Quick troubleshooting of my setup

Pycroft

Hi all...

I have a problem that I noticed (See my setup in my sig). While playing a CD, I had was missing a part that I knew was there. Both speakers are playing. When I play wiht the balance button and turn it all the way to the left speaker, both speakers stop playing, when I turn the balance to the right, both speakers play. I'm not sure if this is a hookup issue. Any troubleshooting ideas?

Thanks,

James

Conradicles

Do you mean your 2-channel system? (Just making sure)

PerfectCreature

My receiver is the same way.
The balance is way off. So is my treble... I just put it where is kind of sticks.... and leave it.

Pycroft

Yes, my 2 channel setup with the SDA's and the Sheng Xiang preamp.

James

Pycroft

Bumping to the top with some new info. I thought the issue may be the speakers, but I have new speakers plugged in, and SAME issue. Turn balance to the left, no sound from either speaker, when balance to the center or all the way to the right, sound from both speakers. When listening to Queen, 'Bohemian Rhapsody', it often goes from speaker to speaker, and parts are missing. I'm guessing it's my preamp? it's a tube preamp...is there something I need to check? What do I do? Thanks

James

Edit: Also, should I NOT listen? Is there anyway this problem can possibly damage speakers?

quadzilla

Try plugging an ipod or something directly into the amp and see if you have the same problem. If it goes away, then plug the pre back in and try a different input. It sounds like both outs are being fed by a single channel. Hard to say where the fault may lie, but you're going to have to trace it through the system and see where the break down is.

TECHNOKID

quadzilla wrote: »

Try plugging an ipod or something directly into the amp and see if you have the same problem. If it goes away, then plug the pre back in and try a different input. It sounds like both outs are being fed by a single channel. Hard to say where the fault may lie, but you're going to have to trace it through the system and see where the break down is.

+1, you have to isolate the pre an the amp. I do not see the fault coming from the speakers but it can be from either the pre, the amp or any other gear that is connected in the chain. As pointed out, try an Ipod, a CDP or DVD player directly to the amp and see if the problem remains.

Pycroft

Right now, the setup is very simple. The Carver amp is attached to the preamp, a sony SACD player is connected to the preamp, and the speakers are connected to the amp. I'm not sure what you mean by connect an IPOD directly to the amp? I don't have an IPod dock that will connect to the preamp. Is there something else I can do? Would a tuner work?

James

TECHNOKID

Pycroft wrote: »

Right now, the setup is very simple. The Carver amp is attached to the preamp, a sony SACD player is connected to the preamp, and the speakers are connected to the amp. I'm not sure what you mean by connect an IPOD directly to the amp? I don't have an IPod dock that will connect to the preamp. Is there something else I can do? Would a tuner work?

James

Yes, a tuner is some you can use. Your goal is to bypass any of your gear going into the amp and use an known working audio source to the amp. If the problem remains, it is related to the amp. If the problem goes away then it more likely be related to your pre-amp. The key to properly troubleshoot your gear is to isolate each piece of gear and test them with known working gear.

Good luck!
TK

Pycroft

WELL...When I switched my IC's around from the amp to the preamp, the problem switches...

Left balance plays both speakers, right balance plays nothing, so I'm guessing it's a bad IC? If so, that's a good problem

James

Conradicles

Sounds to me like your pre-amp has issues. Turn your amp down really low, and hook the CD player directly into the amp inputs and push play. If it sounds good, you know the problem will be the pre.

Pycroft

A little nervous about this. I thought you NEEDED to plug something into a preamp for it to play? I can plug the speakers AND the CD Player into the amp and it will play? What processes the sound?

Also, if it does, how will I even know if there is a problem. Again, when the balance is in the middle on the preamp, both speakers play, I just miss some content...but most of the time I hear everything.

Thanks for the continued help.

James

Pycroft

F&$*@($ IDIOT!

I had the amp on 'mono' instead of 'stereo'. Problem solved

Sorry, and thanks to all!

*Smacking myself in the head*

James

Conradicles

Mono would have killed the SDA effect!!!

quadzilla

heh.... it happens to most of us. Glad you found the problem.

TECHNOKID

Pycroft wrote: »

A little nervous about this. I thought you NEEDED to plug something into a preamp for it to play? I can plug the speakers AND the CD Player into the amp and it will play? What processes the sound?

Also, if it does, how will I even know if there is a problem. Again, when the balance is in the middle on the preamp, both speakers play, I just miss some content...but most of the time I hear everything.

Thanks for the continued help.

James

The idea was to isolate your amp and speakers (taking the pre out of the circuit) thus allowing you to see if the problem was coming from the pre or the other gear. There is NO worry about connecting straight to the amp as the preamp is simply a glorified switch (selecting your devices and ajusting volume at the pre stage). The only thing that would have happened with an amp that requires a pre is potential noize in the audio but this doesn't harm your amp or speakers and allow you to isolate the faulty gear.

Pycroft wrote: »

F&$*@($ IDIOT!

I had the amp on 'mono' instead of 'stereo'. Problem solved

Sorry, and thanks to all!

*Smacking myself in the head*

James

Great, better a human error than having to get any of the gear repaired

When I play wiht the balance button and turn it all the way to the left speaker, both speakers stop playing, when I turn the balance to the right, both speakers play

Check your manual as if I am not mistaking most gear tells you to use the left side if you select mono. According to your statement that would mean some interconnects would be swapped around.

Cheers!
TK