Is a hiss coming from speakers normal?

[sip]

I hear the hiss when I change the speakers from Athens ASB2 to Polk R30 and back. I can hear it only when I am very close to the speakers. I cannot hear it from the normal listening distance. Is this nornal? If not is this a problem with speakers or the receiver. My receiver is a Yamaha 5730s. All equipment are brand new. I followed an audio salesman suggestion and upgraded my speaker wire to Monster 16g wire but the hiss is still there. please help.

[bargainseeker]

I don't understand when you hear the hiss. Is it only on the Athena speakers and not on the Polk, or vice versa, or only for a short time right after you change speakers?

[Pat D]

I hear the hiss when I change the speakers from Athens ASB2 to Polk R30 and back. I can hear it only when I am very close to the speakers. I cannot hear it from the normal listening distance. Is this nornal? If not is this a problem with speakers or the receiver. My receiver is a Yamaha 5730s. All equipment are brand new. I followed an audio salesman suggestion and upgraded my speaker wire to Monster 16g wire but the hiss is still there. please help.

CD players, preamps, amps, receivers and other electronics in the signal path all produce a certain amount of electronic noise. I dare say you will find a spec for hum and noise (or signal to noise ratio) in your owner's manual. Now, some equipment is quieter than others, of course, but none are completely quiet. Anyway, if you have to get very close (like putting your ear near the tweeter) to hear the hiss, there is no problem. You wouldn't hear the hiss from your listening position at any normal volume setting. Actually, it appears your receiver is pretty quiet. Speakers with an extended high range can actually pass on that noise.

Your audio salesman is either ignorant or took an opportunity to sell you a high mark up item. The notion that a speaker cable would reduce the level of the hiss is pretty laughable.

[Lord_Magnepan]

Make sure that the Pre AMP outputs are shorted, that can cause hiss. I had to by XLR caps for my Krell cause otherwise it would his while using the RCA inputs.

-Flo

[sip]

Bargainseeker,

"I don't understand when you hear the hiss. Is it only on the Athena speakers and not on the Polk, or vice versa, or only for a short time right after you change speakers??

Sorry for my poor wording in the post. What I ment was I got a hiss when I hooked up the Polk R30 speakers. So I removed them and hooked up the Athenas. I still get the hiss. This may be nornal as I notice the hiss when I am very close to the speakers (not more than 6 inches). The hiss is always there. I don't really notice it at my normal hearing distance (about 5 feet from the speakers) but am concerned about this unncessary noise.

[bargainseeker]

Bargainseeker,

"I don't understand when you hear the hiss. Is it only on the Athena speakers and not on the Polk, or vice versa, or only for a short time right after you change speakers??

Sorry for my poor wording in the post. What I ment was I got a hiss when I hooked up the Polk R30 speakers. So I removed them and hooked up the Athenas. I still get the hiss. This may be nornal as I notice the hiss when I am very close to the speakers (not more than 6 inches). The hiss is always there. I don't really notice it at my normal hearing distance (about 5 feet from the speakers) but am concerned about this unncessary noise.

In that case, Pat D gave you an excellent explanation of the problem.

I would add one observation: What you are hearing is very typical of the performance of the cheapest, most entry level receivers in each company's product line. If you were to step up one or two steps with your receiver choice, this problem would be greatly reduced. That is one reason why I recommend to people that they get a factory refurbished higher level receiver rather than a brand new entry level receiver that costs the same money. Like this one, for example.

[Pat D]

In that case, Pat D gave you an excellent explanation of the problem.

I would add one observation: What you are hearing is very typical of the performance of the cheapest, most entry level receivers in each company's product line. If you were to step up one or two steps with your receiver choice, this problem would be greatly reduced. That is one reason why I recommend to people that they get a factory refurbished higher level receiver rather than a brand new entry level receiver that costs the same money. Like this one, for example.

The sensitivity of the speakers is a factor, too. I didn't mention this because it complicates the explanation. Some people with the more sensitive speakers like the bigger Klipsch ones (96-100 dB) find the hiss from their receiver or other electronics is audible. With my roughtly 85-86 dB insensitive speakers, the hiss is quite down in level (I don't use a receiver: the noisiest thing in the chain is usually my CDP). With my ear next to the tweeter, I can hear a little bit of hiss..

However, if the hiss is not aubible from the listening position at practical listening levels, then I don't see a real problem.