My NAD 773 experience

 

riche
Unregistered guest
Well, after sitting in my home for a few days listening to the 773 I decided to take it in to the dealer to have them test it out for the quiet "hiss" that I could hear coming out of my speakers. I am currently using some B&Ws in the 300 series from a couple of years back. In my configuration the rear left surround sits closer to the listening position (about 4-6 feet away) than the other speakers, and that is where I heard the first signs of hiss.

Anyway, after being at the dealer for a couple of days they said that they couldn't find any problem and couldn't hear the hiss I was referring to. Well, I went in to pick up the receiver and took along one of my small surrounds so I could show them what the deal was...

When I connected my speaker we could both hear the hiss from about 2-3 feet away BUT when we hooked up a speaker they sell (one was a Tannoy and the other brand I have forgotten) we had to get up right next to the speaker (within 4-5 inches) in order to hear any hiss. Um...ok? I took it into the authorized service center anyway just to have them look at it.

Any thoughts?

I am planning to upgrade to some Paradigm Studio's after I get my T773 back.
 

Lars J. Aas
Unregistered guest
That's the same speaker series I use too, and I returned a 753 because of hissing. Got a new one yesterday which I will test at home today. In the shop I tried it with a center of some other brand, and I got sceptical because the noise was definitely more than pure white noise, but the dealer said that if that was all the noise it made I would have to live with it - it was so faint in the shop that I could live with it, but quiet movie-watching at midnight in my apartment with my B&Ws - something tells me that could be a totally different thing...

Almost sounds like I'll have to bring along my center and surround speakers to demonstrate if the new one has the same problem as the last one. The horror... The horror...
 

New member
Username: John_s

Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2004
Lars:
I really hate to butt in here, but I'm guessing you are Norwegian. I sell Aass beer, and we are wondering how you pronounce it. Michael Jackson (the English beer expert, not the gloved moon-walker) says it's somthing like 'orse'. After 8 years, I need closure on this.

I'm reading these reciver threads because I need to upgrade my HT electronics soon. A good friend of mine loves NAD, and I think (but I'm not sure) his nom de plume is HAWK.

Skol.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Myrantz

Post Number: 13
Registered: 02-2004
Lars

I'd like to suggest that you don't live with it! There should be no noise from a quality receiver. Test your speaker on another amp to be sure, but it's your life and good money. You have an excellent product and you paid to enjoy it. Good Luck!
 

New member
Username: Larsaas

Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2004
I was right, unfortunately. New device, same set of problems all over again. The buzz is probably worse in the listening position than when checking one speaker at a time. This is no good, and I can't keep returning NAD receivers, so I am now going to ask to get it exchanged (pay the extra $120) for a Denon AVR 2803 instead. Is it comparable? It has amplified second zone it seems, so that's a bonus vs. the 753. People with less sensitive speakers or damaged hearing might accept this, but for me it is no good in surround mode. I'll miss the brilliant stereo sound and the excellent aesthetics though.

riche:
My B&W 300 speakers are brand new, so I am not planning on upgrading those. Maybe other speakers will mask the problem a bit, but it won't fix it anyways. Knowing about the problem makes it worse, from a psychological point of view.

John S:
Aass beer is excellent :-) 'Orse' is very close, but you need to avoid pronouncing the 'r'. Maybe a long 'Oz', or a long 'was' without the 'w'. My own last name is pronounced exactly the same, and I brew my own beer (from kits) from time to time, so I am an "Aas beer" brewer ;) I'm going to try to make a label that looks exactly like an Aass label, but without the last s.

My Rantz:
Yes, it's no good for surround when it's quiet, and it *is* a surround receiver. If I wanted only stereo, I would have bought a stereo amplifier instead and stayed away from center and surround speakers.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Myrantz

Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2004
Lars

If you like the NAD sound then I'd suggest a closer sounding receiver like Marantz - with your B&W's. The SR7300 has 2nd zone audio and video, the new SR7400 I'm sure would have the same. I recommend listening to alternatives with your B&W's to ensure your contentment.
 

riche
Unregistered guest
Definately don't settle. I won't! The receiver is still at the service center (I stopped dealing with the dealer)so we'll see what they have to say. I may step up to seperates (either NAD, assuming I don't encounter the same problems, or Rotel. Maybe even Outlaw). Again, we'll see.

 

New member
Username: Larsaas

Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2004
Discussed it with a sales person at the dealer's again today, and he said that it was just a question of <em>when</em> repair routines for this problem with the new model would come in order in Denmark, so he suggested I hung on to the one I had until then.

In the spirit of "knowing your enemies", I noticed today while playing around in the OSD menus (wanted to try reducing the gain on center+surround) that each time I moved around in the menu and the front led goes dark for a split second, the buzz seems to stop (or at least change dramatically) for that little while. The buzz is also turned off if the unit doesn't receive a signal (DVD on pause) when one of the dolby digital-related settings are changed, but when it does receive a signal you get a second of silence doing the same anyways, so I guess I'm just reseting the dolby digital system and putting it on standby until it gets a signal again...
 

riche
Unregistered guest
Well, I just got back from the local Good Guys, just checking out stuff and killing time. I thought I would do a little sound research while I was there. I was in the sound room checking out the Parasound amp that was hooked up to a pair of Monitor Golds. As the cd was playing I had an idea. I put the cd player on pause and stood about a foot away from one of the speakers. What do you know. HISS! I've done this with about every amp/speaker combo I've come across since getting my NAD and have gotten the same result. Sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, but always there. I've come to the comclusion that this is normal (even though others have always claimed this). I will be getting my Paradigms this weekend. Let's hope that the hiss will be lessened with these speakers.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Airforceone

Post Number: 11
Registered: 02-2004
I've never claimed the hiss WASN'T normal, just the buzzing I got with 2 773 units. That I can't re-create with another setup, and I've tried.:-)
 

riche
Unregistered guest
Oh, believe me I understand. I just never knew it to be normal because I don't think I've really ever heard it before. I just wish I had known before I let it sit in the repair center for a week! I must say, though, that I haven't encountered any buzzing or hum (yet) and the video seems to work pretty well. We'll see how that goes....
 

Bronze Member
Username: Airforceone

Post Number: 13
Registered: 02-2004
I keep asking if it's "truly" normal and get different answers. I think it has something to do with multi-channel vs. two channel. When I listen to dedicated two channel stuff I don't hear it. Like you say most surround stuff hisses to one degree or another. Enoy your 773, friggin sounds good huh?!
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