Forums - Voltage regulator hum

Geno Seasoned Member Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2219	Voltage regulator hum 01/17/20 at 04:10:06 Is it normal for the voltage regulator to hum slightly all the time? It’s not very loud, but as soon as the unit is powered up, it’s there. I’ve long had a hum that increases as the volume is turned up. I can live with it, but I was wondering if the slight noise from the voltage regulator is being amplified as I increase the volume.
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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #1 - 01/17/20 at 17:51:25 Do you mean a hum from the tube itself? When I power up I get hums from my amps. The regulator hum varies with tube and type. Some barely and some more. None change with volume. It's not noticeable a couple feet away.
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Steve Deckert

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Re: Voltage regulator hum
Reply #2 - 01/17/20 at 19:40:33

Voltage regulator tubes do not hum, however the rectifier tube setting next to it can chatter (hum). Next time it does it, tap the top of the rectifier tube firmly with your finger and it will often stop and then later restart again. This is common with many of todays current production rectifier tubes since it is the guitar amp market that drives the demand not audiophiles. My advise is to get yourself a New Old Stock 5U4G, or 5AR4, or 5R4GY rectifier tube. It will not chatter, and will often sound better as well, not to mention last many times longer.

Steve

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Geno

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Re: Voltage regulator hum
Reply #3 - 01/17/20 at 19:46:16

Yes, a hum from the Voltage regulator tube. It is as you describe - very slight. A while back, though, I had to swap to a higher output cart, because, with the lower output cart I was using, I had to increase the volume to a point that caused a pretty loud hum. With the higher output cart, not having to increase the volume as much, I have a lot less hum.
But, the reason for this post was to get an opinion as to whether or not the source of the hum increase with increase in volume could be the voltage regulator tube. Nothing else I've tried has had much effect.

Also, I've tried several different voltage regulator tubes, and the slight hum is always there.

Hi Steve. It is not the rectifier.

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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #4 - 01/17/20 at 20:16:45 I meant rectifier though. Sorry, I had the wrong tube. My regulation tubes don't hum.
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Geno Seasoned Member Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2219	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #5 - 01/17/20 at 20:41:38 Guys, I thought it was the regulator. I guess it could be coming from the rectifier. But, regardless of which it is, or changing either tube, the hum is always there.
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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #6 - 01/17/20 at 21:16:31 I've tapped on them when loud and it quiets them down but most of my old stock tubes don't hum very loud, but they do hum. So do some of the trannies, the ZP3 especially.
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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 25750	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #7 - 01/17/20 at 21:26:44 The last time I had a similar hum it was caused by cable electrical field interaction. So I recommend playing with cable placement, moving interconnects as far as possible from power cables, and/or having them oriented 90 degrees apart from one another (if you haven't done this lately, or have added components, etc.)
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Geno

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Re: Voltage regulator hum
Reply #8 - 03/15/20 at 17:52:41

Update on this.

The hum is still present with the ZP3. I eventually had to remove my Zstage from the chain also, because it was amplifying the hum making it worse. I guess it is coming from the transformer, and magnified with increase in volume.

I presently have my old Schiit Mani phono pre in use, and it is absolutely dead quiet. It doesn’t sound nearly as good, but at least there is no hum.

I’d hate to do it, but if I can’t get this resolved, I may have to buy a different phono pre. As a last resort, I guess I need to talk to Steve, and maybe send it back to be checked.

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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #9 - 03/15/20 at 18:11:36 Geno, Check you're cable routing (again). Keep far away from power outlets -- even shielded cables. I did everything until I accidentally hit on cables as my issue.
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Geno Seasoned Member Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2219	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #10 - 03/15/20 at 19:08:31 Ok Archie. I’ll do that. Did you get completely rid of hum doing what you did?
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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #11 - 03/15/20 at 19:24:17 Pretty much night and day. I have system hum but it's negligible now, even with the efficient BBs. I did send my ZP3 in for Steve to check. It came back slightly better but not where it is now with cables carefully routed. I found no impact from power cords but a huge impact from power outlets.
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Geno Seasoned Member Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2219	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #12 - 03/15/20 at 19:56:02 I have my ZP3 plugged into my ZLC along with my other components. A while back, i tried unplugging from the ZLC and going straight to the same outlet that the ZLC is plugged into. Did not seem to make a difference. I will do more experimenting with interconnects.
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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Voltage regulator hum Reply #13 - 03/15/20 at 20:18:06 Yeah, interconnects. The outlets must have a huge field around them, enough to overwhelm shielding.
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