How to Manage Rhea "Noise"

Xagwell:
Your seashore analogy brings something to mind. Early on I had a sound which I describe as wind passing through a microphone. I'm not sure if that simulates your sound. I called Jim White and after diagnosing the problem, unfortunately it had to go back. Is the problem in one channel or both. Mine was in one channel since after swapping all the tubes from one channel to the other, the problem did not travel. The unit went back and it turned out to be a cold solder joint. Jim fixed the problem and, in fact, upgraded the power supply. After it came back, I replaced the tubes with Telefunkens and Siemens. I wouldn't describe the unit as dead quiet, but it is certainly no longer a distraction. What the unit brings in terms of palpability and realism more than makes up for a little bit of tube rush. Don't give up on this unit. It remains the cornerstone of my system and perhaps the last component I would care to part with.

Stew maybe correct. The Rhea's gain stages are all tube so it is not going to be as quiet as a J-FET. Just to give a point of reference, I have to get my ear within a foot of the speakers at moderate volume to hear any tube rush. So if you're hearing more than this there could very well be something unusual about the unit you have or some other condition involved. Again, I've used my Rhea with a low output 103R and a MO Benz Glider and never had a problem with noise.

Thanks again for the feedback. Please refer to the other post.