Tube preamp issue: slight buzz as CD starts spinning

[Mr. Lin]

This just started happening three days ago with a tube preamp I've had for about 2 months now. It's Aric Audio, one of those very inexpensive ones you can get on ebay. I have it connected to my Rega CDP, and then out to my headphone amp (which is brand new). When a CD starts spinning there's a brief buzz, which then disappears, but it also occasionally buzzes in between tracks if I manually scan to the next one. It also buzzes when the CD is over and it stops spinning. I've determine it's not the CDP by connecting that directly to the headphone amp - then the problem is gone. I've contacted the guy who makes these and we've been emailing back and forth, but so far it has him puzzled.

I'd be able to live with this except for the fact that I'm now constantly recording from CD to cassette, and the tapes no have a little buzz at the end when the CD stops!

Any ideas?

[stuwee]

Sounds like nasty little gremlins running amok, all I can say is Good Luck in this, you've got the manufacturer involved, I'd hazard a guess that the headphone amp and your Pre are having an interaction problem. Are there any bends, angles in the interconnects?:dunno:
Craig

[avionic]

This just started happening three days ago with a tube preamp I've had for about 2 months now. It's Aric Audio, one of those very inexpensive ones you can get on ebay. I have it connected to my Rega CDP, and then out to my headphone amp (which is brand new). When a CD starts spinning there's a brief buzz, which then disappears, but it also occasionally buzzes in between tracks if I manually scan to the next one. It also buzzes when the CD is over and it stops spinning. I've determine it's not the CDP by connecting that directly to the headphone amp - then the problem is gone. I've contacted the guy who makes these and we've been emailing back and forth, but so far it has him puzzled.

I'd be able to live with this except for the fact that I'm now constantly recording from CD to cassette, and the tapes no have a little buzz at the end when the CD stops!

Any ideas?Have you tried other inputs on the preamp with your CDP.You may have a broken ground connection on one of the CD input jacks on the preamp.

[Aric]

Hello, This is addressed to the original poster. I waswondering if you'd tried any f the grounding techniques I had mentioned in my last e-mail? Funky as they may seem, I've had much success locating and eliminating various noises this way. I'm also wondering (not sure if I asked you this or not), if perhaps you'd tried different tubes to see if the problem persists? Sorry you're having this issue. Best regards, Aric

[markn2wae]

There may be various ground loop conditions existing that are letting noise from the motors (sled\spindle) or the laser lens focusing coils into the audio path.

You WILL sometimes hear the acoustic (sound wise, not through the electronics)
noise of the laser lens "tracking" the data as the laser reads the disk, whirring ticking and chattering sounds can be faintly heard coming from the player itself, this is normal in most cases.

I suspect a marginal filtering\design issue with the CD player itself.

Mark T.:music:

[Mr. Lin]

Hello, This is addressed to the original poster. I waswondering if you'd tried any f the grounding techniques I had mentioned in my last e-mail? Funky as they may seem, I've had much success locating and eliminating various noises this way. I'm also wondering (not sure if I asked you this or not), if perhaps you'd tried different tubes to see if the problem persists? Sorry you're having this issue. Best regards, Aric

Aric, if you're reading this, the problem has simply disappeared. I did move the preamp a little farther away from the CDP, but the buzzing stopped before that. Must have been some sort of ground issue. BTW I eliminated tubes as the problem right away. I do a lot of tube rolling with your preamp.

Mark I don't know if there's any design flaw with my CDP as it's a Rega Planet, which you probably know is highly reputable. But of course I can't say for sure.

Dave

[willyrover]

It was probably as simple as your preamp picking up RF interference from the spindle motor or sled. Most likely the sled since you hear the noise at times when the sled is moving quickly.

I've had a couple of CD players that mess up FM reception while the disc is spinning.

My friend has an in-dash DVD player in his truck that, while playing, prevents BOTH his GPS units from locking on to satellites.