"Hiss" Problem (1 Viewer)

[Jay Foster]

I have what sounds to me like a "hiss" coming out of my speakers when I am playing a DVD. I can only hear it during the very quiet parts of a movie. Does anyone know what is causing the problem and how I can fix it. Thanks.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

What happens when you pause the DVD? Might just be background noise from the DVD soundtrack. Do you get the same amount of hiss from different movies? If you raise and lower the volume, does the volume of the hiss change?

 

[Jay Foster]

Kevin,

I'll check on this. I haven't noticed whether it is the same amount from different movies. I do know that if I raise and lower the volume, the volume of the hiss does change as you raise and lower it.

 

[John Garcia]

Hiss can come from a number of places. If you give a list of your gear and how you have it connected, it will probably help in diagnosing.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Let us know all that. If it's a hiss and not a hum, I have a suspicion, but I want to see what gear you have first.

 

[Jay Foster]

I can give a specific example now. In Spiderman 2, the very last scene where his girlfriend is in her wedding dress at his apartment. To me, it is definitely a hiss and not a hum. The hiss is prominent. I was playing the Spiderman movie loud.

My gear: I just bought Mirage speakers, Omni 250s, Omni CC, and Omni FX (although I noticed the hiss with my old speakers also). I have an older JVC receiver/amplifier powering them. Model Number RX-888V. I am using a Liteon DVD player.

My speakers are connected with 12 gauge copper wire and the amplifier and speakers have binding posts on them.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Ok, nothing stands out there. Because they are so efficient, sometimes Klipsch speakers with some amplifiers can have hiss problems. Try to see how different soundtracks sound. I have Mirage speakers myself, some OM some Omni series, and I know they probably aren't the culprit. Could be the JVC but I just don't know. How far out from the speakers can you hear the hiss. From where you sit?

 

[John Garcia]

There's a chance its in the recording, because if you don't notice all the time, it is just the amp amplifying background noise in the recording. Its just doing its job, and it amplifies the bad with the good.

If you have hiss when nothing is playing, that is a different story, and I'd suspect the JVC as well. The problem may be that the receiver is underpowered for the SPL that you are looking for. A more powerful amp will allow you to achieve the same SPL without turning the amp up to where you hear the hiss.

 

[Jay Foster]

Hi all,

I can hear the hiss from where I sit. I have not noticed if I can hear it when nothing is playing. I'll check that. When you play your dvds at high volume do you hear a hiss also?

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I'm not sure what you mean by high volume. I usually listen to movies at -15 dB to -10 dB (to reference). I don't hear any hiss except if I put my ear right up against the speaker.

Is the hiss different for different movies?

One thing you have to be careful of though, let's say you're watching a movie and you hear hiss. Then you pause the movie. Some receivers engage digital muting at that point, which might artificially get rid of the hiss.

 

[Jay Foster]

The hiss is the same for all movies. It almost sounds like an lp being played. You know the sound in between the songs on an lp? It sort of sounds like that. A salesman where I bought my Mirages says it may be my amp.

 

[frank manrique]

The hiss problem arises somewhere from your electronics...

How is your DVD connected to the receiver/amp/preamp components? I would try an optical Toslink cable to output digital sound between the DVD player and whatever you're using as pre/pro and amp (or receiver) and see (hear) if the hiss disapears or lessens in magnitude (most audio system produce an small amount hiss, but usually not noticeable until one gets very close to the speakers high frequency drivers or tweeters).

Also, keep all electronics connected to the same AC power source as much as possible. This will eliminate ground loops (ground loops introduce audible hum into the system).

Good luck on your quest...

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank...and am an SVS bassaholic..."

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Is there an easy way for you to try another receiver?

 

[Kevin. W]

I'd bet the problem is your receiver. Easy way to test it is to turn only the receiver on and see if the hiss occurs as you turn the volume up. Try different inputs on the receiver without a source turning the volume up and down for each input and see if you hear the hiss. Your speakers are very sensitive and will pickup any EMI/RFI the receiver is putting out. Just make sure you do not have the mute on and when you turn to the tuner input the volume is turned down.

Kevin

 

[Rick_Brown]

Have you by chance turned up the treble contol too high?

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Jay- Kevin W's test is a good one, just be sure that any digital muting is not engaged like I mentioned up in post 10. 'Course, depending on what the problem is, might not even matter.

 

[David S]

It almost sounds like an lp being played. You know the sound in between the songs on an lp? It sort of sounds like that.

Like what? My lp's are dead silent between songs, its those damn noisy cd's