AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140

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avahifi

AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $140
« on: 20 Feb 2013, 10:07 pm »
We can build the AVA HumDinger (DC hum blocker now).  Give us a call at 651-330-9871 if you want one.

The unit has:  IEC 3 conductor AC socket in and power cord, two x 3 conductor standard AC sockets out.  10 amp slow blow fuse on the incoming AC line.  Size is 6" x 2.5" x 4.5" in heavy steel chassis with black powdercoat finish.

What it will do:

Block low level DC voltage sitting on your AC power line because of other devices on your line using power asymmetrically.  The low level DC tends to make toroid power transformers hum, but not limited to just toroids.

The HumDinger also has a transient surge absorber on its incoming hot circuit that will somewhat reduce turn on surge currents in your equipment, prolonging power switch and electronic component life.

Plug your power amplifier into one of its AC outlets, and your preamp or a AC terminal strip for the rest of your equipment into its other AC outlet and DC related hum will be dinged.

What the HumDinger will not do:

Provide RFI or line over voltage protection.  You need a dedicated suppressor for that, the simplest being an AC outlet strip designed for computer AC line protection.

Cure hum issues causes simply by a defective noisy power transformer or hum from your speakers caused by any number of grounding or system defect issues.

Note that the 10 amp slow blow fuse is provided as a very conservative first step with this product.  Under normal conditions the high current, high voltage internal diode bridges won't even get warm.  We can't run our system loud enough here with a Fet Valve 600R attached to heat the HumDinger up and don't blow the fuse then either.  Sustained very high current demands may get the HumDinger hot.  We recommend that only a single high power amplifier be connected and turned on at any given time.

The Humdinger is inexpensive, solidly made,  it works, and its available now.  The price for now is $140 plus $15 shipping.  Again, call us at 651-330-9871 and we will build you one promptly.  Standard AVA warranty and satisfaction guarantee applies.

Frank Van Alstine






« Last Edit: 25 Aug 2015, 02:21 pm by avahifi »

Mountain-ear

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #1 on: 21 Feb 2013, 02:09 am »
Can I have serial number 001?  Count me in!  My credit card info will be provided tomorrow AM.  :thumb:

Steve

aln

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #2 on: 21 Feb 2013, 01:04 pm »
Very Cool! Looks good as well.

mark funk

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #3 on: 21 Feb 2013, 05:01 pm »
Hay Frank, I was just going to order. How do I plug my amp in? ( ya, I know with two fingers and push  :lol:) My amp has a two conductor power cord not an IEC 3 conductor power cord?



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Mary

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #4 on: 21 Feb 2013, 05:26 pm »
Hi Mark,

The IEC end of the humdinger is for the power cord that we supply to plug into your wall.  The ac outlet end is for you to plug your amplifier into.

Mary

mark funk

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #5 on: 21 Feb 2013, 06:00 pm »
Hay Mary, Ya I got that but my amp has a two prong non grounded plug not a three prong grounded plug.


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Mary

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #6 on: 21 Feb 2013, 06:22 pm »
Mark,

Your 2 prong ac cord will fit into the ac outlet just like it fits into any 3 prong socket in your wall at home.

Mary

mark funk

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #7 on: 21 Feb 2013, 06:47 pm »
Ok, Think Mary, I well take one.




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mark funk

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #8 on: 21 Feb 2013, 07:08 pm »
Oh Mountain-ear, sorry I order today but I told Mary I don't need #1  :lol:. Most likey there is someone eles before us any way :wink:


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orthobiz

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #9 on: 21 Feb 2013, 07:26 pm »
Mine is ordered. They are going fast!

Paul

JerryM

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #10 on: 21 Feb 2013, 09:24 pm »
Note that the 10 amp slow blow fuse is provided as a very conservative first step with this product.

So, just for fun; what's the highest amp-rated fuse you would suggest if going past the first few steps were to become necessary?  :D

It's always a pleasure to speak with Mary when calling your shop. The music in the background sounded very nice, too.  :thumb:

Have fun,

Jerry

avahifi

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #11 on: 21 Feb 2013, 10:23 pm »
First of all we are almost now sold out of our first small run of HumDinger chassis.  Only one left right now!

Second, regarding fuse size, obviously a 15 amp slow blow would be the absolute maximum on a home AC circuit.  If you often blow 10 amp slow blow fuses, I would suggest that you go no higher than a 12 amp slow blow fuse.  Check to see if the box is getting hot before increasing fuse size.  The diode bridges are very rugged, with a 25 ampere and 600V rating but the HumDinger chassis is not an infinite heat sink.  Proceed with some rationality please.

We are checking now with our sheet metal house for the lead time on more chassis and covers, at least the initial tooling is done and paid for.  The metal design is Wayner's work of course and everything fits perfectly as always.

Frank Van Alstine

Barry_NJ

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #12 on: 22 Feb 2013, 04:35 pm »
Wow, those went fast. I wish I could have pre-orderd as I'd wanted to, only saw this today...

Will there be another run produced?

oneinthepipe

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #13 on: 25 Feb 2013, 09:30 pm »
The metal design is Wayner's work of course and everything fits perfectly as always.

You da man, Wayner!  Should I get one?


orthobiz

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #14 on: 25 Feb 2013, 10:56 pm »
Mine mailed out today. I will report back on the mild amplifier hum I have now once I hook it up. If I'm lucky, I can post the first home user picture of the HumDinger in action!

Paul

Wayner

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #15 on: 25 Feb 2013, 11:14 pm »
You da man, Wayner!  Should I get one?

Yes! Good to hear from you Henry!!!!

Speedskater

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Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #16 on: 25 Feb 2013, 11:43 pm »
The only reason to get one is to solve the hum problem!  If you have a component that physically hums,  that is it's chassis is buzzing, then you might need one.  If the chassis doesn't buzz 24 by 7 but at about the same time every day, that's a good sign.  Note that at some location's it can be a problem 24 by 7. If it buzzes at your house but not at a distant friends house that could be a good sign.  If it's a legacy component designed for 110 or 115 Volts rather than the now common 120 or 125 Volt's.
What's happening is lots of new electric components create high harmonic distortion on the AC power line.  This distortion can create a DC off-set on the AC line.  Some component power transformers don't like DC off-set and physically buzz.

Speedskater

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  • Kevin
Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #17 on: 27 Feb 2013, 01:59 pm »
I never touched on the bigger problem.  If the DC offset causes the transformer's core to saturate, you will have a very unhappy amplifier.

Mountain-ear

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #18 on: 1 Mar 2013, 12:26 pm »
Got my HumDinger yesterday, and it works perfectly!  I hooked up the amp, and I actually had to look at the lighted switch to make sure it was getting power.  There was absolutely no noise coming from the amp.  To be clear, it didn't make much noise to begin with, but there was always a hum in the background.  I attributed that to the oversized transformer in my one-off Synergy 600 and assumed that was just the nature of the beast.  Now I know better.

At some point, incremental improvements become difficult to detect.  In this case, it was obvious.  I'm not going to suggest that the sound quality of the system improved, but the noise level in the listening environment certainly did, and that's a great return on my $125 investment.

Thanks, Frank!  :thumb:

Steve 

MaxCast

Re: AVA HumDinger DC Blocker Available Now! $125
« Reply #19 on: 1 Mar 2013, 04:34 pm »
Wow, those went fast. I wish I could have pre-orderd as I'd wanted to, only saw this today...

Will there be another run produced?

Ya, me too  :D