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 3 responses by soix

Was it always this way or did it happen recently? Did you add any new appliances or light dimmers, etc. in the house or change anything else in your system?  This is a head scratcher and any audiophile’s nightmare, so I hope someone here can help you solve this.

Damn!  Does it still occur with listening at night?  Maybe it’s possible something outside your house but in your electrical grid has changed.  If it was me I’d try a balanced power conditioner (like Underwood Core Power or Equi=tech) or a power regenerator from PS Audio.  Other than that I got nuthin, but you’ve got my sincere sympathy and hope someone smarter than me here can help you figure it out. 

Wait.  You’re using a Mac laptop as your streaming source???  That’s awful.  Let’s do this — share your WHOLE system from soup to nuts and let’s attack this piece by piece.  The more we know, the more we can possibly help.  Now I’m thinking your streaming source could be part of the problem.  Tell us as much as you can about your system.  The more we know, the more your chances of getting help and finding a solution.  Pretty sure I speak for all here that we’d love to help you solve this infuriating problem, and there are a whole bunch of us here who’d like nothing more than to help you overcome this because we all feel your pain.  Help us help you.