2. amps-preamps
  3. 1432666396

Pre-amp causing loud hiss from speakers

I have a BAT VK3i with Quicksilver Horn mono-blocks and Klipsch LaScala's. This setup is dead quiet, however when I recently hooked up Rogue Audio M-180 mono-blocks there was a loud hiss coming from the speakers well past the listening spot. This noise was constant even with the volume down to zero and occurred with either balanced or rca connectors.

When I took the BAT out of the equation there was now only a faint hiss coming from speakers but one had to put your ear to it to hear it. After disconnecting all components from the BAT and putting it back in - the noise returns. I tried a Conrad Johnson Classic and there was no noise.

So does anyone have any ideas as to why the BAK and Rogue Audios amps do not play nice together?

Thanks
deadlift
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"BTW, FWIW, cabling, wires, cords, connectors., etc can have an effect on tone and clarity, but they do not create or reduce 'hiss'."

Yes they can and I can show you any time on my own system. Any time you start fooling with balanced and SE components and cables you can make a mistake and end up with a noise.
Post removed 
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
I agree Viridian. Tube electronics today used more to please the child inside adult.
newbee
4,795 posts
 
Veridan, Excellent observation, I missed that.

Zd542, I realize that there can be line noise on single ended connections that may be eliminated using a balanced
system and cable, especially in long runs. But this conversation was not about line noise, it was about 'hiss' originating in the pre-amp which is going to persist when passed on to the amp without change because of cabling and/or connectors. That is my experience. Your comments, without specificity anyway, baffle me, but I'm open to hearing about your experience when you encountered this issue in the past. And the techie stuff to explain it if you are aware. Thanks.............Perhaps we can all learn something.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"This noise was constant even with the volume down to zero and occurred with either balanced or rca connectors."

The OP referred to the problem as a constant noise in the above quote. To me, that sounds like the problem may be something other than a hiss. Sometimes these type of problems are hard to explain in words, and that's why I recommended the OP check his cables.

"That is my experience. Your comments, without specificity anyway, baffle me, but I'm open to hearing about your experience when you encountered this issue in the past. And the techie stuff to explain it if you are aware. Thanks.............Perhaps we can all learn something."

Heres a specific example of a noise caused by improper cable selection in one of my systems. I have an Ayre V-5 which is balanced and a CJ Premiere 18 preamp that is SE. Sometimes I put the CJ in the system with the Ayre. If I use SE cables, I get a constant noise. When I use balanced cable, I don't get a noise. Just to be clear, the sound is a noise, not a hiss.

In my other system, I have a pair of Wilson's that are pretty efficient (94 is I remember correctly). I use a Wadia CD player going directly to the amp. In this system, I can get a hiss related to too much gain using the factory setting on my Wadia. In order to get rid of it, I need to go inside and lower the global gain with the dip switches Wadia puts there just for this purpose.

And that's it. Either way, noise or hiss, its just something I need to be aware of and know how to deal with it. As far as the techie stuff as to why this happens, I really don't know. I'm able to fix the problem and that's my main concern.
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