New recievers, new problems... (1 Viewer)

[Rob Tenniswood]

First off, I just wanna thank everyone that helped me out in picking out the various parts for my mini-HT. THANKS! HTF rocks hard!

I got my new reciever (Yamaha HTR-5540) last week. Since then, my speakers (Axiom M40ti) have been buzzing when I turn them up loud. How can I make the buzzing stop. Currently, they're wired with 18ga. (I think...) wire (the same stuff that the store was using when I got them - they sounded fine there). I've got about 15mm. of wire exposed to go into the speakers and reciever. No banana plugs.

Also, my speakers also sound a little hollow. Any idea how I might go about fixing this?

Thanks ladies and germs,
Rob.

 

[John Garcia]

I would get a larger ga. wire, 16 would be fine, but 14 or 12 would be a bit better.

The "hollow" sound could be many things. One could be that the Yamaha is underpowered for those speakers. Another could be simply that is the way this particular Yamaha sounds. I am not a huge fan of most of the Yamahas that I've heard.

 

[Rob Tenniswood]

Aw man, I really hope that it's not the reciever! I just got it! Yhargh

 

[Bob McElfresh]

The Yamaha should be fine for those speakers (assuming it's not a defective unit).

Make sure your speaker wires are physically separated from your power cords. This buzz could be the 60 hz humm from the power cords.

Try disconnecting all but the center speaker. Turn it up. Does it buzz? Switch to the CD input, do NOT play a CD. Do you hear the buzz?

 

[Rob Tenniswood]

Bob - you are a (HT) God! It appears to have been that the speaker wire was too close to the power cable. Thanks again!

-Rob

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Glad I could help.

One suggestion: put the receiver on the BOTTOM of your rack. This allows the speaker wires to flow out without obscuring/interfearing with the other cables.

Bundle the power codes to the side, then let the interconnects flow down the center - loosly bundled if you want with velcro ties.

This layout tends to make cable management easier and reduce the chance of interference.

 

[John Garcia]

Glad your solution was simple.
I use that split-flex plastic tubing to route my cables. One for audio signal wires, one for power cables, and I let the video cables do what they want.