Noise. Please help.

[sophie999]

Hello,

Sorry for the newbie question, but I am fairly new to this stuff.

I have a 5.1 setup (emotiva separate amp/processor, magnepan front and center, and polk floor standing surrounds. The polks are biwired and biamped. I use 11G wire. They amp/processor are both connected through the same 1000W UPS. I had this for a few years, but several months ago started having problems. One of my rear polks makes a loud hissing (mostly from the tweeter) noise. The noise varies from day to day, but mostly VERY loud (can be heard from another room), independent of the volume and input (TV, DVD...). A few times, the noise goes down to the point I can actually enjoy the music, but most of the time I cannot.

Can anyone guide me how to try to isolate the issue (is this speaker, amp, receiver, power outlets????) I did try to play with power outlets, hooking amp and receiver in separate outlets, and the results are random. Sometimes it makes things better, but next time it is worse.

I was trying to search around, but could not find a definite explanation or action plan.

Sincerely.

Sophie

 

[highfigh]

Hello,

Sorry for the newbie question, but I am fairly new to this stuff.

I have a 5.1 setup (emotiva separate amp/processor, magnepan front and center, and polk floor standing surrounds. The polks are biwired and biamped. I use 11G wire. They amp/processor are both connected through the same 1000W UPS. I had this for a few years, but several months ago started having problems. One of my rear polks makes a loud hissing (mostly from the tweeter) noise. The noise varies from day to day, but mostly VERY loud (can be heard from another room), independent of the volume and input (TV, DVD...). A few times, the noise goes down to the point I can actually enjoy the music, but most of the time I cannot.

Can anyone guide me how to try to isolate the issue (is this speaker, amp, receiver, power outlets????) I did try to play with power outlets, hooking amp and receiver in separate outlets, and the results are random. Sometimes it makes things better, but next time it is worse.

I was trying to search around, but could not find a definite explanation or action plan.

Sincerely.

Sophie

There is literally nothing that a power outlet can do to cause this kind of noise. For that matter, if there's no signal, it can't be the speaker, either. They only move when current flows through the voice coil. The amp, preamp and source, OTOH, are prime suspects. Start by turning the source off or disconnecting it from the input jacks. If the noise goes away, try that piece with another amp or receiver. If the noise is still there, you found the cause. If it stays, switch the preamp to a different input and connect the source to that. If it goes away, it could be the original input. If it happens on all inputs, try another receiver or preamp. If it always happens with any preamp or receiver and you have verified that the source isn't the cause, it's the power amp. The power amp can also make this noise with no other connections, so that's another test you should do- just the power amp and speakers connected.

You have 7 channels of amplification, right? Try using the channels that are powering the rear woofers. If it goes away, you'll know where the problem is.

 

[Seth=L]

The polks are biwired and biamped.

No they aren't, gottabe one or the other.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello,

Sorry for the newbie question, but I am fairly new to this stuff.

I have a 5.1 setup (emotiva separate amp/processor, magnepan front and center, and polk floor standing surrounds. The polks are biwired and biamped. I use 11G wire. They amp/processor are both connected through the same 1000W UPS. I had this for a few years, but several months ago started having problems. One of my rear polks makes a loud hissing (mostly from the tweeter) noise. The noise varies from day to day, but mostly VERY loud (can be heard from another room), independent of the volume and input (TV, DVD...). A few times, the noise goes down to the point I can actually enjoy the music, but most of the time I cannot.

Can anyone guide me how to try to isolate the issue (is this speaker, amp, receiver, power outlets????) I did try to play with power outlets, hooking amp and receiver in separate outlets, and the results are random. Sometimes it makes things better, but next time it is worse.

I was trying to search around, but could not find a definite explanation or action plan.

Sincerely.

Sophie

First of all simplify your system. Cut out the biamping/biwiring, or what ever it is you are doing. It unnecessarily complicates issues for no good reason.

Now trouble shoot by switching channels.

If the noise persists after getting rid of useless complication, then switch the rear speaker connections. The fault will change sides. Now switch the rear outputs from the rear connections from the processor. If the fault does not revert back to the opposite speaker, then the amp needs service. If it reverts back to the original side, then the processor needs service.

This fault is not something you will fix, you have a unit in need of service.