Whirring Sound from ND5 XS2

Hi there - new to forum and first time naim owner having seen the light from Cyrus

My week old streamer has started making a whirring noise from inside (not through speakers) - almost sounds like a hard drive or fan - just wondered if this is normal or should I return it? It’s connected via din to the Nait XS2

Can’t hear it when music is on or people talking etc but when all is quiet it’s flippin annoying!

Thanks in advance

No thats not right at all, there is no fan inside. Talk to your dealer on Monday.

Thanks Gazza - yeah thought so. It should be silent yeah? It’s a weird sound - hard to describe but undulating hard drive is my best description!

It might be the transformer humming, first report i have seen on here of a noisy new streamer. I would call your dealer on Monday.

That’s a great description of it! Ah well - return it tomorrow I guess!

Thanks again for the advice

Mine is silent so agree on a dealer call and service swap out. It does certainly sound like the transformer is the source, I know my HiCap DR has a distinct hum to it but the streamer isn’t producing any hum and I wouldn’t expect it to either. Also make sure you don’t have anything else noisy in the mains circuit driving the streamer, this could include things like homeplug adapters, fridges, microwaves and so forth. I have my main system on a dedicated mains radial circuit to minimise any potential noise sources. However even with going to those lengths the external PSU still has a low distinct hum. I imagine Naim will swap it out in your case without issue.

Thanks Mr M

I have it on the normal mains circuit but it’s in its own socket and through a Tacima 6 way mains conditioner which I used on my Cyrus with no issues at all

Bizarrely it’s stopped now and I only noticed it at the same time that the naim app and tidal were having a ‘moment’

It definitely sounded ‘physical’ rather than interference related

Think I’ll just get them to swap it

If the hum is intermittent, it might be worth investigating the source. You may have some electrical interference on your mains, or possibly even your network, that is causing it. You could try turning off any possible offending devices in your home, to see if something that is noisy is causing it. Possible offenders might include a fridge, central heating pump, light fitting, anything with a poor SMPS, etc. I would even try removing the mains conditioner just in case.

I do think this is a problem with your mains supply and not the ND5 XS2.

Best
David

Thanks all… I’ll try some fiddling around / talk to the dealer
I’ll update the thread and let you know what the outcome is

Ok so latest is that the buzz is actually coming from the amp (not the streamer) about where the transformer would be… so…

  • took the amp back… dealer (who’s been brilliant) plugged it in - no buzz
  • dealer kept the amp over night - still no buzz
  • ordered new amp - plugged new amp in at shop - no buzz
  • got new amp home - buzz
  • systematically unplugged peripherals and then tried in different rooms, sockets etc - buzz but in varying degrees depending on the room

So conclusion is mains feed to house - problem being I have no idea what I’m going to do about it!

Have you tried turning off other appliances in your house to eliminate them as possible culprits? If that doesn’t work, you may have an issue with your incoming mains supply, or even something caused by a neighbour. If it turns out to be a problem that is outside your control, a few forum members have reported good results by installing a balanced mains transformer. Try Airlink Transformers if you’re interested, they are a helpful bunch.

Hi there - yeah - well at least what I would class as the prime suspects
We’ve got solar panel system, heat exchanger, recycled water etc etc type enviro house as well as normal mains so it’s a very complicated system! But tried switching off the heating, fridge, freezer, hot water etc etc

That’s great - thanks for the tip on the mains products - I’ll take a look

Also trying to work out if a flatcap would help the situation

I have found that various Naim amps I’ve had over the years have hummed differenly, even on the exact same mains socket, so a different unit may give different results, but if your mains is noisy, a different box is unlikely to be silent.

my 555dr is humming more in the weekend or holidays, when the neighbors around are gone. Curious!

Unrelated to your issue but thought I should nonetheless mention this – Naim advises against main conditioning, so you might want to try using your gear without the Tacima mains conditioner.

1 Like

My 555dr buzzes like an angry wasp nest when my neighbour turns on his electric shower.

Told him to get a bath instead the inconsiderate bast**d :wink:

2 Likes

Thanks all - appreciate the feedback

I’ve tried losing the Tacima and going straight into the wall and it made no difference. Issue being I’ve not got enough sockets in that location for the naim gear and turntable/TTPSU so I’m more using it just as a ‘good quality’ 6 way block

Not sure it bothers me enough to spend 3 grand on a Russ Andrews mains conditioner (eye watering!!) so I’ll give the folks at Airlinks a shout…

I guess the flatcap might help maybe? £900 for an empty box I hear folk say!!

Next step is to flick the breakers off at the consumer unit one at a time and see if I can narrow it down that way

Disturbing HiFiman just to shower? Doesn’t he know the problems he’s causing? I’d notify the council immediately…!

I would do this first.

A Flatcap won’t do anything as it only powers the pre-amp section, the power amp section still needs the humming transformer powered.

Because the buzz/hum appears to be in your house only thats were the trouble is & it looks like you have got that in focus.
It might be DC on the mains, this is normally because you have something powered on that is running a half wave bridge rectifier. It might be because your property has a supply voltage that at the top end of the nominal voltage range.
I suffered from both of these…

My transformer hum changed tone & volume on odd occasions & at certain times of day & as an electrical engineer I understood exactly what was going on, tracking down the culprit was another matter. I turned everything off in the house & it did not change anything, so I was pretty confident it was from outside.
I made a DC filter (another story altogether) & that stopped the intermittent hum tone changes, but not the low level hum.
Regarding your thoughts on a mains conditioner, my advice is not to - lots of forum threads on why not - unless it is clearly only a DC filter.
My ‘culprit’ was a nieghbour who had a hobby restoring vintage cars & had a workshop (green with envy & admiration) included welders & paint spray equipment. He moved a while back & that fixed the DC problem, but my Supernait & NAT-05 still hums (quietly).

My power supply is normally around the 249 to 250 volt mark - the UK nominal voltage is 230v & has a tolerance range of 216.2 to 253.0 volts.
I’ve tested the humming Supernait in another property on 235 to 240 volts & it doesn’t hum, so my problem is high voltage & its something I have to live with
… or move house. .