To Aesthetix users

Here's the latest:

The chuff-chuff-chuff (like a steam engine) is growing louder - much louder - and is now more audible in the left speaker than the right. There is a buzzy 800 Hz-ish tone as well. The radio station has vanished since I moved the ExactPower. The Io is plugged back into the wall with stock power cord.

The sound can be isolated to the Io, regardless of which cartridge used. It does not occur on any other linestage inputs.

Cello's Red Rollers, which he so generously lent me, did not have any impact on the problem. Cello, I'll be shipping these back to you - thanks for letting me try!

Jim White thinks that I need a power filter between the wall and the Io, and recommends the single-outlet Duke from Running Springs Audio. I have contacted them and they will be shipping me an audition unit. Jim thinks this will be more important than using shielded power umbilicals.

In the meantime, however, the sound has grown louder, and continues to have that cyclical chuff chuff chuff, which makes me suspect an internal component in the Io. Perhaps a tube.

So shifting front-end tubes is my next task.

More as this develops.

thanks for all the continued advice, guys
Patrick

First tube-switching results:

I just switched the front pairs of 12AX7s - V1L and V2L into V1R and V2R.

The chuff-chuff cyclical sound and the 800 Hz buzz have now switched to the right channel. Still audible from the left, but much louder from the right.

I am now going to mix and match the tubes (I have marked them all.)

Patrick

You can try a quad of Ei 12ax7 tubes at $10 each. I use these in the Aesthetix Io's first stage as I have not yet been able to find a quad of Telefunken or Mullard that are as quiet as these.

Hi Patrick,

FWIW I have had good luck in sensitive Counterpoint products with RAM branded soviet and Yugo tubes from Roger Modjeski. Expensive but may be worth a try in your case.

Let us know how you get on.

Good Luck