Advice on RFI with a new integrated amp


I need some assistance on my Exposure 2010S. The only input I am using is the cd player, but with volume turned all the way down, I am picking up radio signals. If I turn the dial to the moving coil phono setting, even though nothing is attached to it, I can hear radio pretty loudly.

The corner of the house where our stereo is in under the outside wires, and it sits right next to the terminal for our Verizon Fios -- not the most ideal location, but it
is the only option.

Using the CD pots on the amplifier, you can only hear the radio pretty faintly, when the volume pot is turned all the way down. If I am playing cds, you can't hear anything, but since when I switch to the phono/aux1 setting, as I mentioned, I am picking up radio signals, and
the volume is louder. From what I read (and hear), it appears that the phono pot (perhaps in cahoots with the moving coil phono stage) is acting as a antenna, and picking up signals, which are cross-talking
across the other inputs on the amp.

How would you recommend addressing this? I am currently considering
shorting terminators on the phono, and other output pots and found some terminators online (audiophilia article).

At first I thought it might be my changing the speaker cables, from very thick cables to the slimmer DMNs, but that would not explain why the RFI is louder at the phono input than any of the others.

Whatcha think? Does this make sense?

The other option would be RCA caps.

Thanks,

Marty
martyw
Well gentlemen,

Looks like the devil is still hanging around. I am trying out a new amp and new speaker cables (nait 5i and naca) and am still getting some RFI (can only hear it when 6 inches or so from the speaker). Is this normal? Could it be from the power cords? All my cables are bunched together behind our media cabinet as well...

Thanks -- Marty
Hi Marty,

Can you describe the sound of the "rfi." If it is just high frequency hiss, audible only within 6 inches of the speaker, it certainly may be normal and would not be uncommon. It could be low level noise intrinsically generated in the power amplifier, preamplifier, or (if it is volume control sensitive) in the source component. Or it could be due to pickup in interconnects, from power cords or from sources of rfi elsewhere within the house or external to it.

Best regards,
-- Al
Hi Al,

Exactly -- high frequency hiss, but with a beat. Since it clearly is not the amp or the interconnects, I will try swapping out the stock power cords.

Thanks again for all of your help!!