2. amps-preamps
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Help with hiss

Hello Friends,

My speakers have developed an audible hiss that I am trying to chase down. The hiss can be heard from across the room and while music is being played. Sometimes, the hiss is pulsating and sometimes constant. It occurs at all hours, perhaps less so in the early morning. Sometimes there is no hiss at all and everything is silent. It is an intermittent issue that is unpredictable.

My speakers are powered by mono block amplifiers. Both speakers exhibit the exact same behavior. The monos are plugged directly into the wall outlet. I also plugged them into a PS Audio AV Power Center with no relief. I changed power cords with no relief. No other piece of gear is on, although all are plugged in and some are in standby. I turned one mono off of course stopping the hiss in that speaker. The other continued to hiss. In reverse, same result.

This is not a “hum” (like from a ground loop). It is the same hiss that you can hear with your ear next to the tweeter but much louder.

I’m happy to answer any questions at all to help me resolve this. Thank you in advance.

 

forestg

Showing 1 response by odysseyaudio

odysseyaudio
13 posts
 

OK..have some answers here....

 

first off,  apologies for the delays,  but I also have always been upfront with the timing...we are hammered !!!and no,  of course I'm not sending back units with the exact same problem,  that's bs.  however,  when I change or upgrade amplifiers and put them both,  in my own system and on the bench,  and they a behave perfectly,  then they'll go out.  However,  when you get the same units in your system and then they misbehave then obviously something somewhere makes them go off the rails.....now,  there is a simple way to check what kind of hiss or hum is going on:  if it stays the same volume regardless of volume then it is AC  related (and approaching the proverbial needle in a haystack situation) and not inter-system problematic...also,  if there's something wrong with an amp...or a pre for that matter then the hum would be there constantly...there's no "muscle-memory"  that kicks in,  and thus a dead give-away for some environmental problems...on the  flip side,  yes,  some units,  i.e. power supplies are more susceptible to environs (halogen lamps,  fridges,  outside lights,  anything that neighbors have and do before you in the grid,  etc.)  than others,  and  oxymoronically,  bigger and higher grade power supplies act up easier...that's what I found on our and on other brands gear (on which I worked on for friends) as well.....go figure.

But then again,  there  are devices (humbusters etc.)  that will take care of situational problems....all I can say on my side is that if there is a problem,  stay on my ass...one way or the other I'll make it right............and I do take exception about the "excuses" thing...taking a lot of time, (sometimes my schedule,  other times parts availability, especially the past 2 years)    unfortunately possible,  but I'll never lie to you....at this point of writing,  I have 65 amps here for Kismet upgrades,  and more than half for the hyper power supply upgrades.  In addition to regular orders.....and we hand made over 7500 amps over the last 20 + years.  99 + %  of them without any problems...you never hear about them...and yup,  I mess up from time to time as well...sorry.

 

Hope that helps,  and just  get back with me,

 

Klaus

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