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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Taboo hum
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Message started by 144cubits on 05/12/16 at 20:52:17

Title: Taboo hum
Post by 144cubits on 05/12/16 at 20:52:17

Hi,

I've had an original Taboo and it has always hummed but never interfered with the music. Lately it has become louder and seems to be coming from the transformer. I tried all of Steves "hum troubleshooting" techniques based on his paper to no avail.

Is there anyone else who has experienced this and found a remedy? If at all possible I would prefer not to send it back for repair.
Thanx!

Title: Re: Taboo hum
Post by beowulf on 05/12/16 at 21:34:52

Have you tried replacing tubes? When the tubes on my Taboo were getting pretty worn, it developed a hum and I replaced both the input and output tubes and that pretty much cleared it up and it is silent again.

In my case, the output tubes were causing distortion when they were wear, but it was the input tube that was causing the hum .. the hum did sound as if I was coming from the transformer BTW.

Title: Re: Taboo hum
Post by maddog07 on 05/12/16 at 21:49:59

I don't know where this paper you refer to about "hum troubleshooting" lives... thus I don't know what's in it.
Are you talking about "hum" you hear from the speakers (ground loop problem most likely) or emanating from a physical transformer on the Taboo? Is the hum constant in volume or go up and down with the volume control?

I've had a couple of components over the years that had "mechanical" humming/buzzing transformer issues. Sometimes this is related to some small amount of DC on the circuit you have the component plugged into.

Have you tried:

unplug everything that is plugged into the same circuit/breaker as your taboo. If the hum goes away - one of the devices you unplugged is dumping DC back on to the circuit.
if the above doesn't stop the hum, still leave all the stuff you unplugged in step #1 unplugged, and then disconnect your preamp/sources, etc. - whatever you have upstream of your Taboo. if the hum goes away, one of your upstream components may be passing DC.
if none of the above has any impact on reducing the hum, there is likely a problem with your Taboo - call Decware.

also... Emotiva makes a device, the CMX-2, that is specifically designed to eliminate DC offset on your powerline.
http://emotiva.com/products/accessories/cmx-2
I have one of these, that I plug some of my sources into, but my entire system is not drawing power thru it.

Every since I started plugging my source, preamp and amp all into the same circuit, my systems superfluous background noise has been nearly nonexistent. Then I subsequently started using a PS Audio power re-generator, and noise I didn't know I had disappeared, and detail I'd never heard before appeared - and the system is quiet as a tomb. No humming, no buzzing, nothing via 100db sensitivity speakers, nor any mechanical buzz at all either from any of the transformers of my Torii, nor from my tube preamp.

Title: Re: Taboo hum
Post by 144cubits on 05/12/16 at 21:51:43

Yep. I followed all of Steve's instructions for troubleshooting hum. Disconnected the interconnects, swapped out each tube...still humming. :( :(