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Preamp "clicking" on KPT-904's ... Crown K1 amp ... Advice??


Emile

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Hi All,

 

Was hoping to get some advise/suggestions.  Just got a Crown K1 amp for my KPT-904's.  Had it hooked up "directly" (Onkyo RZ-810 "zone-2: direct to RCA / 1/4 inch adapters on the K1). Sound is AWESOME :D  

 

But of course thought I needed a preamp :) So, my local Record/Vintage stereo store had a Nikko Beta II preamp. Very few reviews, but most were very complimentary.  Got it and hooked it up (preamp RCA to K1 1/4 inch) ... :(  Now have a clicking sound (prob about 5 clicks/sec) and some background noise on ONE channel (left). Sound is very good if we "forget" about the clicking :( .  Very strangely, when I turn the preamp "off," the clicking noise goes to the OTHER channel (right).

 

I have NO CLUE :(  Ordered some RCA to XLR cables to see if (pseudo) balanced cables would solve this.  Haha; had to order these cables anyhow because (of course) the cheap 1/4 inch connector broke and now the "tip" is stuck inside the Crown K1 - hope that does not cause a problem - or maybe the clicking came from the 1/4 connector going bad.

 

Just tried the Nikko Beta II preamp in my seperate stereo room.  Very clean; no noise and no clicking at all.

 

Help :D 

 

Thanks a lot, Emile

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4 minutes ago, Shiva said:

If you turn the gain knobs on the Crown while it is on,  do you hear any scratchy, staticky sounds?  

Nothing ... clean as a whistle :D :( 

Think it might have been the connector going bad ... had them "stressed" a bit with the RCA cable and one just popped apart last time I took the plug off ... and of course the tip is still "inside" :( 

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18 hours ago, Emile said:

Think it might have been the connector going bad ... had them "stressed" a bit with the RCA cable and one just popped apart last time I took the plug off ... and of course the tip is still "inside" :(

Nah ... would have been on the "other" channel :(  

OK; obviously still looking for advise :D  Thanks! 

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Haha; love the K1 so much, just bought an XLS 402 ... 300wps at 8 ohms.  Going to try it with a set of Epic CF-3's ... if this darned seller comes through :(  Send him 3 "page size" emails ... all I got sofar by email from him is "walnut; 2.5" ports." :D 

 

Yesterday hooked up my Music Hall TT via a Nikko Beta II preamp to the Crown K1 and my KPT-904's.  Never heard my TT that good :D 

 

Cheers, Emile

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18 hours ago, Emile said:

just bought an XLS 402 ... 300wps at 8 ohms.  Going to try it with a set of Epic CF-3's ... if this darned seller comes through

Well ???? :( :( 

Yes; bought an XLS 402 from offerup. Haha; just got a message with "seller canceled."  :( 

Next :( found out the CF3's I was looking at are "version 3" ... the bad ones in the series :( 

Going to start on the wine early today :D  probably at 4pm :D 

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  • 1 month later...

Nikki Beta II is an awesome pre! I have 2 and both have been completely refurbished! The Beta 40 is also very nice if you see one! Had multiple Crown amps and never enjoyed any of them with my various Klipsch... you could check out a Nikki Alpha II but everyone I’ve seen recently needs extensive work... if you really think you need the wattage there is also the 440/450 though the internal wiring on the odd series (230/450) isn’t quite as good. 

 

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On 2/3/2019 at 3:39 PM, Emile said:

Hi All,

 

Was hoping to get some advise/suggestions.  Just got a Crown K1 amp for my KPT-904's.  Had it hooked up "directly" (Onkyo RZ-810 "zone-2: direct to RCA / 1/4 inch adapters on the K1). Sound is AWESOME :D  

 

But of course thought I needed a preamp :) So, my local Record/Vintage stereo store had a Nikko Beta II preamp. Very few reviews, but most were very complimentary.  Got it and hooked it up (preamp RCA to K1 1/4 inch) ... :(  Now have a clicking sound (prob about 5 clicks/sec) and some background noise on ONE channel (left). Sound is very good if we "forget" about the clicking :( .  Very strangely, when I turn the preamp "off," the clicking noise goes to the OTHER channel (right).

 

I have NO CLUE :(  Ordered some RCA to XLR cables to see if (pseudo) balanced cables would solve this.  Haha; had to order these cables anyhow because (of course) the cheap 1/4 inch connector broke and now the "tip" is stuck inside the Crown K1 - hope that does not cause a problem - or maybe the clicking came from the 1/4 connector going bad.

 

Just tried the Nikko Beta II preamp in my seperate stereo room.  Very clean; no noise and no clicking at all.

 

Help :D 

 

Thanks a lot, Emile

Gonna need my 904s back man. You knew it was just a lease right? 😉

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