Backround noise in speakers

laotzu61
laotzu61 Posts: 327
edited July 2013 in Electronics
what would cause backround noise (hiss) to come from the speakers when the preamp (hafler dh-110)
is turned on, but there is nothing playing? thanks.
"The symbol is not the reality"
Post edited by laotzu61 on
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited July 2013
    got an eq in the chain by chance?
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • laotzu61
    laotzu61 Posts: 327
    edited July 2013
    nope--got rid of that loooong time ago, gary; per your advice.
    "The symbol is not the reality"
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,567
    edited July 2013
    A slight hiss from the tweeter(s) when you are a few inches away from them is not unusual.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited July 2013
    laotzu61 wrote: »
    nope--got rid of that loooong time ago, gary; per your advice.

    ohh yeah I remember that now! lol
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited July 2013
    Is this a new issue?

    Does it happen regardless of the selected input?

    Can you hear it from your chair?

    Can you hear it during quiet passages in the music?

    Depending on the answers, it can be normal, or something has gone bad.
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  • laotzu61
    laotzu61 Posts: 327
    edited July 2013
    you can only hear it when you're close to the speakers, when there isn't a cd or lp playing.
    "The symbol is not the reality"
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited July 2013
    I would not worry about it unless its really really bothering you. Like Jesse said, that is fairly normal in my experience. For example.....my Infinity RSIIIa's with EMIT tweeters. When hooked up to a M504 and PL 3000 II preamp. I hear a 'little' hiss. Same speakers hooked to an Onkyo 6.1 AVR....dead quite. You are probably hearing that from you preamp I would think.


    EDIT: Does that preamp have tone controls? If so are they set flat when you hear the hiss? Does it have a pure direct mode? Not familiar with that preamp. I sorta always considered Hafler gear as pro gear. I am probably showing my inexperience saying that though.
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,967
    edited July 2013
    All good suggestions, I might add to check your cabling, clean all contacts. Do you have a power conditioner ?
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  • RamZet
    RamZet Posts: 792
    edited July 2013
    It may be coming from the Pre-amp or the Amp. If its a low hiss that may be "normal" for the gear you have. Try a line conditioner. If you have one try a ground lift at the end the conditioner.

    If the hiss is very low and you can only hear it coming from the tweeter with your head a foot or two away I would ignore it. that's not an issue. but if you can hear this hiss from sitting distance, its an issue.
    B&W CM9Classé Sigma
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  • Speedskater
    Speedskater Posts: 495
    edited July 2013
    Make a shorting plug out of a junk box RCA interconnect. Cut the interconnect to about a 6 inch length, strip the insulation from the center conductor and the shield. Twist the center & shield together. Connect this to the amp input. Does this hook-up have noise?
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2013
    You're probably just hearing the "noise floor" of your associated equipment, if it requires that get right up to the tweeter.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited July 2013
    My preamp does this at well, but I have to turn it up quite a bit without any music playing to hear it. It's normal in my preamp, and normal in a lot of other units depending on the design.
    Jake
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  • laotzu61
    laotzu61 Posts: 327
    edited July 2013
    thanks for all the info. I appreciate it.
    "The symbol is not the reality"
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