Not the famous American Motors auto, but the nagging crackling sound out of my studio reference monitors. After spending a small "king's ransom" on my new reference monitors for my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), I was plagued with a nagging crackling noise, even when not putting any signal through. Then I thought it through - common, ex-I.T. guy! It was the über-powerful WiFi modem. it was way too close and the onboard bi-amplifiers where getting some RFI. The relocating part was easy, but the physical was exhausting as I am still in shoulder recovery. It's amazing what you end up doing to adapt while in recovery. Oh, and the setup is quiet as a church mouse now.
Glad you solved it. I just happened to solve a gremlin of my own. For two years I have had chronic problems with many of my tube amps having a rattle or slight buzz. Only at higher volume, and certain frequencies. I swapped tubes, used dampers, removed cages, tightened screws, you name it. Not very loud, but very very annoying. Even sold a couple amps because of it. Noticed it happening last week with my small solid state Vox Pathfinder. WTF? How is that amp making a tube rattle sound? Wanna take a guess? Yep, its the amp stand I use at home, making that rattling sound. %$&#^%(!!*^!
Oh damn, that is brutal, but it’s a great feeling when you finally figure it out. I play with some friends about once a month and we always play at the same guy’s house. I’d get a strange rattle/buzz/jangle at his house that really sounded like it was coming straight out of my amp, but I couldn’t hear it at my house. I figured it had something to do with the higher volume I’m at there versus at home. He said “it’s probably the dirty power I have in this old house”. After hearing it for a couple of jam sessions and thinking it just made no sense, I finally figured it out. The rattle/buzz/jangle was coming from a banjo he had hanging on the wall behind where I set up!
I worked a long time designing medical laboratory equipment. The RFI requirements there are extremely stringent, both for emitting and receiving. The facility where we used to get our testing done was amazing. From the low-tech, like the main building, completely non-metallic, made of wood and fiberglass, to the very sensitive high-tech electronics gear around, there was always something interesting to look at. I especially got a kick from one tech, who liked to sweep up and down the frequency bands to see what interesting transmissions he could pick up. Military traffic, commercial air traffic, work radios, cell phones, there wasn't anybody saying anything for miles around that he couldn't hear.
A few weeks after I got my Tele I started hearing crackling and static while playing. Almost changed out the tubes on my Pro Sonic (Ugghh for a guy like me). Pick guard static. Easy remedy.
I had the exact same issue - rattling amp stand (one of those tripod tilt thingys). Moved my amp slightly on the stand and the rattle was gone.
What I find fascinating, is that my ripe ole age of 68, my hearing should be ****e, but apparently it isn't.
