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Power Cycling Mystery

I have a Meridian G68 that I use as a dac and preamp. I leave it on 24/7. Here's the mystery: When I power it off and then back on, it sounds better. I know that sounds crazy. Maybe I'm crazy. But I've noticed it a number of times over the last year.

I originally thought maybe it was heat. I turn it off, it cools down, I turn it back on, it sounds better. Hence it's the heat. But here's where it gets really weird...

If I power the G68 down and then turn it back on IMMEDIATELY, it still sounds better. So the change in sound can't be attributed to heat.

And it gets weirder...

The improvement lasts for WEEKS. Then, very gradually, things deteriorate. Eventually I notice a subtle harmonic distortion in the high frequencies and a general "haze" in imaging. So I power cycle the G68, and the distortion and haze go away. And things start all over again.

Is this even possible?

Bryon
bryoncunningham

Showing 1 response by hifihvn

hifihvn
943 posts
 
It could be a simple relay that is making a bad connection. When you cycle it off, it will clean itself and make a new connection, at turn on.

Another possibility is, somewhere in the circuit, there can be a bad connection. The inrush current (at turn on) can cause a little arc, and temporarily weld/solder the contact back together. This also can happen inside a semiconductor itself.
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