A little bit of hiss is normal. You describe a buzz. A hum is not normal. Sometimes you get a sort of light buzzing noise from certain components,
but that shouldn't be coming through the speakers. I used to have a low level buzz in my system until I installed 20 amp dedicated circuits. Now, my system is stone silent, except if I put my ear up to the tweeters, I can hear a slight hiss. I guess the answer is -- you've got identify whether you've got normal hiss, a ground loop hum, or if one of your components -- your amps -- has a slight buzz. If the "buzz" is coming through the speaker, you could have a problem. My "buzz" wasn't coming through the speakers, but it bothered me -- and the dedicated circuits cured it. |
Do you have a second system? I had a very slight buzz in my system. I substituted one component at a time to find the culprit. In my case its was the CDP. |
Chan
Try lifting the ground on your CD player.
Also try unplugging your cable system. If you have a cable TV jack coming out of wall, unplug there. Cable TV has a "ground" that is different from the electrical ground of AC. Often it is the culprit in hum. If so, Mondial designs has a "Magic" box (I forget the exact name) that you connect between VCR or TV/cable box and the incoming cable line. Sells for around $100 (see www.amusicdirect.com; they used to sell).
Good luck. |
My guess also is it may be your cable tv connection.I had the same problem and unplugged the cable tv connection and the buzz went away.Another possible problem you could have is i/cs and sp.cables touch or crossing over each other creating a buzz. I had that one too. I re-routed my cables and solved that too....Good luck |
Chan
You can also swap speakers if you have another pair. The J-2001 are VERY revealing, so that may not work. But you could put the left speaker on right side and vice versa to see if the noise travels with the speaker. |
Thanks for all the responds. Actually, I don't have any cable jack in my listening room (the garage). No phone either. And when only the amp is on, if sitting 1 feet from speakers, you can slightly hear the hiss/buzz, especailly from the woofer.
When I turn on the preamp, and go for max volume, then the hiss and buzz become pretty loud that you can hear them from 3-4 feets away.
:( |
Terry, why would swaping speakers eliminate the buzz?? The buzz/hiss actually came out on both speakers and this happen even the ONLY amp is on. I tried some other speaker cables, still doesn't help. I brought the speakers and amps to another outlet, still doesn't help either. I then tried to put the audio note mono block (2nd system), the buzz still there.... :( |
Linkoping,
I know how frustrating this can be. I just had this problem when I changed preamps from an ARC to the TAD-150 by Bizzy Bee. I put a cheater on the preamp power cord and it went away. What kind of surge protection are you using. If monster, there were problems with some of the TAD-150;s . As soon as the surge protector was changed the problem went away. There are different kinds of isolation devices that you can get on audiogon. Tripp lite makes some good ones. If it is a 60HZ hum that is usually a ground loop problem. If higher pitch buzz maybe some component in your electronics is wearing out. If you have a turntable make sure that the ground is connected securely to the ground terminal on the pre. good luck!!!! Let us know how you solved the problem. May help some other people on this site.....
Eagleman |
Chan
Thought you had buzz in one speaker only. Ground loop is often louder in one speaker, not always though.
You had CJ amps before the Art Audio. Did you have a buzz with the CJ? If not, could be the transformers on the Art Audio or one of the tubes (possibly going bad). Low powered SET amps are often guilty of displaying audible hum or buzz. Won't mention brands in deference to the manufacturers, but it is not that uncommon.
Do you have another amp you can substitute? |
When you play music, can you still hear this "buzz" through the music?
Make sure you use the most pristine recording possible for your test.
Don't mistake "take hiss" from the original recording for the hiss you're hearing with only the amp connected.
You may just be hearing "hiss" from your speakers due to bringing raw current to them from your amplifier.
This is common and not necessarily a problem. In fact, the more sensitive your speakers, the louder that "hiss" with no music playing.
You can "clean" that hiss with dedicated circuits and AC Conditioning, but it is unlikely you will eliminate it.
If that hiss disappears when you play music with no hiss in it, it isn't a problem.
Also, listen from your listening position, not with your ears so close to the speakers. If you can't hear the hiss from your listening position with only your amplifier connected, I wouldn't worry about the hiss, but I would still consider dedicated circuits and/or AC Conditioning.
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Several of the above problems will cause a buzz; cable TV connector, a bad tube on the amp or preamp (I'm not familiar w/ your models) or some other device on the same circuit that is emmiting "something" (EMI/RFI). You say the listening room is in a garage. What other components/appliances do you have on the same circuit? Is the electrical wiring in the garage the same as the rest of your house (i.e.,not installed later)?
Also, is this a "new" problem? Did you not have this problem before with previous equipment in the same room? If not, did you introduce anything new into the system?
I know I'm asking a lot of questions but as I'm sure you know, it is a process of elimination. |
Other things that "buzz." Florescent lighting, dimmers, refrigerators. |
