A late follow through to this thread. I did unfortunately abandon the sphinx primarily because of the noise issue, I feel it is an otherwise competent unit but that level of noise was simply unacceptable, a sub $1000 NAD unit by comparison was practically silent. The sphinx comes in V.2 now and is described as having a lower noise floor, I wonder if this is a remedy to the hum/hiss of the original. I'd recommend the sphinx still but if an asymmetric hum/hiss concern you from speakers then I would check the level on the original version carefully.
How quiet is your Rogue Sphinx?
I have a new Rogue sphinx, I don't recall the unit I demoed to be especially noisy but I do find my unit to have some noise despite other owners describing the model as 'dead quiet'.
In both 'standby' and 'on' there is a quiet though audible hum coming from the right hand half of the unit (maybe I can hear it through the vent on the top). You need to put your ears pretty close to the unit though.
There is also a similar hum to be heard through the mid/bass unit, audible about 2 feet away. This is aside from the more common 'hiss' that is also present. Oddly if I turn my balance control left all the way, the hum becomes much louder through the right speaker only and can be heard about 10 feet away. If I turn the balance to the right the original hum in the left speaker actually decreases in volume!
I am used to speakers having a hiss but the question I ask is do any other sphinx owners notice this extra layer of hum/buzz that varies with the balance control in this way? Is your actual amplifier unit dead quiet or does it have a faint hum also?
Just trying to figure out if my unit operates typically or otherwise.
Thanks in advance.
In both 'standby' and 'on' there is a quiet though audible hum coming from the right hand half of the unit (maybe I can hear it through the vent on the top). You need to put your ears pretty close to the unit though.
There is also a similar hum to be heard through the mid/bass unit, audible about 2 feet away. This is aside from the more common 'hiss' that is also present. Oddly if I turn my balance control left all the way, the hum becomes much louder through the right speaker only and can be heard about 10 feet away. If I turn the balance to the right the original hum in the left speaker actually decreases in volume!
I am used to speakers having a hiss but the question I ask is do any other sphinx owners notice this extra layer of hum/buzz that varies with the balance control in this way? Is your actual amplifier unit dead quiet or does it have a faint hum also?
Just trying to figure out if my unit operates typically or otherwise.
Thanks in advance.
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- 62 posts total
- 62 posts total