Hiss with Denon 3802 on Klipsch Reference (1 Viewer)

[Michael Marklund]

Hello all,

FWIW/$0.02, I just bought a 3802 last weekend. Have hooked up everything and run all sources through the system. I have no hiss on anything. After reading this thread I even went to cd and cranked the volume to max (no cd playing) and could not hear anything but a very faint amp(?) hum with my ear next to the midrange speaker. Turning volume down to reference, the amp(?) hum went away.

However, I do now have a video dropout(?) that cruises up my screen about once every 15-20seconds. Only happens on tv/cable, not on dvd. Note: dvd running through component video connection using monster video 3 cabling. Tv/cable connection is via S-video and a cheap cable. Could just be the cable, so this weekend I'm adding monster's video 3 S-video cable and HTS3500 power center. Hope this cleans up my dropout. Anyone getting this same dropout with the 3802?

p.s.-my cd is hooked up through analog connection, not optical and all my cables (except the noted s-video) are better or best level MonsterCable interconnects.

p.p.s.-a major league thank you to all at HTF for opening my eyes to calibration and spl meters. This was the first system I did calibration or used an spl meter and the difference was staggering!

Thanks,

MM

 

[KyleY]

Hi again...
Well, I have more conclusive results that allow me to definitely blame the problem on the 3802. I disconnected the 3802 from all components and speaker. I took the 3802 to a wall outlet separate from everything else. I plugged it in and one speaker (Klipsch RF3-II) and absolutely nothing else. Once again, as soon as I turned the volume from --- (off) to -70 (one notch up), I heard the hum. Like before, it got louder as I turned the volume up. To take it even further, I hooked up an old JBL bookshelf speaker and I got the exact same hum. I even used different speaker wires. Definitely a problem with the 3802! :frowning:
I'll be trying to get it serviced now. I didn't by it locally though (over the Net), but I did buy it from an authorized Denon distributor - 6ave.com. Hopefully I can get a local service center to service it... Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[John Royster]

Good troubleshooting, tell us how the replacement performs.

 

[KyleY]

FYI, I spoke with Denon technical support regarding this issue, and they seemed to think it was normal... I don't think that buying a MSRP $1,200 receiver and hearing hiss at -70 on the volume dial is normal myself. In a $200 receiver, maybe. :frowning: They claimed it was due to the speakers being very efficient (Klipsch and I also tried JBL).
They suggested I take it to a local service center and have it checked out. That's what I'm going to do, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the results. If it's bad and can be repaired, great. If it isn't "defective" I don't know if I'll keep it or send it back and get an entirely different receiver (maybe Sony? I want one with multi-room / multi-source capability). Later,
--Kyle

 

[KyleY]

Hey All,
Well, I'm pretty convinced that all or at least most receivers have the hiss I have been experiencing. I heard it in another Denon 3802 in a dealer's setup as well as a Pioneer Elite (worse in the Pioneer).
I ended up buying a Sony 5ES to directly compare to the Denon at home. The Sony's hiss was almost completely inaudible at the lowest volume setting while the Denon's could be heard easier. On the other hand, the Sony's hiss was way louder at max volume than the Denon's was at max volume. So, that didn't decide anything for me. I listened to some music and DVDs, and I couldn't tell a whole lot of difference between the two. The Denon did seem to have better separation of the music, and it seemed to be a little easier on the ears at the same volume. The Sony seemed to scream at me more. The differences were *not* big though.
When listening to DVDs (scenes from The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan), I tried the Studio Cinema B that others love. Neither stood out to me as much better than the other, but the Sony did some odd things - speech normally included in the center channel only was heard in the left / right front speakers. For some reason, that speech sounded a little mechanical (like a slight echo). That was the only big difference I noticed. When watching The Matrix, I preferred the Sony sound, but when watching Saving Private Ryan the Denon seemed to sound better to me. Sorry, I can't really describe the differences... :frowning:
Since I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two, didn't need the extra features of the Sony, and the hiss was present in both receivers, I decided to keep the Denon and save nearly $200. It would have been a toss-up, but the price difference made the choice easier. The Sony's remote is better, it's upgradable, has a 5 year warranty (vs Denon's 1 year), and the onscreen menus are much better. It also had a lot more controls (EQ, crossover frequencies, etc.), but I'm probably better off not messing with that anyway. At any rate, the Sony is clearly a more advanced receiver, but the actual sound wasn't much different from the Denon and seemed a little inferior in the music area...
BTW, I do plan to unplug everything from the house to see if that has anything to do with the hiss, but after hearing it in stores, I think it may just be normal. Later,
--Kyle

 

[Michael Marklund]

Kyle,

Have had my 3802 for 2 weeks now. Have not heard any hiss whatsoever. Can you tell me exactly what conditions/settings,mode your getting it from and I can try to duplicate it?

FWIW, I added a Monster hts3500 this weekend and all power cables are away from all interconnects. Also all cables are pretty heavily shielded on my setup. Sub is run on separate outlet w/ it's own protector and has a dedicated sub cable.

Don't know your connections or if you have any filters.

I too a/b'ed the Sony and easily picked the Denon. Didn't need extra room stuff and Denon was more articulate than the Sony, especially on bass.

Let me know if I can help on duplicating/isolating your prob.

MM

 

[RichardMA]

When people hear the word, "hiss" they should automatically

discount any "ground loop" or electrical interference

ideas. Those things cause hum, but not white-noise style

hissing. The unit is the cause, and if it's a real

bother (and it should be)because digital equipment that

works well has next to zero hiss when hooked up to speakers and played up to THX level, or around 85db for centre

channel voices. Beyond that, there can be hiss, but it's

unlikely you'd be playing equipment that loud.

I would return the unit if possible, and if it truly does

have this hiss as normal, I would look for something

else.

 

[KyleY]

Hi Michael,

The hissing has been easy to duplicate for me. You may want to read through this thread for more info. As noted, I hear the hiss at the first volume setting on the dial with my ear right up to the speaker. I can hear it even with nothing else connected to the receiver except for one speaker and the power outlet. Of course, I hear more hiss with CDs playing (CD hiss), but that seems to be completely normal.

If you want to test yours, do the exact same thing I'm doing. Perhaps the hiss isn't bad in yours, but I'd be surprised if you don't hear anything at all after doing the same procedure as me. Turn the volume all the way up and the hiss will likely get louder. Later,

--Kyle

 

[Michael Marklund]

Kyle,
Tried running through my system last night to find your hiss problem or get it to happen in mine. Guess I can't help too much b/c I cannot get any hiss at all. Even went out and bought an optical cable to see if using that input made a difference. None. My dvd is normally routed through the componenet video connectors and the rca's for audio. CD changer is straight analog also. As I noted in an ealier post, the only thing I can get is an amp(?) hum with no source selected and volume at max. This does not sound like your problem. All connections I tried last night and different modes yielded same result. No hiss.
When you said you connected the Denon to an outlet and one speaker only and got the hiss, did you have a source hooked up to it? Also, any chance your house wiring could be giving you AC line noise? My house is 6 months old and I'm running shielded/filtered everything. Barring possible AC noise (which I think would be more of a hum than hiss), it sounds like it's a bad unit.:frowning:
Of an odd note: when I was at the store a/b'ing the Sony 5es and the 3802, my salesman said he had an as new 3802 for $100 less that a guy had bought and traded in on the 5es. Wonder if that unit had the hiss???
Sorry I couldn't be of more help,
MM

 

[KyleY]

Hi Michael,

I had no source at all hooked up when testing. Just the receiver and the speaker. My house is about the same age as yours, so I wouldn't expect wiring to be a problem, but who knows... Maybe I should try that Monster HT Reference Clean Power Center. Most people seem to think I wouldn't be hearing hiss / static from that though. Well, if I ever get the problem isolated, I'll report back. Later,

--Kyle