New To Shindo

[chriskeating]

I've recently sold my Kondo PSE Neiro and M7 pre in a move to downsize my system. I purchased a Shindo Apetite from a friend. I currently use Musical Affairs Sonatine II speakers with PHY drivers. I sold my 47 Labs digital gear and purchased an AMR DP777 DAC which converts my digits from a portable hard drive sent via Logitech Touch. I'm using A23 speaker wire and right now, PHY interconnects.

It took some tweaking to get the Shindo to display its magic. I had all Audio Note silver wire and it was not a pleasant match. The amp was pushy in the upper mid range and that was off putting. I could sense the musicality but could not get past the tonal issues. Once I switched wires, things fell into place. The Shindo has a lovely way with music. It has great timing and flow and the PP amp has more clarity than my single ended gear while still having great tone. The bass is simly superior. The amp lets all the subtle timing cues come through allowing you to sense the intent of the performer. There is plenty of texture on plucked bass and lots of harmonius decay on piano and great air around performers.

The expensive Kondo gear had a bit more refinement but the Apetite is a really nice piece to build a modest system around. I'm quite happy. I need to remember that the Apetite costs about 1/5th what I had prior.

Has anyone ever noticed a "buzz" when touching the volume control of their SHindo gear? The integrated is obviously not grounded since the power cord is two prong.

I'm enjoying the forum.

[dirtbag]

Hi Chris, welcome to the blissful world of Shindo gear. It really does seem to let you enjoy the music. Can't help you with the buzz but it is most likely some type of ground loop issue. My Shindo seems to be sensitive to ground loop issues as well.
Enjoy

[shindostevesan]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on your Shindo purchase.

Shindo employs a special gounding philosophy--hence their two pronged power chords--that does not mesh with all interconnects. Assuming you are using a Shindo power chord, which should have come with your unit and I highly recommend, you might experiment with other interconnects, if you have any on hand. Of course your best bet is to employ Shindo interconnects, but they require another financial commitment to the Shindo sound.

But, ultimately, I advise befriending a Shindo dealer and getting expert advice.

[GaryB]

Originally Posted by chriskeating

. . . I purchased a Shindo Apetite from a friend. I currently use Musical Affairs Sonatine II speakers with PHY drivers . . .
It took some tweaking to get the Shindo to display its magic . . .

Has anyone ever noticed a "buzz" when touching the volume control of their SHindo gear? The integrated is obviously not grounded since the power cord is two prong.

I've also got an Apetite and have never had a problem with buzz when touching the volume control. I tried a few experiments to see if I could recreate your problem but nothing I did could make mine buzz. I connected the wire on the Shindo line cord to the ground tab on the AC outlet. This had no effect.

Next I tried to see if the grounding of other components made a difference. In my system I use a DAC which uses a normal 3 prong AC line cord and an FM tuner which uses 2 prong line cord. I disconnected the DAC to see if having everything float could lead to buzz, but it also made no difference.

I hope these extra data points help you sort things out.
---Gary

[chriskeating]

Gary,

I had the buzz with a number of different interconnects. I hooked a ground wire from a chassis screw to the ground screw of an outlet and the buzz disappeared for a while. It only buzzes when touching the volume control, not the input selector. WHen I shoot the amp with a static gun, the buzz disappears for a while. You mention a wire on the Shindo line cord. I'm not familiar with this. My power cord is two prong and grey. What is this wire? I'm thinking that there is something about the Apetite that collects static since I've had numerous other components in the system over the years without this issue. It has now occurred with two different DACs and two different speaker cables and three different interconnects. The only constant is the Apetite. It's not the end of the world since I can dissipate the static but it is odd and somewhat troubling.

My previous gear that I just sold was DEAD quiet.

I appreciate the advice.

[countingbackwards]

I would get the Apetite checked out by a good tech or dealer...I once had an integrated amp (not Shindo) purchased off Audiogon that had a similar problem, but figured it wasn't anything to be concerned about. I was wrong. One day, the amp blew and took out my speaker drivers with it. That was 2 expensive repairs that would have been 1 smaller repair had I just had the amp checked out when I first noticed the problem.

[GaryB]

Originally Posted by chriskeating

You mention a wire on the Shindo line cord. I'm not familiar with this. My power cord is two prong and grey. What is this wire? I'm thinking that there is something about the Apetite that collects static since I've had numerous other components in the system over the years without this issue . . . I appreciate the advice.

Chris,
My Apetite was shipped from Shindo in the Fall of 2011 and it came with a grey power cord that has a small wire in addition to the 2 prong AC cord. I presume it's there to allow one to experiment with connecting it to the outlet ground. I've attached a picture.

From your description, it sounds as if you live in a high static electricity area and that charge is building up in your system. Since attaching a groundwire to the chassis fixes the problem, why not just do that?

When I lived in New York, I often experienced that kind of static build up in the winter, but I now live in California and don't experience the same effect. Plus my system has some components that are grounded, so there is a path for charge to be drained.

I'd suggest contacting your local Shindo dealer and asking their advice. Matt, from Perfect Pitch audio is often on this board and is usually very generous with his advice.

---Gary

[pitch perfect]

Originally Posted by chriskeating

Gary,

I had the buzz with a number of different interconnects. I hooked a ground wire from a chassis screw to the ground screw of an outlet and the buzz disappeared for a while. It only buzzes when touching the volume control, not the input selector. WHen I shoot the amp with a static gun, the buzz disappears for a while. You mention a wire on the Shindo line cord. I'm not familiar with this. My power cord is two prong and grey. What is this wire? I'm thinking that there is something about the Apetite that collects static since I've had numerous other components in the system over the years without this issue. It has now occurred with two different DACs and two different speaker cables and three different interconnects. The only constant is the Apetite. It's not the end of the world since I can dissipate the static but it is odd and somewhat troubling.

My previous gear that I just sold was DEAD quiet.

I appreciate the advice.

Chris,

The amp should not make that buzz/noise when you touch the volume control.

The advice you received from other members is sound, regarding the interconnects and such. Shindo or A23 interconnects are designed to work within the parameters of Shindos grounding techniques.

But in this case, it sounds like an issue with the volume potentiometer grounding to the chassis Most likely it had taken a hit during shipping and loosened it ever so slightly. Snugging the nut that holds the pot on - ever so slightly - causes the lock washer to bite into the paint for better chassis grounding. It doesn't take much, just a gentle snug.

Remove the knobs and front acrylic faceplate. This will allow access to the volume potentiometers nut, which you can tighten down. There is a 'toothed' washed under this nut that you are tightening down, which cause grounding to the metal chassis under the paint. Use the appropriate size nut driver or wrench to do so. I recommend loosening it a bit, then tighten it down a slightly harder than it was. This will better ground the potentiometer/washer to the chassis.

This is worth a shot. PM me offline if you need further assistance.

-M

** PS. DO NOT over tighten, as you will damage the potentiometer. They are delicate. **

If this turns out to not solve the problem, the potentiometer is damaged and needs replacement.

[chriskeating]

Thanks everyone for the advice. i may have misled everyone in that hooking a ground wire to the chassis does not completley solve the problem. That cure is intermittent. Zapping the volume control with an Ionostat cures it for an hour or so. I also have a pair of A23 interconnects coming. My grey power cord does not have the "third wire" so I can't try that. If the A23's don't cure the issue, I'll try as Matt suggests.

Thanks again to all
CK

[Jerome W]

I have had exactly the same experience with the volume knob of one of my CCQ amp this morning and the solution appeared to be very simple :
one of the driver tubes was not perfectly seated in its socket. Probably a little shock from a cat.

Please try to push very gently the driver tubes and the power ones to be assured that they are perfectly seated in their socket.