What the Ffffff.... Odd Varimu observation.

[Sammas]

Today I discovered that if I slam my manley varimu with a hot drum signal and crank up the input knob I can actually hear some of the signal bleeding from the rack unit itself...


...like, not through the speakers hearing it. The varimu itself is generating audible sound! I noticed it after muting the channel.

What the heck is it? It is hugely high passed, and only very faint. Originally I thought it might have been the meters, but it isn't... the compression isn't anywhere near snappy enough to jerk the meters around that quickly.

[mylesgm]

I bet it's the valves.

[Sammas]

yeah, you are probably right Myles...

I still find it odd/slightly amusing! The Varimu really does sing.

[dave01.cooper]

I've had this happen on my JLM 1290 pre too when i've sent a track to it, cranked the input & lowered output - you can actually hear a very soft high passed crackle of the signal eminating from the unit.

Thought nothing of it really as the lvl was SUPER loud if output even up 10%. Pre works fine in every other aspect too..
Would it be wrong to say that cranking the gain makes the input tranny act as a moving coiled speaker kind of thing that eminates some volume?
Or is that a completley ridiculous statement?

Cheers

[rob]

yes, all this is likely the windings on the transformers "singing"

I can also make VU's sing if I slam them hard enough

[Alistair]

I've heard it when trimming distortion in preamps as well- crank a high level test tone in and you can hear it coming out of the transformers. Fun for about 5 seconds then you just wish the buggers would shut up!