Preamp Deal of the Century

Swampwalker - This may seem pretty basic but this "problem" sounds like the wrong input is selected via the knob on the right front of the preamp. You could be hearing cross talk between the active input and the currently selected input.

Check that you do not have the RCA cables from your EMC1 plugged into the wrong RCA inputs on the Syrah - that ones you used to have them plugged into. Double-check.

Also, if your Syrah has balanced output, the RCA/XLR switch in the back between the RCA outputs and the XLR outputs could be flipped to the middle or toward the XLR make sure it is toward whatever output you use... RCA or XLR.

If all connections and input selections are correct, try turning off the preamp, unscrewing the DC power cord from both the power supply and the preamp - and then re-attach.

Sometimes if the DC power cord is not connected properly, everything appears to work (tubes light up) but nothing can be heard.

Swampwalker - 6L6 type tubes all have a "missing" 6th pin and some 5881's I've seen have a missing 1st pin as well. Normal.

Thank you everyone. My Syrah does not have a gain attenuator or an RCA/XLR switch. I am in contact with Mick, but so far no cigar. He had me check a dc voltage near the 6L6s which is supposed to be 300v, mine shows 0.16!!! I will double check the dc umbilical.

Bwhite- Do not understand "Check that you do not have the RCA cables from your EMC1 plugged into the wrong RCA inputs on the Syrah - that ones you used to have them plugged into. Double-check. And thanks for the info on the tubes.

Swampwalker - Guess I was trying to say that maybe your input selector switch (front right knob) was on the wrong input. I know this is silly but it happens. Sometimes when we switch cables around we mistakenly put them back on the wrong input.

I rotated the input thru every choice, Bwhite. The only sound I get sounds like "cross talk". Faint but clear presentation of CD, no matter what input I select.