Stupid question about preamp, and amps?

[Hetfield]

Could be inherent noise even in a Parasound amp. Is it a buzz or more a hiss? You could switch rca cables but unless they're faulty not likely the cause. You have no other rca cables to try and switch with? I've got a bag full usually or can make one in a pinch....

Do your Parasound amps have adjustable gain?

I guess a buzz, it's pretty faint but I can hear it and it will annoy me. It certainly wasn't there before and now it is. The amp on the back does have individual volume channel controls but Parasound suggests leaving then turned all the way up and adjusting channels from the receiver or processor.

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[lovinthehd]

I guess a buzz, it's pretty faint but I can hear it and it will annoy me. It certainly wasn't there before and now it is. The amp on the back does have individual volume channel controls but Parasound suggests leaving then turned all the way up and adjusting channels from the receiver or processor.

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It could be a bit of ground loop hum with an additional amp, might try a cheater plug to see if that makes it go away. You might also turn down the gain on the amps until the noise goes away and see if you still get acceptable output, that may also reduce the noise to an acceptable level.

 

[Hetfield]

It could be a bit of ground loop hum with an additional amp, might try a cheater plug to see if that makes it go away. You might also turn down the gain on the amps until the noise goes away and see if you still get acceptable output, that may also reduce the noise to an acceptable level.

And ground hum is typically caused by what? It's not over there top but it will annoy me because it should be absolutely quiet when there is no sound. Do you think it has anything to do with the Yamaha amp and the pre out voltage thing?

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[Hetfield]

Yeah it's annoying me already. I won't be able to take his for more than a day. A buzzing like that ruins the experience.

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[lovinthehd]

And ground hum is typically caused by what? It's not over there top but it will annoy me because it should be absolutely quiet when there is no sound. Do you think it has anything to do with the Yamaha amp and the pre out voltage thing?

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Try this https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ground+loop+hum+site:audioholics.com&t=h_&atb=v60-5_a&ia=web

Could be the gain structure. Did you try lowering the gain on the amps yet to see what effect that has? What's the sensitivity of the Parasound thing?

 

[Pogre]

Try this https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ground+loop+hum+site:audioholics.com&t=h_&atb=v60-5_a&ia=web

Could be the gain structure. Did you try lowering the gain on the amps yet to see what effect that has? What's the sensitivity of the Parasound thing?

That's what I was thinking. Turn the gain down and try it. If the buzz goes away and it still hits the spl, problem solved, and it only takes a couple of seconds?

 

[Hetfield]

I'll have to try that tomorrow but in general I shouldn't have to turn down the gain on the receiver. I understand that may work but I shouldn't need to do that. The input sensitivity is 1 V for 28.28 V THX reference level 1.2 V for full output. I have no idea what that mumbo jumbo means but I guess maybe you guys do?

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[lovinthehd]

I'll have to try that tomorrow but in general I shouldn't have to turn down the gain on the receiver. I understand that may work but I shouldn't need to do that. The input sensitivity is 1 V for 28.28 V THX reference level 1.2 V for full output. I have no idea what that mumbo jumbo means but I guess maybe you guys do?

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I didn't say to turn down the avr output level, I said adjust the gain level on the amp. Could well be a ground loop hum. Does the amp have level/clipping indicators? If you can get the amp to clip your output from the avr is sufficient. An advantage of an avr with its own amp is you don't have to screw around with gain structure, it's already done for you with perhaps some tweaking of source level. Separates are not necessarily better.

 

[Hetfield]

I didn't say to turn down the avr output level, I said adjust the gain level on the amp. Could well be a ground loop hum. Does the amp have level/clipping indicators? If you can get the amp to clip your output from the avr is sufficient. An advantage of an avr with its own amp is you don't have to screw around with gain structure, it's already done for you with perhaps some tweaking of source level. Separates are not necessarily better.

Yeah I know what your saying, turn down the gain on the back of the amp itself. There are volume or gain knobs for each 5 channels on the back. Parasound recommends leaving it at 100% and adjusting from the receiver itself. This amp aside from the buzz issue sounds incredible and I haven't even run YPAO yet. I'll do that tomorrow. I'll stop by a home theater dealer nearby tomorrow to see what they say. Maybe they'll give me some idea.

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[Hetfield]

I never ever said separates are always better or even better. I'm not going down that road. I don't care what anyone does, this is the direction I wanted to go but I completely understand people using receivers instead. It's so much easier, less to hook up, and if course less to go wrong, less to no troubleshooting. I fully understand why people don't go with separates. It's something I wanted to do but it ain't for everyone.

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[lovinthehd]

Yeah I know what your saying, turn down the gain on the back of the amp itself. There are volume or gain knobs for each 5 channels on the back. Parasound recommends leaving it at 100% and adjusting from the receiver itself. This amp aside from the buzz issue sounds incredible and I haven't even run YPAO yet. I'll do that tomorrow. I'll stop by a home theater dealer nearby tomorrow to see what they say. Maybe they'll give me some idea.

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I remember what you said the Parasound recommendation was. Try not following it to see what happens is what I'm suggesting. YPAO won't adjust the gain structure.

 

[lovinthehd]

I never ever said separates are always better or even better. I'm not going down that road. I don't care what anyone does, this is the direction I wanted to go but I completely understand people using receivers instead. It's so much easier, less to hook up, and if course less to go wrong, less to no troubleshooting. I fully understand why people don't go with separates. It's something I wanted to do but it ain't for everyone.

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Wasn't you that ranted about separates being better? Must be my old man memory. You want to learn about gain structure? Try Wayne's article http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-receivers-processors-amps/35677-gain-structure-home-theater-getting-most-pro-audio-equipment-your-system.html

I have both avrs and separate 2ch gear. I use the avrs for more options generally, they both work fine.

 

[Pogre]

Yeah I know what your saying, turn down the gain on the back of the amp itself. There are volume or gain knobs for each 5 channels on the back. Parasound recommends leaving it at 100% and adjusting from the receiver itself. This amp aside from the buzz issue sounds incredible and I haven't even run YPAO yet. I'll do that tomorrow. I'll stop by a home theater dealer nearby tomorrow to see what they say. Maybe they'll give me some idea.

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Did you try turning the knob yet? Regardless of what Parasound recommends if you're hitting high, ear bleeding spl with no distortion and the gain is at half, what does it matter if it solves the issue?

 

[Hetfield]

I remember what you said the Parasound recommendation was. Try not following it to see what happens is what I'm suggesting. YPAO won't adjust the gain structure.

Ok. I'll turn it down tomorrow when I have the house to myself after work for a few hours. Wife here and kid running around (where do they get the energy!). Will the buzzing harm the speakers at all?

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[Hetfield]

Wasn't you that ranted about separates being better? Must be my old man memory. You want to learn about gain structure? Try Wayne's article http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-receivers-processors-amps/35677-gain-structure-home-theater-getting-most-pro-audio-equipment-your-system.html

I have both avrs and separate 2ch gear. I use the avrs for more options generally, they both work fine.

I didn't rant about separates being better. I did say I don't like what is going on with the amp sections of receivers right now because they need more processing power. Just my opinion, I don't like it.

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[Pogre]

I didn't rant about separates being better. I did say I don't like what is going on with the amp sections of receivers right now because they need more processing power. Just my opinion, I don't like it.

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Me either, but what a good way to get a great pre that has all the features without breaking the bank!

Okay, okay... I'll leave you alone. I do not have a problem with separates and if I were rich I'd probably have something ridiculous in separates. Full blown everything!

I bought my current avr making sure it had a full set of preouts for future amplification though and I think I'm set for a good long time now. IMO that's the way to go. I totally get "I want". I struggle with it all the time, but I'll fully admit it and not look for reasons to justify...

 

[Hetfield]

I'm too tired to do anything else tonight. I'm gonna call Parasound tomorrow and then an HT dealer nearby that maybe can give me some ideas.

 

[Pogre]

I'm too tired to do anything else tonight. I'm gonna call Parasound tomorrow and then an HT dealer nearby that maybe can give me some ideas.

Sure, and like I said, I don't think there's anything "wrong" with separates if you really want to go that route. Personally I'd love to have some nice, heavy, pretty metal boxes with glowing dials and "McIntosh" stamped on the front. For now I think I made the right choice considering my budget constraints. Let us know what you find out at the dealer.

 

[Hetfield]

Sure, and like I said, I don't think there's anything "wrong" with separates if you really want to go that route. Personally I'd love to have some nice, heavy, pretty metal boxes with glowing dials and "McIntosh" stamped on the front. For now I think I made the right choice considering my budget constraints. Let us know what you find out at the dealer.

But you don't need crazy expensive McIntosh stuff. You can get inexpensive Outlaw audio or Emotiva separates that I would say sound really great. Separates are not out of reach for anyone anymore. Again to reach there own, I don't care which way anymore goes. I'll be bet happy going in this direction after I get rid of this dam buzz! This amp sounds incredible! Oh my god it's amazing.

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[Pogre]

But you don't need crazy expensive McIntosh stuff. You can get inexpensive Outlaw audio or Emotiva separates that I would say sound really great. Separates are not out of reach for anyone anymore. Again to reach there own, I don't care which way anymore goes. I'll be bet happy going in this direction after I get rid of this dam buzz! This amp sounds incredible! Oh my god it's amazing.

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I think you'll probably find turning that gain down a little might just clear it up.

What I've been looking at are Monoprice's Monolith amps. 2 channels (or up to 7 channels) at 200wpc. I wouldn't mind offloading the front 3 to this one and letting my receiver handle the 2 surrounds I have. It's on my short list for additional amplification if/when I get the money for it.

I just like the look of McIntosh. Like I said, I'd have to have stupid money to spend it on stuff like that.