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VAC Phi 300.1a Single Channel Ground Loop Hum

I borrowed a Vac Phi 300.1a amp to test in my system.  What a beast to move around but that's another story...

With the amp in my system instead of PS Audio BHK 250 I get ground loop hum in a single channel (right).  I've swapped input tubes, no change.  Speaker cables not crossing power cords.  Same hum whether the preamp (NAT Audio Magnetic) is connected to the amp or not so I know it's not the preamp.  VAC passes audio in right channel but the hum is pretty loud.  The amp was a trade-in to the dealer who didn't bench test it before letting me borrow it.  I guess could be a bad outuput tube but it will be kind of a PITA to swap them around because it's on a shelf in my rack.

I've never experienced single channel ground loop noise before but my dealer says he has with a couple of tube amps.  I've got no financial exposure since I'm borrowing it but I really did want to hear it especially since it was such a bear to install it (~130lbs of amplifier).  Any ideas?

Thanks much!

Ian

P.S. Not that it means anything but Kevin Hayes from VAC was a classmate of mine in grad school.  I was his TA in a quant course.  I had no idea then that he was into audio.  Wish I had.  When I met him at a show about 10 years after we graduated he was very cool.
ihmeyers
jbrrp1
423 posts
 
I ran the VAC Phi 200 before I switched to PS Audio BHK 300 mono's (better fit for my speakers, for sure).  The VAC amp was very sensitive to bias balance between the output tubes, and when it was off (can be from a bad output tube) it created a God awful buzz in the one channel that sounded like some harmonic of 60 hz., but with a more "electronic" distortion complexity to it.  Does this sound like what you are hearing, or is it a fairly pure, low tone?  If this sounds familiar, you could try re-setting the biases on the output tubes.  If that doesn't work, then it is likely that an output tube is shot, and they push-pull cannot balance.

I hope you get a chance to compare this to your BHK, as I would be interested to hear your findings.  And what speakers will it be driving, if I may ask?
brf
1,715 posts
 
You mentioned that you tried swapping the L+R input tubes but did you try swapping the L+R output tubes?  This will isolate whether it is a bad output tube or not. 
ihmeyers OP
83 posts
 
I had to bring the VAC back to the dealer as I couldn't fix it hear.  My son wasn't very happy about having to move it again.  Service tech looked at it and said he thought it was a bad cap or resistor.  Definitely a 60hz type hum.  They will fix and I'll try again.  Wish the dealer wasn't 60 miles away from me..

I'll be testing it with a pair of Wilson Duettes and a REL G1 sub.  Dealer bought it in a package deal from a big NYC dealer that got it when a customer died.

It's probably dumb to even post this since there was that 60hz hum when I was listening to it on Wednesday but I got 30 minutes in with the Duettes and it sounded thick with my gear (NAT Magnetic Preamp, PS Audio digital front end).  We'll see what it sounds like when it's fixed but my expectations are lower than they were last week.  Dealer wanted me to try a pair of Cary Founders Edition amps or a Soulution amp.  I don't have space for monoblocks and the Soulution is much too heavy for my rack at ~250 lbs.
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,624 posts
 

Guys-

does VAC make an integrated without MM/MC option?

Keep us posted on your situation ihmeyers.

Happy Listening!

ihmeyers OP
83 posts
 
Still looking for Mr. Right (Amp)...

Had a Zanden integrated here but couldn't drive my WIlson Duettes to acceptable levels using the single-ended output of the PS Audio DSD.  Beautiful purity but no bass at all.

Borrowed a very old ASR Emitter 1 and while it had great drive it was hard from the upper bass to  lower mid-range.  That unit was literally 25 years old and while it had been recapped it was many generations behind ASR current technology.  My problem is I don't want to spend $7k (abt price of a pretty new used ASR Emitter 1) to see if it's eliminated that hardness.  I suspect it has but if not...well I've blown $7k because this is not a liquid brand.

Not sure what's next.
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