the ratatatat sound came back.
again, it came when the system had been paused a few minutes. it only stopped when I turned off the receiver. (I turned on and off the amplifier, nothing happened)
there couldn't have possibly be any change in the system ... I paused it, went to pee, came back and then it started just when I came back.
it's like the cables or receiver is building up some kind of charge when paused.