Ampzilla's

A transformer hum is not an amplifiers fault, but if you have crappy power feed in your area there is a pretty simple solution. PS Audio noise harvesters are designed to assist in AC issues that cause this problem. If you notice, The Absolute Sound reviewer who mentioned the rare hum also said that if he was to pick an amplifier that he was going to retire from reviewing with it would be the Ampzillas....
 
I had a 1974/75 DIY kit Ampzilla, it was a great amp. The one problem was, the on/off switch couldn't handle the current inrush to the huge power supply.
James Bongiorno designed some excellent amplifiers, it's hard to imagine any of them in good operating condition humming.
It's also hard to imagine a PS Audio Noise Harvester fixing anything.
 
Speedskater said:
I had a 1974/75 DIY kit Ampzilla, it was a great amp. The one problem was, the on/off switch couldn't handle the current inrush to the huge power supply.
James Bongiorno designed some excellent amplifiers, it's hard to imagine any of them in good operating condition humming.
It's also hard to imagine a PS Audio Noise Harvester fixing anything.
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PS Audio Noise Harvester. I tried one, its was cheaper and "FREE" to have my power company out and measure my line at the meter, they drove 40 more feet of ground rod ( I live at the beach = sand, limestone etc..) plus replaced the transformer on the pole to my area. Problem (noise and hum) solved for me and a whole lot of other people, so the PS went back. The majority of the time these noise problems can be fixed by your power company or an electrician if they know how to measure and correct noise problems. But people that live in apts etc have a difficult time getting anything resolved.
 
Well EJ worked with James, both manufacturing processes and updated designs. The current "Second Edition" Ampzilla 2000's are supposed to be something special. One of these days I might have to try a pair :)...
 
10 Audio praises the Second Edition highly. And if you've read some of his other reviews, you may have noticed a certain 'independence' in 10 Audio reviews, e.g., not sparing with criticism of some popular name brand products when he feels it's deserved.
 
Not specific to the Ampzilla, but it begs an interesting question - given the higher price tag of some amps, should they be designed keeping the noisy power in mind ?
 
Ground rods neither short or long have anything to do with day-to-day power line quality.
Ground rods are for high voltage events like thunderstorms and power company H.V. accidents.
They also keep the Neutral near wet earth potential.
 
Devg said:
Not specific to the Ampzilla, but it begs an interesting question - given the higher price tag of some amps, should they be designed keeping the noisy power in mind ?
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Of course part of being a well designed amp is being power line noise tolerant. But high price and good design are not synonyms.
 
CPP said:
PS Audio Noise Harvester. I tried one, its was cheaper and "FREE" to have my power company out and measure my line at the meter, they drove 40 more feet of ground rod ( I live at the beach = sand, limestone etc..) plus replaced the transformer on the pole to my area. Problem (noise and hum) solved for me and a whole lot of other people, so the PS went back. The majority of the time these noise problems can be fixed by your power company or an electrician if they know how to measure and correct noise problems. But people that live in apts etc have a difficult time getting anything resolved.
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you are lucky to have a great power company to install deeper ground rods and replace transformers at the pole, though I am not sure how you will prevent noise that is spitted back from a wide variety of places in your home and neighbors. An isolation transformer would be the only way to do it...

My power company will do nothing of these sorts....:|
 
CPP said:
PS Audio Noise Harvester. I tried one, its was cheaper and "FREE" to have my power company out and measure my line at the meter, they drove 40 more feet of ground rod ( I live at the beach = sand, limestone etc..) plus replaced the transformer on the pole to my area. Problem (noise and hum) solved for me and a whole lot of other people, so the PS went back. The majority of the time these noise problems can be fixed by your power company or an electrician if they know how to measure and correct noise problems. But people that live in apts etc have a difficult time getting anything resolved.
Click to expand...
It was the replacing the power company transformer and correcting other associated problems that cured the hum. The new ground was for safety, but not part of the problem.
 
Speedskater said:
It was the replacing the power company transformer and correcting other associated problems that cured the hum. The new ground was for safety, but not part of the problem.
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Yep the ground was for safety. The power company felt that after Hurricane Mathew and the storm surge we had not to mention winds, things were bound to crap out with time.
 
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