• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Toe Dipping into Digital Music - Integrated Amp or DIY Stream with Topping DAC

alvin81

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
5
Likes
2
Location
Singapore
Hi all. I've been a listening to vinyl for many years. After moving to a new home, there seems to be some strange RFI that my pre-amp section is picking up and it's affecting my listening experience. Did almost everything I could save for using XLR cables as my turntable and integrated amp do not have those connections. The problem remains unsolved. Long story short, that's when I started to explore digital music as an alternative. I am subscribed to Spotify and was hoping to stream digital music to my hi-fi. I just signed up for Tidal Master too and am on my first free month.

I have considered the following set up;
1. NAD C399 with MDC2 expansion card (all-in-one) - Will stretch my budget a little but cleanest implementation. Quite impressed with the BluOS app.
2. NAD C298 with C658 - Combo costs more than C399. Auditioned C658 and C399 and prefer the sound of C399
3. RPi with Volumio USB streaming to Topping D90SE with RCA connections into my existing integrated amp (Music Hall A15.3) - Or should I connect Topping to a power amp instead?
4. Bluetooth (iOS devices) to Topping D90SE with RCA connections into existing A15.3 (cheapest option since I only need to buy the DAC)

I live in Singapore. Getting my hands on electronics and parts will not be challenging. I can even repurpose a RPi board from my 3D printer as I print much lesser these days.

I have recently upgraded my Music Hall Marimba speakers to a pair of Triangle BR08. I find my current A15.3 a quite lacking to drive the floor standers. So I'm also thinking of upgrading my amp.

Also considering that I may need to pay for certain software like Roon, Volumio, etc., I am rather swayed in the direction of picking up the NAD C399. On the other hand, I am interested in getting my hands dirty by going the RPi route.

I'm still new to many words and abbreviations like DSP, Roon, DIRAC, etc. Currently overwhelmed by all these names. Please be kind. :) Would like to hear what the rest of you guys think.
 

MaxwellsEq

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 18, 2020
Messages
1,628
Likes
2,426
One quick question, have you tried a different cartridge? I've seen some cartridges pick up radio signals near a transmitter.

One other very low cost option might be ferrite rings on cables and power cords in case these are acting as antennae.
 
OP
A

alvin81

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
5
Likes
2
Location
Singapore
One quick question, have you tried a different cartridge? I've seen some cartridges pick up radio signals near a transmitter.

One other very low cost option might be ferrite rings on cables and power cords in case these are acting as antennae.
Hi @MaxwellsEq. Thanks for your advice. I’ve not tried another cartridge. But I do know for sure that the RCA cables are acting like antennae. The RFI comes out of the speaker as a very high pitch and piercing hum around 5300MHz. The RFI can be picked up even when I disconnect the RCAs on the turntable’s end. This led me to believe that the RCA cables were acting like antennae.

Haven’t tried the ferrite core solution yet. Looking to buy some online. Trying to look at the specs of the cores to see which ones can filter put high frequencies in the KHz spectrum.
 

Zek

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
1,583
Likes
2,146
This led me to believe that the RCA cables were acting like antennae.
Maybe those cables are not sufficiently shielded, try better quality audio coaxial cables.
 

Eleo

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
49
Likes
61
Location
Italy
I had the same problem. Tried the ferrite rings without success. Finally, I shielded the existing cables using copper tape. Now the noise is almost completely gone
 

DVDdoug

Major Contributor
Joined
May 27, 2021
Messages
2,919
Likes
3,831
Finally, I shielded the existing cables using copper tape. Now the noise is almost completely gone
So, have you tried different cables?

You might also try a different-separate phono preamp. If it's actually RF, the signal has to be demodulated to get audio and some electronics is more immune to that, or better filtered. You can just try an inexpensive phono amp to see if it helps, and then if you're not satisfied with the audio quality you can upgrade. (And I assume you are hearing 5Khz... You can't hear Mhz. ;) )

The digital stuff is not that critical. Almost anything will be better than human hearing unless some analog noise gets-into the analog-side of the digital-to-analog converter. Spotify is lossy compression so it would be a weak link but it's still better than analog vinyl (no background noise flat frequency response over the audible range, no tracking distortion). ;)
 

Eleo

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
49
Likes
61
Location
Italy
I have not tried different cables because the existing ones cannot be detached from the turntable. I have tried another Phono preamp (Rega fono mini). With it I must say there is no RFI noise - I suppose there was a better integration with my Rega Planar 3. However, I prefer the Pro-ject Ds2 as a preamp, so I have managed to fix the cables
 
OP
A

alvin81

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
5
Likes
2
Location
Singapore
So, have you tried different cables?

You might also try a different-separate phono preamp. If it's actually RF, the signal has to be demodulated to get audio and some electronics is more immune to that, or better filtered. You can just try an inexpensive phono amp to see if it helps, and then if you're not satisfied with the audio quality you can upgrade. (And I assume you are hearing 5Khz... You can't hear Mhz. ;) )

The digital stuff is not that critical. Almost anything will be better than human hearing unless some analog noise gets-into the analog-side of the digital-to-analog converter. Spotify is lossy compression so it would be a weak link but it's still better than analog vinyl (no background noise flat frequency response over the audible range, no tracking distortion). ;)
Hi @DVDdoug , yeah... 5KHz measured using an iPhone app :). Yes, I like vinyl for it's distortion.

I have a separate phono preamp (the LesBox) which I connect via RCA into the A15.3 line input. The same RF is still there. I'm using a shielded RCA (Audioquest) between the turntable and phono preamp. I'm thinking if I should be cables are advertised as double-shielded.
 
Top Bottom