I keep getting a faint buzz from my speakers even when my system is on but idle with nothing playing. I've determined it is coming from the power amp through my interconnects. My power amp is a B&K Reference 200.5 and my preamp is a B&K Reference 30 and the speakers are Paradigm Studio 100. The interconnects are Xios brand. It seems that by moving the interconnects away from other cables in my system that the buzz goes away. Right now I have them positioned so that the buzz is not audible but here is my question and reason for posting. Is there a better brand of interconnect that I can use that is better shielded yet still retains the clearity and definition we all like in our systems?
Thank you
Don in Phoenix
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Submitted By: scarpi
member
Location: Phoenix, AZ.
Joined: Mar 22 2007
Posts:
interconnect buzz
Posted: December 7, 2009 - 9:46am
Submitted By: tom collins
member
Location: northern kentucky
Joined: Apr 3 2007
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: December 7, 2009 - 10:59am
try morrowaudio.com. you get a 60 day moneyback guarantee and they sound great. i am using speaker cables, interconnects and power cords. all great.
tom collins
Submitted By: mrlowry
member
Location: Chicago, IL
Joined: May 30 2006
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: December 7, 2009 - 6:31pm
I have used numerous generations of Audioquest cables and have never had problems with them picking up noise.
Submitted By: scarpi
member
Location: Phoenix, AZ.
Joined: Mar 22 2007
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: December 10, 2009 - 7:11am
I forgot to mention that another thing I did to the cables was to wrap black electrical tape around them from one end to the other. I thought that would help insulate them better. It all seems to have worked ... no more buzz!
Submitted By: mark evans
member
Location: soulful.terrain
Joined: May 5 2010
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Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 23, 2010 - 3:17pm
Quote:
try morrowaudio.com. you get a 60 day moneyback guarantee and they sound great. i am using speaker cables, interconnects and power cords. all great.
tom collins
WOW! now thats a good selling point. thanks for the info.
Mark
Submitted By: David_L
senior member
Joined: Oct 28 2009
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 24, 2010 - 7:18am
Quote:
I forgot to mention that another thing I did to the cables was to wrap black electrical tape around them from one end to the other. I thought that would help insulate them better. It all seems to have worked ... no more buzz!
Just goes to prove that even if something costs a LOT it doesn't mean it's designed worth a damn 
Submitted By: mark evans
member
Location: soulful.terrain
Joined: May 5 2010
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 24, 2010 - 9:21am
Quote:
Quote:
I forgot to mention that another thing I did to the cables was to wrap black electrical tape around them from one end to the other. I thought that would help insulate them better. It all seems to have worked ... no more buzz!
Just goes to prove that even if something costs a LOT it doesn't mean it's designed worth a damn
And that kinda sucks because some cables are absolutely beautiful in their respected designs. It would be a shame to have to wrap them in black electrical tape to solve noise issues.
I have had no problems whatsoever with StraightWire, Tara Labs or Acoustic Zen cables.
Submitted By: scarpi
member
Location: Phoenix, AZ.
Joined: Mar 22 2007
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 24, 2010 - 10:48am
Yeah these cables did look nice before wrapping them but ever since I taped them and moved them away from other cables NO BUZZ! So I'm happy. You don't really see them unless you look behind the rack.
Submitted By: SAS Audio
member
Location: Morton, Illinois (near Peoria)
Joined: Jun 6 2007
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 27, 2010 - 7:14am
Quote:
Yeah these cables did look nice before wrapping them but ever since I taped them and moved them away from other cables NO BUZZ! So I'm happy. You don't really see them unless you look behind the rack.
Hi Scarpi,
Glad to see moving the ICs away did the trick. I would guess they are not coaxial but flats or something similar.
There are trade offs when designing ICs. Flats and similar types are designed to minimize IC capacitance. Think of placing a capacitor across the output of your source or preamplifier. Not a pleasant thought. Flats and similar types minimize the size of the capacitor which is good. However, the tradeoff is shielding is not as good as coax. But one is usually able to solve the hum problem simply by placement as you have done (shielded coax is better between cartridge to phono stage input).
Coax allows more flexibility in placement but usually has the disadvantage of higher capacitance.
One does not need insulation tape as it does not protect against stray fields.
Cheers.
Submitted By: Jim Tavegia
member
Location: Atlanta
Joined: Sep 1 2005
Posts:
Re: interconnect buzz
Posted: June 29, 2010 - 7:17am
Are thse the IXOS cables with no shield that look similar to the Kimber PBJs? They have the larger visible wrapped interleaved strands. If so, I have found that they do not like being around motors or transformers as they will not work as turntable interconnects, at least not for me. Some good shielded cabes should do the trick.
I know that in the past that ST has used the AR cables as have I and find they are a steal for the money.
If you like the IXOS brand that have good prices at www.accessories4less.com on various models.
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