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Tweeter hiss?

Hi, I'm new to the world of hi-fi and audiogon and was hoping someone out there could help me.

When I have my amp turned on (an integrated) with the speakers connected, but not the CD player, I hear a hiss coming from the tweeters of both speakers. This is with the volume completely turned down. Is this normal? If I turn the volume up the noise increases. It's not very loud by any means - I need to be within a foot of the speaker to notice it. Is there something wrong with my amp or speakers? If music is playing then the hiss is covered by music. I am also unhappy with my systems general "brightness" and fatigue factor and I wonder if this is related to my hiss-tweeter problem.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
(Rotel integrated, B&W 601s3, audioquest cable)
tooter
bundee1
147 posts
 
FIrst finish breaking in the speakers, if the sound doesnt improve then replace the amp. Try a NAD 320bee, they seem to mate well with B&W. You can get one for under $400 new. Ive also seen creek 4330 mkII for about $400 used here on A'gon. The creek has a much darker tonal balance than the NAD but its a fine unit. I dont know how theyll pair with the B&W's. Also consider what kind of music you listen to. Some amps are better suited to classical and jazz rather than rock and dance.
gs5556
1,236 posts
 
Yup, it's an amp issue. Appears that your amp can work through the entire audio frequency. The hiss you're hearing is the high frequency artifacts. Normal - for good amps.
karls
332 posts
 
All electronics generate some level of "stochastic" noise, due to random electron movement. Some are better than others in this department, but it is not at all uncommon to be able to hear a "hiss" when you put your ears near the speakers. It has nothing at all to do with the speakers; it is generated by the powered circuits. That said, Rotel is not exactly the end-all for electronics, and should be your first upgrade. Your thoughts about trading up to a Creek or Classe or Bryston integrated are right on target.
cdc
1,810 posts
 
I don't get any hiss until my volume is at 11:00 or so. The hiss is the noise floor of your system. I agree it's your amp, doubt an NAD would be much, if any, better.
merganser
216 posts
 
It's your amp and it's fairly normal. Does the Rotel have a "Source Direct" switch? Often times, when you take all the control devices (except volume, of course) out of the loop, the hiss will go away.
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