Hiss/White Noise in Studio Monitors

C

Captain Whisky

New member
Couldn't really work out where to put this. I recently purchased the Yamaha HS7 Monitors and I've noticed some white noise/hiss coming out of the tweeters and a hum coming from below the speaker. I didn't really notice this before and wonder if something has suddenly happened to them? Is this normal? At sitting position you can notice that it's there but obviously as you get closer to the tweeter it's much more obvious. I have balanced cables so should I be getting any noise like this?

I have a sound clip here of me sitting far and then moving close to the tweeter, down to the speaker and then back up to the tweeter so you see what I mean. WORD OF WARNING THOUGH you'll need to turn up your volume and the next track on the playlist is very loud so be prepared for it!! Don't want anyone hurting their ears!! I should add that the volume control does not affect the noise and neither does plugging the connection to my audio interface! surely this can't be normal?

https://soundcloud.com/c-briggs-productions/monitor-noise-1

Would appreciate any help, many thanks!
 
Pull the audio cables off them...do they still hiss?

If no...then the hiss is coming from your audio source into the monitors. Find it.

If yes...then move the speakers away from all your other audio gear...and/or shut the other stuff off...do they still hiss?

If no...then your other gear is emitting the noise and the speakers are simply picking it up as interference...find the piece that's causing it.

If yes...then it's the speakers...the amp inside..etc.

All that said...it could even be AC noise related.
 
Hey thanks for the reply. Yes they still hiss when they are away from all of my audio gear so I'm guessing it's speakers, is this normal? I know some monitors produce a hiss but how can I tell if they are meant to be this way?
 
Did you also pull the audio cables and just have the speakers powered up on their own...do they still hiss?

If you totally crank them, you might hear a bit of hiss...but keep in mind, at that volume, if you passed any audio it would 20 times louder. Otherwise, it's nor normal for them to hiss notably on their own.

If you set them at the normal/comfortable-loud listening level...how much hiss do you hear...with no audio cables connected?
 
miroslav said:
Did you also pull the audio cables and just have the speakers powered up on their own...do they still hiss?

If you totally crank them, you might hear a bit of hiss...but keep in mind, at that volume, if you passed any audio it would 20 times louder. Otherwise, it's nor normal for them to hiss notably on their own.

If you set them at the normal/comfortable-loud listening level...how much hiss do you hear...with no audio cables connected?
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Yea they hiss even when the speakers are just powered by themselves with no audio cables in them. They're sitting at half volume really and from the listening position it's definitely noticeable. I've had them for a couple of weeks now and I've only noticed this now, it is quiet but none the less it's there. They're set at +4dB at the volume on my preamble is at half but even when you turn them down the hiss level does not change.
 
This is bad practice but you may want to try a 3 to 2 prong ground lift. Don't use this as a long term solution. Just plug them in and see if it helps.

If it does help, you've got a groundloop and you need to 1.) get in contact with an electrician to address the issue or 2.) try to plug your speakers into different outlets.

If it doesn't...there's a ghost living in your speakers....I'm about 99% sure it's a groundloop though.
 
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Cannot be an earth/ground loop if only the monitors are connected.

Unfortunately high "self noise" appears to be quite common with budget speakers. With monitors controls set for "normal" operation* there should be absolute silence at the listening position and only the faintest hiss if you put lug up to tweeter.
This level of electronics quality is neither hard nor expensive to achieve, I don't know why some mnfcts let it slide? Often the gain in the PAs is vastly higher than is needed, even for a -10dBV op level and this does not help.

*ANOTHER! Reason to look up Massive's calibration article!

OP, complain, this should not be so. One of the problems is that there is no agreed test or specification for self noise AFAIK.

Dave.
 
It would be helpful I think if a few members pulled the plugs on their monitors and reported the level of noise at their sweet spots?

My Tannoy 5As are fine but then I am so deaf I really couldn't tell!

Dave.
 
I've read about others whose (less expensive) monitors have white noise/hiss. Always thught I was lucky - absolutely nothing from my JBLs LSR305s.
 
On the back of the HS7's there is a switch called "high trim". Where is it presently set and do different positions result in a change of the hiss? I have a feeling the switch won't make a difference, but easy to try.
 
arcaxis said:
On the back of the HS7's there is a switch called "high trim". Where is it presently set and do different positions result in a change of the hiss? I have a feeling the switch won't make a difference, but easy to try.
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Hey I tried that also and no luck. An update for you all I told the store and they have been sent back for an a/b test so we'll see what happens. He said it's most likely normal as most monitors have some kind of noise. Better to get it checked out though I suppose.
 
Captain Whisky said:
Hey I tried that also and no luck. An update for you all I told the store and they have been sent back for an a/b test so we'll see what happens. He said it's most likely normal as most monitors have some kind of noise. Better to get it checked out though I suppose.
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It is most certainly NOT normal for a speaker/amplifier system of even passing decent quality to produce audible noise at the listening position. If the monitors are said to be "normal" ask how they compared to other brands of the same type.

It is to their shame that most monitor makers do not give a figure for self noise. It would be easy for them to do! A good quality sound level meter (and they can afford the best!) at 1mtr in a very quiet room, room noise can be "extracted" anyway, seems all that is needed?

I have sent an email request to Yamaha about this issue, no reply so far.

Dave.
 
No it certainly isn't normal.

My Adam P11A's are deathly silent, even when connected to mixer/DAW (with nothing playing obv).

Your store manager is lying to you.
 
Jonesey9 said:
No it certainly isn't normal.

My Adam P11A's are deathly silent, even when connected to mixer/DAW (with nothing playing obv).

Your store manager is lying to you.
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Indeed. I have a home built 150W MOSFET amp (Maplin module) that kicks significant ass but is as the grave. Even the 20quid Bellringer headphone amp I bought recently has zero audible noise.

Fork! My old company make a 5W GUITAR amp that is totally silent past a foot or so! It is NOT rocket science, just get the gain staging right (in the speaker) and use decent components and all is quiet.

Dave.
 
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