I live here in Nevada and have a constant problem with static discharge and I have thought of putting down a discharge mat in front of my equipment rack with the hope that I can discharge the static to ground before I touch any of my components. If anyone would care to chime in on this I think we all could gain something from this ongoing issue.
Can Static Destroy Electronics?
The Story —
I had been listening to records all night, no issues. I put on an album by Junip, brushed the album with my anti static brush, and went to lift the tone arm by the tone arm lift when I heard a loud static pop. Volume was about 30% up. After which, there is no sound in my right channel.
I think the issue is at the output of the phono preamp, because:
- When I switch the L and R input cables at the phono preamp, the left speaker still plays (the R signal stuff), and the right speaker stays silent (meaning the right input must be working)
- When I switch the L and R phono preamp output cables, the right speaker plays the L signal, and the left speaker is silent (meaning the right channel all the way up the chain from the speaker through the signal is working)
So...did static electricity blow my right phono output?
*System*
Thiel 3.6
Mccormack DNA-1
Mccormack ALD-1
Dynavector P-75
Technics SL-1200 mkII
Dynavector 10x5
I had been listening to records all night, no issues. I put on an album by Junip, brushed the album with my anti static brush, and went to lift the tone arm by the tone arm lift when I heard a loud static pop. Volume was about 30% up. After which, there is no sound in my right channel.
I think the issue is at the output of the phono preamp, because:
- When I switch the L and R input cables at the phono preamp, the left speaker still plays (the R signal stuff), and the right speaker stays silent (meaning the right input must be working)
- When I switch the L and R phono preamp output cables, the right speaker plays the L signal, and the left speaker is silent (meaning the right channel all the way up the chain from the speaker through the signal is working)
So...did static electricity blow my right phono output?
*System*
Thiel 3.6
Mccormack DNA-1
Mccormack ALD-1
Dynavector P-75
Technics SL-1200 mkII
Dynavector 10x5
- ...
- 35 posts total
ESD mats generally have two wire connections, one from the mat to earth ground such as the screw that holds a wall outlet plate, and the other is a conductive wrist strap that grounds you to the matt/ to the wall plate. If you put a matt down on the ground/carpet that is grounded (to the wall plate) and you are wearing shoes that are not conductive - its not going to work. Either you are barefoot, or your shoes have to be conductive to provide a ground path for you. You could instead use a touch pad such as the following -
Amazon.com: Anti-Static Touch Pad Touch Pad & Grounding Cord: Home & Kitchen. FWIW, I use an ESD pad for my table platter mat - but its not for grounding me (but if I touch my metal platter it will ground me), and if you are interested the details are here with discussion and links for reports/test on record static http://www.vpiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=17186#p65882 |
- 35 posts total