Lon, what capacity is your isolation transformer? I cannot remember if you once identified it as a 250W or 500W.

PR, I have to thank you for asking me about the isolation transformer. I had just without thinking connected the Premier to the transformer, but for the life of me when I think about it I can't see any benefit possible by doing so. So I just plugged the Premier directly into the wall (using the receptacle that Steve sent me with a power cord), taking the isolation transformer out of the pathway.

Okay, there was some drama because somehow my MAC power cable that I had going to the tv didn't survive the change over. . . After calming myself as much as I could when it seemed my tv refused to power up, I tried another power cord and we're back in business again. I'm really really reluctant to make any pronouncements abut the sound yet because in my experience when you shut down my source components and unplug them it can be as much as a half day to a day before they really are "all they can be" again. but, sure sounds great, possibly going to sound better than before. And that transformer WAS introducing some THD according to the metering on the Premier. I've got the heftiest power cord in the house on the Premier, a PS Audio xStream Statement. That's a lot of copper. I'm certain this is a better arrangement.

Thanks for making the question. That and an older post I read today by Radcha made me consider and make the change. I guess I've been a twerp for a while listening this way. Rad mentioned the transformer may gave his system an "opaque and harsh" sound. That intrigued me, what is "opaque and harsh" and got me suspecting that there may be a sort of signature the transformer was passing along. And strangely enough a bit of a sound that might be opaque and harsh went away.

These darned amps and speakers let you hear everything! It contributes to the madness.

You desperately need to win. After all, it's been so long since you had new stuff!

You have a wonderful wife! Congratulations!

The excitement must be building. . . .

It's the only thing that bothered me for a few weeks...after that I accepted it as just the less desired side of a single ended design tube amp combined with a pair of 104Db sensitive Klipsch horns.
The magical listening-experience this combination produces makes me forget [accept] the hum you are talking about.
I went all the way finding out where it comes from... it's the amp.
After switching on, it starts after say eight-to-ten seconds, and is only noticable when the music is stopped and you listen for it.
Like mentioned before; don't sell this amp as you might regret it later.
Just my 2cents.
Nico