Confirm it’s not environmental.
Check it in a room with no WiFi/bluetooth/Cellphones near it, to see if it still makes the noise.
Since you don’t need a source plugged in to recreate it, it should be an “easy” test
What can happen is when the wifi transmits, one of the filaments in the tube acts as an aerial, and you get what I would describe as a faint ticking noise, with some regularity, and occasional longer crackles.
If that’s what it is, and you can determine what it’s picking the noise up from, you can often “fix” it just by rotating the offending transmitter.
My Viva randomly started picking up noise from the Wifi Router near it, I assume because the Wifi happened to change channels when it rebooted. Putting the router on it’s side completely resolved the issue.
The only thing I can think of is that I haven’t used it since I brought it back from the office a couple of weeks ago. Maybe something got loose in transit.
The Echo 2 is an €899 product, and thereby must use pretty basic components. As such, the noise may also be within the tolerances of the transformers – check out the (often hostile) discussions of Amps & Sound product background noise on this website. When I was shopping for a tube amp before buying my Decware, the A&S website basically said that “transformers are transformers” and had a measurements-only attitude. This is very different from other tube amp builders, where wiring wrap, the use of silver, the type of wax and foil in capacitors, etc. are major considerations (or goofy voodoo). I went with Decware in part because of concerns about noise.
Not hearing the hum for myself, I can’t say whether it might be ‘normal tolerance’ for tube amps in this price class.
Issue: Many songs sound blown out, as if volume is maxed out and is clipping or songs have a raspy crackly sound. I hear it on multiple pairs of headphones. I’ll include the chains I’ve used below.
It’s more prominent on the Monarchs, I assume because they are more detailed than the Bathys
It would be easier if it was only on the amp chain because it could be one of the components, but the issue also happens when going from Windows PC straight to the Focal Bathys and also via bluetooth on mobile. It is heard on high and low volumes the same.
I can’t tell if it’s all coincidently all bad recordings, compression, low bitrate.
I’ve played all songs through both Spotify and Tidal on max bitrate.
It seems to be more songs than not. I can’t not notice it!
I’ve created a playlist below where it is most noticeable:
In Supafly the bass guitar has a trailing raspy sound.
In Punk Rock Loser the background vocals have a rasp. The kick drum also has a wet sort of sound.
FTCU the bass kick has a horrible overblown sound (I half think it’s the stylistic choice).
In The Foundations of Decay it is really apparent in the vocals. I describe it as a resonating staticky effect. It also follows the guitar.
Demons, again not sure if it’s the style of the bass, but the intro bass is horribly overblown sounding.
Meet me in brooklyn, the bass has a slight staticky, wet, crispy sort of sound.
The Whole World, bass again has the same static sound.
Birds, guitar has a resonate blown sound.
Je suis le vent, bass has a trailing crackle similar to above.
Genius, bass again has a staticky crackle.
Windows > Spotify on highest bitrate highest volume > Topping DX3 Pro+ balanced highest volume> THX 789 balanced XLR out >Thieaudio Monarch mkii
Windows > Spotify on highest bitrate highest volume > Focal Bathys on DAC mod via usb C
Android > Spotify Spotify on highest bitrate > FiiO utws5 > Monarch mkii