Help me solve static electricity problem

Your equipment is not defective.

I live in Arizona and have the same problem and have read of others having the same problem. You just have to find a way to discharge your static electricity before touching your gear.

I rap a knuckle against a metal post on my equipment rack. Since our knuckles are less sensitive than our fingertips this eliminates the little sting you get when you touch a fingertip.

I had exactly the same situation with a CJ preamp (Premier 17LS2) and "solved" it only by getting an Aesthetix Calypso and selling the CJ. Mine muted itself even when I touched the SPEAKERS. I tried everything, even had anti-static copper tinsel (very festive) strewn around everywhere. I've had static problems since then, but not nearly as severe, and attacked them with reasonable success using room humidifiers (plural). I tried this with the CJ in place, too, but replacing it, which I loved for its sound, was the only way to go, for me.

The temporary fixes -- antistatic guns, clothing, rugs, shoes, sprays, incantations -- made me feel like I was attacking the problem but didn't do a whole lot to overcome it. Oh, and there's one other thing that will fix everything: the coming of spring. Good luck, Dave

Vhiner,

Like others have said just add humidity to the room.
The static charge is a good warning the air in the room is too dry. Really dry air can cause damage to wood speaker cabinets as well as fine wood furniture. I would also think the dry air would not be good for a driver speaker surround.

Buy a humidifier as well as a humidity sensor.

Example of a humidity sensor.
http://www.indoorhealthproducts.com/humidity-sensors-buying.htm

You're right, Jea48, but there are room humidifiers and there are room humidifiers. The TWO Bionaire units I had originally were only barely able to keep the relative humidity above 30% in my listening room and I could still mute the CJ preamp by touching it, a tonearm, the front of a tape deck, or practically anything else in the system made of metal.

I have switched to a wool rug for the sonic benefit, happy with it but am getting a similar effect in the very dry conditions of the cold weather we are having. I can unmute my MF M3 amp just by touching it. This, obviously,is not a desirable effect but has not risen beyond the irritating level so far. However, a friend had a CD player damaged by something similar so there is some cause for concern. Moisture should help as suggested above, I have one of the old static guns and I think I will try using it on myself before I touch the amp. I just thought of this, it is surly an improvement on my my original plan of a long ground wire attached to my posterior.