Nova causes speaker to pop on turn-on (out of sleep mode)

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Whenever I turn on my Nova (from sleep mode), I get a soft pop in the left channel of my Thiel 1.5 speaker. I’ve had the speakers and cables for 20 years, and this has not happened before. This morning I swapped left and right cables on the Nova and the pop moved to the right speaker. And when I say “soft pop,” the term is of course relative. Actually the volume varies somewhat, seemingly dependent in part on how long the unit has been in sleep mode. This morning as I turned it on for the first time, sitting right by the unit to do my troubleshooting, it seemed mezzo piano, not piano.

If I sound a little paranoid, there is a reason. About 30 years ago, I had a little NAD 7020/Wharfedale Diamond (the originals, I think) set-up in my office. I heard a popping sound every time I turned on the NAD. Until one day I turned it on and one of the speakers blew. Of course I don’t know if that was daily popping taking its toll, but I’ve always assumed it was.

The unit is under warranty, but I’m hoping that I can get an explanation instead of a repair.

Also today, for the first time, I plugged in a pair of headphones. A definite pop there in both channels.

2

You can read a similar thread “ Uniti Nova buzz”. Tap it in the search part.
May help.

3

Thanks, I did see that. But I have a pop, not a buzz. And I believe that thread was closed.

On another forum, a member who uses the Naim logo as their avatar, says popping is common on Naim amplifiers.

4

Well I can confirm that a soft pop WAS common with Naim amps a long time ago. When I switched on my 42/160 it was always followed by a soft pop. And, indeed, when I switched off there was also a soft pop; first from one channel then the other. Nothing to scare the children you understand - but always there. No such issues nowadays with my Nova though so I think you’d be wise to track down the source.

5

There are also pop discussions in the buzz thread

6

Still the case and still mentioned in the amp manuals

7

Can’t you leave it on permanently? A lot do that.
A better powerblock may help too. I had pops too in the past, when powering the Nap. Not after with a better powerblock.
If you go in search part and tap “ pop”, a lot of threads on it. A regular phenomenon with Naim.

8

I have a soft pop in the right channel when I turn my Nova off too. I love it :blush::+1::notes:

9

The Nova doesn’t shut down completely. It goes into sleep mode. In fact I believe the default setting is for it to go into sleep mode automatically after 20(?) minutes without any input. And leaving it on permanently bothers me from an environmental perspective.

It’s plugged into a decent, but not audiophile power block.I tried switching to another outlet in the block, and that may have helped things a little - softer pops and on one occasion it was the right speaker that popped. :confused:

My instinct now is to let it be.

10

Maybe some tekies here could respond if letting the Nova permanently on ( sleep mode set on never) will consume a lot of electricity and will not be environmental friendly. But I don’t think it’s a problem. A vast majority of Naim users leave all their Naim equipment fully powered. I too ( except the tubes pre).
Maybe @davidhendon ? Suedkiez, Mike b…?

11

From memory I had this on one of my Novas ( I had 3!) and cured it by adjusting cable separation at the back

12

I mostly leave my Nova in Network Sleep which is supposed to consume about 2W. I can wake it from the app. There is no pop from the speakers whatever I do though.

Sometimes even when it’s not in use, but just left fully on, it runs very hot. This is with no USB or SD card plugged in and server mode off. Also I don’t use the built in power amp. It doesn’t seem to affect the Sound Quality.

I just put the Nova into network sleep overnight and it runs cool again for a few days.

1 Like
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So no real other choices as leave it in sleep mode, as it runs hot.

14

Network Sleep, not Deep Sleep. 🥸

15

Speaker cable or interconnect?

16

Can’t quite remember, could have been power or even network, worth experimenting with all of them

17

I don’t know if the OP was referring to deep sleep or network sleep?

18

I don’t know either but I was referring to Network Sleep in my comment.:sunglasses:

1 Like
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Just beware, that the “NW sleep” can behave differently with regard to power:
If there’s a USB/flash card connected, or a HDMI-cable plugged in (with “watch this input” enabled), or I think the “server mode: on” setting active, it will NOT disengage the main power supply while “sleeping”; all these functions needs more power, than the small extra power supply for standby can provide. Your can check, whether you hear a clear “click” when entering/exiting NW sleep.
In these cases where main power remains active, the Nova will not “fully cool down”, when in network standby. (If it toggles in the power input, it will cool down.)

IIRC, these pops (I also had them on my prior Atom) happen, when the main power supply is switched on/off; hence it could happen with “network standby” for some, and for others only with “deep sleep”.

PS: And it seems, in some systems it never shows, in others every time. I think to remember, sometimes also the firmware level was reported to make a difference?

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Exactly. Which is why I said: