Once in a while you learn something new.
Last month I had three encounters with amps that did something weird: All three amps produced weird noises at night but were miraculously cured the next morning for the noises to return the next night. These noises did sound like nothing weird: I've encountered amps with the same complaints and noises due to bad connections, noisy resistors and leaky caps.
All three amps (and even more when I think about it??) were frantically investigated on where these noises came from. The origins of these complaints were never considered by me before.
Case: 1950's Jennen amp
With this recent amp (a 1950's Jennen / Teisco, the article will be finished later) I finally solved the puzzle. I got this amp pretty cheap as it wasn't working correctly. And after some work I had a fully functioning amp that sounded incredible. Well, for one complaint: NOISE! This noise was so apparent that it took out all the joy of using this amp.
I first thought this was due to a bad part: it still is a 50's amp so something was surely gone bad?? I found that by pulling preamp tube 3 I could get rid of the noise but also the output of the amp. Pulling other tubes did nothing. I replaced most parts around that tube and reinstalled them later as they tested fine and the complaints didn't vanish with it.
On this amp I noticed that in the morning the problems were gone Initially I thought I 'cracked the case' and that some part (cap?) needed to drain first; it was a HUGE disappointment later when, at night, the problems occurred again.
With this last amp I finally put two and two together and formed a working theory: it is in the power coming from the wall wart. Something is added there that results in the noise in this / these amp(s). I had a same idea a couple of weeks ago with another amp, an Ampeg V4B. I also thought it was the power coming from the wall wart but I didn't investigate further as the problems went away the next day.
After a thorough checking I found the culprit
My computer!!
I noticed that the computer, when turned on, started to make these noises and that these noises would stop when the computer was turned off.
The solution
After this eye opener I knew I needed a power conditioner. I once looked into it and concluded I didn't needed a power conditioner in my little studio as most amps should have enough power filtering. Boy was I wrong!
I looked high and low for reviews on these known power conditioners and concluded:
- There are a lot of power conditioners on the market
- These units are rather pricey
- They all claim to remove most noises from a setup and protect your stuff BUT with a higher priced unit more noises would be removed.
I pondered; what should I get? I was almost ready to order a rather expensive unit when I ran into the Black Lion Audio PG-P type F on Thomann. And although this is still rather expensive it looked easy enough to work or use. So I took the plunge.........
....... and it works perfect! With the unit between the wall and the amp all noises from the computer are gone! The amp is silent, the noise aren't there anymore and the amp sounds still as dynamic as before. Call me happy!
Disclaimer: I have no links with Thomann or Black Lion Audio and am not getting paid to write this. I was just having a problem I could not find a solution for on the internet. and got lost in the web of reviews. I hope this story helps someone to get rid of their (noise) issues.
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