took out a UPS, TV and made my amp play up a bit. To be fair my power supply company owned it and paid me for new stuff, but it's been a bit temperamental and last 3 or 4 weeks been getting worse and worse. Because of where I live is remote and we share some common issues with supply we have had occasions it blow stuff, but we had that all fixed now (new supply routed in).
Click to expand...

Ouch, sounds like a frustrating thing to happen. I've technically got a whole home UPS with my battery storage system, although I only currently have essential circuits on it, once I add another 8.2kWh battery I'll get more load put on it if we get any cuts.

Interested to see how you get on with the amp, do you think you'll have it covered if it turns out to be faulty?
 
For what it's worth, I had a Hive hub that was sat near my ADSL modem and whenever the hub was communicating it caused havoc with the modem for some reason and was killing my connection. I solved it by moving the hub (not far) away as it appeared the interference reduced quite quickly with distance, at least for whatever snr was being affected in my modem.

Different scenario, but I saw Hive and thought maybe it could be that. If you've tried with the Hub unplugged from power and still have an issue, then it's probably not that.
 
So it's the Amp without question, which I felt it was. Moved it to a different circuit (in my home office area), put another set of speakers onto it, new cables, through a UPS and it's buzzing like before. Will shout NAIM and get them to sort it. My DAC went back twice over the years....

yM2rqhx.jpg
 
Housey said:
So it's the Amp without question, which I felt it was. Moved it to a different circuit (in my home office area), put another set of speakers onto it, new cables, through a UPS and it's buzzing like before. Will shout NAIM and get them to sort it. My DAC went back twice over the years....
Click to expand...

Well I suppose that is good it was easy to find the faulty component, just a shame you are going to need to pay for a repair.

Naim used to be OK for RMA's, at least they were when I used to sell the stuff, that was a long time ago now however!
 
I have a few friends who do serious high end installs and they have been up selling me all afternoon

I must resist I must resist…..I

But all top lads and helpful too
 
Housey said:
I have a few friends who do serious high end installs and they have been up selling me all afternoon

I must resist I must resist…..I

But all top lads and helpful too
Click to expand...

Haha, that is the problem with Hi-Fi - you do hit a serious wall though eventually you need to spend big £££'s for a marginal gain if any truly perceivable difference. I think I'd rather stick with a good but not silly system, and spend more on other thing these days. I think if you are in the business it is hard to see real perspective, I was like that when I used to do Linn multi-room back before it was even a thing, and you'd go into mansions and fit systems worth more than I'd earn in a few years, but not bat an eyelid.
 
I had this unit sitting under a TV in the lounge. It was never ideal and I am currently fitting out a new TV/Cinema room (it sounds FAR FAR grander than it is) so will move a sound bar into my lounge (for neatness) proper set up in TV room and then hifi speakers into my games room where my Sim race set up is, with my office for more daily consumption
 
Found the box, boxed the amp up and it's going into my dealer on Saturday to get shipped back to NAIM for a full refresh. Will let people know what the cause was and costs etc for interest (and donations :cry:)
 
Housey said:
Found the box, boxed the amp up and it's going into my dealer on Saturday to get shipped back to NAIM for a full refresh. Will let people know what the cause was and costs etc for interest (and donations :cry:)
Click to expand...

Presumably a little late now, but could also be worth checking out Avondale Audio. They do a lot of repairs/upgrades to Naim stuff.

I had a power amp using their old NC200 boards and it was excellent.
 
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