Hicap DR

[kchristtof]

Hello, I just bought a new Hicap 2 DR and it hums constantly, is this normal?
Thanks for your help

[Monkey_Jim]

Unfortunately it seems to be for some HiCaps. It can be down to your electrical environment, DC on the mains, and hairdryers etc can start hum in any Naim equipment with a transformer. I understand that Naim can fit a pad under the transformer which reduces noise levels somewhat, alternatively there are various DC blocking devices and power cables available which some use. There may be a hit to sound quality with some of the solutions (some say not) but it all seems to depend on individual circumstances and expectations.

[GadgetMan]

Happy Reading

A Starting Guide to Naim Hum/Buzz

This subject seems to come up very often here, so having the issue myself, and after a lot of reading, I thought it might be useful to have a simplified starting place to visit for these issues, bringing as many of the different causes mentioned in this Forum together. There are many more detailed items on this forum that you can then lookup specific areas. Here we are referring to Hum/Buzz from the Naim PSU/Amp units themselves, and NOT Hum through the speaker (which could be more related to a…

[Stephen_Tate]

Humming through the speakers? Or just a busy bee?

[kchristtof]

So the hum is only Hicap and on the other hand yes I have a hiss in the speakers when I mount the volume

[Stephen_Tate]

@kchristtof

I have a hiss in the speakers when I mount the volume

This is normal and i would not be too concerned. I’ve read that the HiCap can be a noisy bugger if the mains waveform is far from symmetrical. Maybe plugging it into a different socket or a dedicated mains circuit may improve things. Or even try siting the unit in another shelf or location.

[IanRobertM]

@kchristtof

I just bought a new Hicap 2 DR

Its NEW - why are you not asking your Naim dealer…??

[SamClaus]

Mine does hum a bit, nothing to worry about.
As for asking the Naim dealer, well… I know my dealer wouldn’t be terribly interested. The forum is often a good place to start.

[MaxBertola]

I’ve had a few HiCaps, of all colors. Some purred, some didn’t. My current SuperNait purrs a little. It has never had any effect on the sound.
Some are bothered by this. I am not. I have no idea what’s inside my mains, and I don’t want to have any. After 40 years of audio life with Naim, I gladly take what comes, unbalanced pots, purring transformers, everything. Nothing of that is the point to me.

[Rooster]

I have a reasonably serious Mains spur though not its own phase, my 135 and my friends nap500 hum on occasion, the system boxes are in a different room to the SL2 which is great for me, Nac 5 hangs/runs under my house. At the time we had new carpet laid, when my wife saw me drilling holes in it she was well impressed

If you hear them purring it’s just the tiger in box wanting to be let out so turn up and feed it!

[Naim_The_Dragon]

@Rooster

At the time we had new carpet laid, when my wife saw me drilling holes in it she was well impressed

She might have thought a Stanley knife would have been a more elegant solution…

[Rooster]

I have found Stanley knives are great with carpet but not with floorboards🙃