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Transformer Hum

I own a few vintage amps, two Citation 16A's, an Ampzilla, a Son of Ampzilla, and a recently aquired AEA 620. Is it normal to have transformer hum coming back through the speakers? Could I have other issues like RFI from a LCD rear projection tv or interconnects that aren't sheilded well? Or is the age of the equipment the main concern? Then there is the grounding issue. I don't know where to start. Thank you for any thoughts or advice.
rickmac
rickmac OP
43 posts
 
The Citations exhibit the most hum and the AEA the least. I will start by process of elimination but I suspect I have a combination of the problems you both have mentioned.
opalchip
355 posts
 
I have had a couple of Citiaion 16's and they were both totally quiet. If all your amps are humming - it is very likely that the problem is NOT in the amps.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
I use a PS Audio Humbuster and this works well on my tube gear. It really quiets down those transformers.
spatialking's avatar
spatialking
610 posts
 
Listen to Newbie, he has the right solution for you. If you have TV cable hooked up anywhere on your system, that is the first place to look.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Newbee may be correct, but his "solution" will not work in every case; in my personal experience I exhausted all the usual suspects (cable routing, cheater plugs, changing out tubes, swapping cables, both IC and power, even turning the amp around to see if positioning was the cause) and as a last ditch hopeful solution bought the PS unit. This did not remove the all the hum heard through the speakers, but a good part of it, but it certainly quieted the trannies tremendously.
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