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McIntosh Audio A Tradition of Excellence |
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Tick, tick, tick.....Tick, tick, tick
Tick, tick, tick. In short successions of three I was getting this noise over and over from my McIntosh C2300. I could see the left channel meter bounce slightly off of the rest position with each tick sound and I could hear the tick, tick, tick noise in my left channel speaker. It did not matter whether the volume was at zero, max, or anywhere in between, the ticking noise was constant and unaffected by the volume control.
I first noticed this about a week or so ago, so yesterday I made time to try and get to the bottom of this issue. I started by disconnecting each input one at a time for all connected components, then outputs and triggers. With everything disconnected from the C2300 except the power cord I could still see the left channel meter bouncing with each tick. This was driving me nuts, so I pulled the preamplifier from the rack, removed the top cover and replaced the two line stage Gold Lion 12AX7 tubes with a brand new pair of Gold Lion 12AX7's. I plugged the preamplifier into power while it was still open on the dining room table and powered it up. The meters were now sitting still, no movement from the left channel meter. Satisfied I had solved the problem with new tubes I installed the cover back in place, slid the preamp back in the rack, reconnected all inputs, outputs, and triggers, then energized it. Damn, the tick, tick, tick noise was back and the left channel meter was bouncing again. Scratching my head and staring at the rack it dawned on me to try relocating the Sonos Zone Player that was sitting on the rack's top shelf directly above the C2300. As soon as I shifted the Sonos Zone Player to the center of the shelf away from being over the C2300 the ticking noise disappeared. Placing the Zone Player back over the preamp immediately brought the noise back. I had only recently placed the Sonos Zone Player in that position when I moved the Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 from that location to the shelf next to the Aurender N100H music server. Both of those two components are narrow enough to sit side by side on the same shelf. The Sonos had been sitting on top of my fan control temperature display controller on the top shelf. When I relocated the W4S DAC2 I moved the Sonos Zone Player to where the DAC2 had been sitting. I had no clue it would cause an issue but it certainly did. Obviously the Sonos emits some form of RF energy that made its way into the C2300 preamplifier when it was placed directly over it on the top shelf. Silence is golden, and thankfully all is silent again with the C2300, and no more tick, tick, tick noise from my left channel speaker. Sure wish I had thought about moving the Sonos before I disconnected everything, pulled the C2300 from the rack, and replaced the line stage 12AX7 tubes. At least I had the opportunity to give the C2300 a good cleaning while it was out of the rack. So there it is. Just thought someone else might benefit from this experience.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A Last edited by jdandy; 12-12-2017 at 09:58 PM. |
#2
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Good to know. Glad it worked out to be something that simple, little things like that can drive a guy crazy!!
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#3
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Thank you for sharing your experience Dan.
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“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” |
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David St. Hubbins "I believe virtually everything I read" |
#5
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That's interesting, I wonder what type of interference would result in a tick tock sound? You would think that it would be more of an in-general noise issue, not a steady ticking sound. That's wild.
- Buck
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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3 |
#6
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I dunno, but it sounds like your clock is working just fine.
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Office/Music Room Dynaudio Heritage Special. Uptone Audio EtherRegen Ethernet Switch. Akasa NUC 10i7 with Roon Rock. Bryston BDP-3 Digital Music Player (with 4 Tb Internal SSD and Synology DS920+ NAS)-->Holo Audio May Kitsune Edition DAC-->Shunyata Sigma USB—>Gryphon Diablo 120 Integreted Amp w Transpatent XL PC. Oppo BDP-105D and BDP-203. Power: Shunyata Hydra Sigma S12 PD. Additional Cabling: WW Silver Electra PC, WW Electra PC, Shunyata Venom 3 PC. Digital: WW Starlight Ethernet, WW Gold Starlight AES-EBU, WW Platinum Starlight USB. IC and Speaker: WW Eclipse 8. Bedroom System Ipad with MusicStreamer App-->Schiit Jotunheim DAC/Amp—>Audeze LCD-XC, Focal for Bentley Radiance HO, Massdrop E-MU Teak HP. AK SE 200 DAP. Mobile Survival Kit Astell & Kern SP1000M. Noble Kaiser Encore IEM with Double Helix Balanced cable, Westone W80 IEM w ALOaudio Ref 8 cable, Westone W60 IEM, Shure se535 Ltd with Westone Bluetooth Wireless cable-amp. Mark Levinson No. 5909 Wireless HP. |
#7
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Quote:
Glad you found the cause. Best Sir, Bob
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Amps:VAC 450iQ Monos in Silver Flake on HRS M3X2-1921's, HRS G7 Footers/G-Links & Sound Anchor Conecoasters. Preamp:VAC Statement (on order) (Silver Flake) Digital Source: dCS Rossini CD/SACD Transport, Vivaldi APEX DAC, Upsampler Plus & matching Clock (Silver) Analogue Preamp:VAC Renaissance SE Phono stage in Silver Flake with XLR Output Option & with Nordost Valhalla XLR's. Analogue Sources:SME 20/2 w/SME V arm & Nordost Odin 2 Tone Arm Cable, Palo Santos Presentation Cartridge & Akai GX-400D Reel-to-Reel w/relapped heads by JRF Magnetic Sciences. Akai RC-17 cabled remote (original owner since 1974). Vibration Control:TT on HRS M3X2-1921 shelf. Speakers:Wilson Audio Alexia V (on order in Ferrari Argento Silver/Parchment grills sitting on Acoustic Diode Kit). Power Cables:4 Nordost Odin Supreme Reference on amps, preamp & DAC. Ansuz Acoustics C2 on Transport & Clock. Power Distribution:Ansuz Mainz D3 Distributor & Ansuz Mainz C2 1M Power Cable Power Outlets:Furutech GTX-D NCF (R) duplex outlet, GTX Wall Plate & Duplex Cover (x2) on dedicated, same panel phase, 20A breakers. Speaker Cables:2M Nordost Odin 2 Supreme Reference on Nordost Sort Lifts. Signal Cables:Nordost Odin XLR's on dCS DAC & Amps. Digital Cables: Nordost Odin 2's, 110-ohm AES/EBU on dCS Transport to DAC. Clock Cables:5 each 75 ohm 1.25M Nordost Valhalla BNC/BNC Digital Ethernet Cable: WireWorld Platinum 1M Starlight® 8 Twinax Headphones:Vintage Koss Pro IV AA. RCM: Audio Desk PRO Tube Test Gear:Mint late '60's/calibrated Heathkit TT-1A, MaxiMatcher Power Amp & Preamp & Space Tech Labs ATT-3.02 tube test sets. |
#8
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Thanks for the heads up on placement.
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Two Channel: McIntosh C2300 preamp, MC601 amps x2, MR88 tuner, MEN220; Esoteric K-03X; Aurender N100C 4TB; B&W 802D2 Diamonds, JL Audio F113V2 x 2 on Sound Anchor Sub Stands; VPI Classic Signature Piano Black, Ortofon Cadenza Black, VPI SDS, periphery ring, StillPoints center weight, Gingko Audio ClaraVu Dust Cover CT, KAB SpeedStrobe, Dr. Feickert Analogue Protractor; Sonos with W4S digital modification to W4S Remedy to Esoteric; W4S PS1 Linear Power unit for the 2x Remedy and Recovery w/ W4S PS1 Power Cord; Torus RM20; Wireworld Silver Series 7 Electra/Starlight/Eclipse cables and WW Platinum Power Cord for Amps and Platinum USB for Aurender; KLAUDIO RCM; Steve Blinn Designs extra wide three shelf rack; GIK Acoustics panels and bass traps, StillPoints Ultra Minis under all gear and Stillpoint Ultra SS under amps and speakers. Home Theater 7.2: McIntosh MX150, MC452, MC207; B&W 803D2 Diamonds, HTM2 center, CWM7.3 surrounds; JLAudio F112 x2 subs; Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 65" Studio Master Plasma; Oppo 205; Crown FM Two Tuner; Sonos with W4S Remedy; Apple TV; Furman Elite 20 amp PFi x2; WW and AQ Cables/Cords; Salamander Synergy Four Bay Cabinet Office 2ch with McIntosh vintage refurbished gear: McIntosh MC275V6 x2 tube amps; Klipsch Cornwall I vintage speakers (1982); AQ Dragonfly Red DAC/Jitterbug/cables; PS Audio Dectet Power Center; Mcintosh C28, MC2105, MR78 (with mod), MQ101, each with original walnut cabinet and panloc (1976), MCD7008 (1996), ML1C speakers (1976); Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4002 turntable (1976) with new SoundSmith SMMC20CL cartridge (2015); Salamander double rack |
#9
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That's weird. Glad you got it figured out Dan, that could have turned into a fiasco of shipping the preamp to be diagnosed/fixed.
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#10
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