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Suggestions for DAC isolation?


My DACs transformer hums/buzzes slightly and I would like to control some of the associated vibration. The DAC is relatively light weight (not in sound). Contacted the manufacturer who said it's normal.

It currently resides on a 3" thick maple slab with 2 VPI bricks on top. Large Audio Points brass cones under maple slab. Thinking about Still Points, Finite Elemente, Black Diamond type units between the maple and DAC.

Maybe something like the Finite Elemente Resonator/The Sound of Silence on top.

1. Has anyone had similar problems?
2. Any suggestions for controlling vibration under DAC?
3. Mass loading or vibration dissipation better on top?

Thanks for any insights you can offer.
128x128rja
hanaleimike
125 posts
 
Herbies, 90 day return policy. All my gear is on herbie's stuff.
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
Normal? Send it back for a replacement. These type of units should not hum/buzz. If a replacement does not solve the problem best to dump it. The expense of your tweak efforts indicated you can step up to a better unit would not hum/buzz.
nglazer
846 posts
 
DAC's should not hum or buzz. Either the mfr. is BS'ng you or it is a defective design/manufacture.

Neal
rja's avatar
rja OP
2,371 posts
 
You're making me think maybe it should be checked out. Still plenty of warranty time left on it. Thanks!
richard_stacy
686 posts
 
if you are using a berkeley alpha dac that is normal. below is a quote from a review in which michael ritter explains...

"What Michael told me only solidified my belief that sound quality was the foremost concern of the Berkeley Audio team. He explained that the Alpha DAC has two totally separate power supplies for digital and analog, and two power transformers. The dual bobbin transformers used in the Alpha have very high isolation between the primary and secondary windings that provides maximum immunity from line noise. One side effect of this high isolation is a narrow area of magnetic field that causes the bottom of the DAC to hum a little bit. Berkeley Audio Design could have opted for an absolutely silent solution at the cost of sonic degradation. Listeners will be happy to know the hum is inaudible when listening to music even at the lowest volume the Alpha DAC is capable of producing, 0.1 dB."
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