Amp and PS buzz

Do you have a dedicated supply for your system? 

My system is in a difficult position to get a clean dedicated supply too. Because of this I have to put up with buzzing and humming from my system when things plugged in around the house kick in.

Can an AV receiver, power amp and to be on the dedicated supply with the naim gear?

is it just fridges and the like that causes noise? 

I suggest you try turning everything else in the house off - the fridge, TV, radios, clocks, everything. Does it still buzz? If not, turn things on one at a time until you find the offender. 

Dedicated mains is certainly a good idea for sound quality, but it does not guarantee that the buzz will be banished. 

Agreed. It's no guarantee. I whittled my offenders down to hair dryer, straighters (by far the worst) and a machanical reindeer that lives in the garden at Christmas. 

Finkfan posted:

Do you have a dedicated supply for your system? 

My system is in a difficult position to get a clean dedicated supply too. Because of this I have to put up with buzzing and humming from my system when things plugged in around the house kick in.

No i don't have a dedicated supply. As with you it is difficult but electrician said no guarantee it would work

Hungryhalibut posted:

I suggest you try turning everything else in the house off - the fridge, TV, radios, clocks, everything. Does it still buzz? If not, turn things on one at a time until you find the offender. 

Dedicated mains is certainly a good idea for sound quality, but it does not guarantee that the buzz will be banished. 

I think that is the next thing to try. Thanks

Lighting transformers for low voltage lighting, usb enabled outlets, intelligent start switches also all may be suspects... Even with a dedicated spur.

what I find interesting is... One piece of equipment may have a buzz when others on the same spur do not...

id love insight on that question... Why on the same spur, one box will buzz and the other 5 power supplies wont?

As HH wrote - start by turning everything off. If you are getting this sort of mains interference no power strip / conditioner will help. It may actually make matters worse.
Alternatively - can you run a long extension cable from another wall socket, that you know is on a different spur? Just for a test of course.

For the ultimate - seriously  do consider a dedicated mains spur, with its own circuit breaker.

Adam Zielinski posted:

As HH wrote - start by turning everything off. If you are getting this sort of mains interference no power strip / conditioner will help. It may actually make matters worse.
Alternatively - can you run a long extension cable from another wall socket, that you know is on a different spur? Just for a test of course.

For the ultimate - seriously  do consider a dedicated mains spur, with its own circuit breaker.

 

Thanks for advice. Another word with electrician is needed I think. 

Thanks everyone for comments. It is so frustrating that we are on a mission for good sound from our systems and ruined but buzz. Is anyone aware of other brands having same issues 

Can we just confirm - this is noise you can hear, direct from the cases of the HiCap or NAP200..?   It doesnt come thru the speakers....?

If so, sorry, but AFAIK, its 'normal' for Naim units with 'big' transformers like the HC & NAP's. Some buzz a lot, others hardly at all. I believe Naim do test and reject any transformers that are particularly bad.

Hope you find a solution.

IanM

ianrobertm posted:

Can we just confirm - this is noise you can hear, direct from the cases of the HiCap or NAP200..?   It doesnt come thru the speakers....?

If so, sorry, but AFAIK, its 'normal' for Naim units with 'big' transformers like the HC & NAP's. Some buzz a lot, others hardly at all. I believe Naim do test and reject any transformers that are particularly bad.

Hope you find a solution.

IanM

 

Yes it's from the nap200 and Hicap. 

Ian m...

your suggesting naim as a manufacturer tolerates some acceptable level of audible buzz from its products?  Sincerely asking if your serious and if you'd help me understand why and what gives you this impression?

Isn't it just one of those characteristics of a large toroidal transformer? 

Theyre not all the same though. When my CDX2 is buzzing my SN below it remains silent.

The funniest thing is: my units buzz at various intervals. One day they are all dead quitet. Another day CDX2.2 would buzz. On the other day 555PS. NDXs never buzz.

And I have 3 dedicated audio spurs at home...

Likewise I have a dedicated spur and my 555 PS at certain times of the day has a noticeable hum other times it's quiet. However, when it's humming only ever hear it when I'm playing John Cage's 4'33'' �� rest of the time the music takes over and it's never spoilt my enjoyment of the naim listening experience.

It never spoils the listening for me either. I use it as an excuse to turn it a notch! 

observed another funny thing re: humming.

Ever since I plugged my SuperNait2 and its HiCap into a good quality distribution thingy (rather than a super-duper-filter-everything kind) there is no hum. Nothing. Quiet. Even on mute - the tweeters of my Ovatotrs are just dead quiet.

You can filters to remove electrical noises. I know that Russ Andrews have a number of these for various issues

The Isotek Aquarius doesn't deal with an asymmetric mains waveform (That's actually what's sometimes incorrectly known as a DC offset).  This is the most common cause of transformer hum from large toroidal transformers (such as the ones Naim use).

If the cause of the buzz is an asymmetric mains waveform, then a dedicated supply may help, but only if the cause of the problem is equipment in your house/flat, but if it's external problem then it won't make a difference.

If the cause of the issue is externally caused asymmetry (rather than anything in your house/flat) then turning everything off won't make any difference, you'll have to use a DC blocking filter or a balanced CTE isolation transformer to fix it (this will fix it if it's internal or externally caused.

Some of the replies on here about requiring a separate mains supply are sheer nonsense. My nap 100 hums like a bitch, and actually every Naim power amp I've owned has hummed audibly, as some of the more sensible members have pointed out this is to do with the fact you have a big F off transformer sitting on the rack! I don't actually think it's anything to worry about but yes it can be a bit annoying when listening at low volumes. You know what to do, turn that volume knob up!

Lewis posted:

Some of the replies on here about requiring a separate mains supply are sheer nonsense. My nap 100 hums like a bitch, and actually every Naim power amp I've owned has hummed audibly, as some of the more sensible members have pointed out this is to do with the fact you have a big F off transformer sitting on the rack! I don't actually think it's anything to worry about but yes it can be a bit annoying when listening at low volumes. You know what to do, turn that volume knob up!

Really? Sheer nonsense... That is a strong statement.

Hi,

I also have a lot of humming from my NAP200/HICAP DR. I have tried almost everything (except selling my house and moving). Isotek Sirius, Solus, Aquarius, Syncro.....various cables...using different spurs, turning everything off, calling my electrician...

I have had various HIFI equipment for the past 35 years - but never a problem like this....

I believe my days as a 'wall to wall' Naim user is coming short, as I seriously consider selling on my setup to a hum-free environment....

Br

Jan

How about isol8 minisub axis? It seems to be designed to combat this dc thingy.

Two questions SISUJAMA;

1. Does your mains supply have a proper earth / ground? You profile does not show your location.
2. What source components do you have? Typically Naim's CD player gounds the whole system rather nicely,  helping to eradicate humming. 

Adam