Background Hiss

[zenpmd]

What is this and how can it be reduced or elimated? Why does it exist?

[mav52]

Here is a good basic article on that very subject

 

System Noise

[Speedskater]

Here is a good basic article on that very subject

 

System Noise

 

That web-site is a interesting mix of:

 

a] Really useful good stuff.

 

b] Fantasy.

 

c] Very dangerous stuff, like swapping wires on an AC power receptacle! (that's a Hot to Neutral ewap)

[mav52]

That web-site is a interesting mix of:

 

a] Really useful good stuff.

 

b] Fantasy.

 

c] Very dangerous stuff, like swapping wires on an AC power receptacle! (that's a Hot to Neutral ewap)

 

Didn't say it was preventative just info. The hiss is no doubt the speakers and their relationship with the amp

[esldude]

mav52 gave a pretty good article link in colloquial terms.

 

To give more info I guess we need more info. What speakers and amp are a good start. And do you hear this hiss continually when things are on or just when playing something?

 

And is it smooth hiss, or hum or a buzz?

 

In order to quantify it, you might put a multimeter if you have one across your speaker leads with the system on and idling. Measure what level of hiss you have in terms of AC voltage. It should be a pretty low number unless something upstream is dirtying up things.

[zenpmd]

I mean only when the music is playing, so it kinda seems like it is from the music recording itself

[esldude]

Is it present with all recordings or just some of them? Mainly what you need to know is the source of the hiss. Only then can you figure out if it is something that can be removed. If it is in the recording, not much you can do with it. If it is in some other equipment, then maybe.

 

Might not hurt to list your equipment to give us an idea where it might be coming from either.

 

Also which playback software are you using? Ran into that in a friend's system recently. Playback software was connecting to on board inputs, and mixing it with the music. Caused some noise in his system. Reconfigured it and the noise was gone.

[zenpmd]

It has been noticeable in the Neil Young Archive remasters, for example. And I thought they were supposed to sound great - which they do, but not the background noise.

 

Set up is a Nuforce HDP Dac and Headphone amp, Beyerdynamic 770 Phones

[esldude]

Don't have those Neil Young recordings. I do believe he insists on doing most of his work on reel tape. Listening with headphones I would imagine those would have tape hiss on them that would get noticed over headphones.

[mav52]

It has been noticeable in the Neil Young Archive remasters, for example. And I thought they were supposed to sound great - which they do, but not the background noise.

 

Set up is a Nuforce HDP Dac and Headphone amp, Beyerdynamic 770 Phones

 

Are you talking about NEIL YOUNG ARCHIVES VOLUME 1. I've got the CD's and just tried a disk on my system, no hiss at all and I also tried my headphones. I take it you are using the FLAC format and not a CD. Neil Young Archives Vol 1(8 CD)(rock)(flac)[rogercc] (download torrent) - TPB

[zenpmd]

Yes, thats it. Try listening to the beginning of Cowgirl in the Sand from Topanga 1

[esldude]

mav52 and zenpmd,

 

I sent both of you PM's on my guess as to what might be going on here.

[sandyk]

I would hope that he is listening to his own rip of the CD, and not a flac from some Internet DL made by persons unknown, and of unknown provenance, perhaps even coming from an MP3 ? I have listened to flac DLs like that from an unknown source,and if didn't already have other recordings by the same artist,and expected much better, I wouldn't have then purchased the genuine CD.

Alex

[mav52]

No hiss at all with that track...