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New member Username: Jacob_tPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-05 | First off all I am new to this, so forgive my ignorance. I bought a HK 335 and two main Polk mon 50, polk CS1, and 10" sub. The 10" sub is not connected yet. But connected all other speakers and listening to FM music. Couple of questions. 1. When I raise the volume above -20dB, I hear humming sound which is little irritating, any ideas to avoid ? 2. My center is not hearing at all, it was before, don't know if I pressed any wrong button. Thanks in advance ! |
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Bronze Member Username: Paul98Post Number: 38 Registered: Oct-05 | You won't hear the center unless you use something with surround encoded into it, like a DVD. YOu can get sound out of it if you set it to something like 5 channel stereo, or another DSP. What is the hum sound coming from, and what are you listening to when you hear the hum? |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 2618 Registered: Mar-05 | I like HK receivers but have heard some people complain about chronic humming. Ditto for NAD's multichannel receivers. There is one particular TYPE of receiver that you can rest assured will NEVER EVER have this problem, btw. Hint: it costs a lot less than the HK335, and some people prefer it to the top of the line HK7200! |
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New member Username: Jacob_tPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-05 | I am hearing FM music (John tash radio show). I switched to 5 channel stereo but still nothing on center. I will see with a DVD what happens. The hum comes from the mains when I raise the volume above -20dB. HK 235 might be better, huh ? Is Athena speakers complement HK receivers better than polk ? I can return my polk speakers ! |
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Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 706 Registered: Oct-04 | "HK 235 might be better, huh ?" Not a chance, if it's there's nothing wrong with any of your connections, it's a bad unit. I never listen to FM but just to see I put my HK AVR430 up to -10dB just to see if there was any hum. None at all but it was a little distorted only because it's not a great source. |
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Bronze Member Username: Paul98Post Number: 41 Registered: Oct-05 | Make sure your center is turned on, on your receiver. Easy way to check that is do a tone test. as for which speakers are better, it really depends on how they sound to you. |
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New member Username: Jacob_tPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-05 | I have to change the source and see if its still there. Regarding speakers, I cannot hear athena, as the local best buy do not have them. I like to know which speakers best suits HK receivers, as many would have heard different combination. My budget is below $1000, for mains, center and sub. "I never listen to FM but just to see I put my HK AVR430 up to -10dB just to see if there was any hum. None at all but it was a little distorted only because it's not a great source. " What speakers do you use with your AVR 430 ? Thanks all for your help ! |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 332 Registered: Feb-05 | Jacob: I myself own an AVR335,mine is completely silent. You should not hear any humming unless you have a ground loop problem. Disconnect everything from the receiver except the speakers. Turn the volume up, if you can hear a humming or buzzing noise the unit is either defective or needs repair. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6224 Registered: May-04 | The solution for the hum, as has been suggested, will be determined by one of two things. Hum, which is a 60Hz signal generated by the AC line, will be either electrical or mechanical in nature. Typically, if the hum is mechanical it will be coming from the power transformer inside the receiver and will be caused by the transformer vibrating in synch with the 60Hz AC cycle. Normally this doesn't change with volume to the extent it is audible only at higher settings. It is also localized at the receiver and normally doesn't become part of the signal that is heard through the speakers. If the transformer is humming, the unit should be looked at by a technician. If the problem is not mechanical noise it is then more likely to be electrical and you have to determine where the ground noise is entering the system. You originally stated this is a problem with FM broadcasts. This is most likely to be your entrance point. The signal could contain ground noise depending on your antenna system. If you are using a cable TV or similar feed for FM or an antenna amplifier, there could be a difference in ground potential between the incoming antenna line and the AC line your receiver is plugged into. If this is the situation for your FM feed, try using a different antenna. A simple piece of 18AWG lamp cord about 12" long will usually suffice for a quickie FM antenna for a check. Just strip the one end of the wire and attach it to your FM antenna post on the receiver. Another entrance point for ground noise could be the AC line itself. To check this use an extension cord and try plugging the receiver into a different outlet not on the same circuit breaker. Finally, there is the chance what you're describing is not "hum" but "buzz". Hum is 60Hz and low frequency. Buzz is higher in frequency and is generated by other symptoms in the system. Buzz is attacked in a different fashion. Let us know what happens when you determine whether the noise is truly hum and whether it is mechanical or electrical. |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 2622 Registered: Mar-05 | Jacob, The Ascend speakers go beautifully with HK receivers, that's why Ascend carries HKs on their website. This would be a killer combo: CMT-340center CBM-170 L/R Hsu STF-2 subwoofer $1045 shipped from ascendacoustics.com Here's a review comparing Athenas to Ascends: http://swbg1.tripod.com/ascend_speakers.htm And professional reviews of the Ascends: http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/reviews/proreviews.html |
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Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 708 Registered: Oct-04 | "What speakers do you use with your AVR 430 ? " Polk Rti8, Csi3, Fxi3, PSW404 I would recommend all but the PSW404, also the Rti8s could use a little more room to image in my current room, more of a buy for now and later purchase. I love the Polk sound, and wish I could put Lsi9s all around... bit out of my price range especially since no local dealer carries them. |
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New member Username: Jacob_tPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-05 | Thanks guys, really appreciate all your input. Now I am not sure if its a hum or buzz. The sound I hear is "iszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..." I have only connected the FM cord, that came with the receiver till now. I removed that (FM cord) and there was only the speakers connected to the receiver. Increased the volume above -10 dB, the above sound can be clearly heard. I did not try connecting with an extension code, or with another FM cord, yet. But before doig that would like to know if its hum or buzz and attack accordingly. Thank you ! |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 2640 Registered: Mar-05 | Geez, -10db is pretty darn loud. My guess is that's probably a hum, which is something that analog receivers are known for especially HKs and NADs in contrast to digital receivers/amps which have zero hum no matter how high your turn the volume. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6242 Registered: May-04 | From your description I get this; the noise is definitely coming from the speakers and is not coming from the receiver itself. You disconnected the antenna wire but left the tuner on the same station. The amplifier was still switched to the tuner input as you advanced the volume. The sound you heard was a "buzzzzzzzzzzz" and not a "hummmmmmmmmmm". From that information, my first assumption would be RFI (radio frequency interference) entering the system either through the tuner or through the AC line. To check whether the problem exists in the tuner, simply switch the receiver to an unused input such as "AUX". Do not use "phono" if the receiver is equipped with a phono section. Advance the volume and listen for the buzz. If the problem is coming in through the tuner, the noise will be gone. If the problem still exists, the noise is probably entering through the AC line. In this case the first suspect is a dimmer on a light or ceiling fan. The dimmer can be in any room in the house and cause RFI through the AC line; so make sure there are no dimmers turned on and try the test again. Other sources of noise can be an electrical power cord placed too close to the speaker cables. Try rerouting some cables and physically separating the power cords from the speaker cables as much as possible. If the two cables need to cross, make certain they do it at 90° angles to one another. Do those tests and let us know the results and we'll go from there. |
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New member Username: Jacob_tPost Number: 5 Registered: Oct-05 | I changed the sources (tried tape,vid1, vid2, DVD etc) but it was the same. When I turned to 6/8 ch, the sound was considerably less. I can see a noticable difference. There was no dim light, no such interfernce. I changed to a different power outlet, the results were exactly the same as above. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6259 Registered: May-04 | "There was no dim light, no such interfernce." Sorry, what does this mean? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6260 Registered: May-04 | The unit appears to have a headphone output. Do you have a pair of headphones? Another outlet might still have the same problems if it shares a circuit breaker with the first outlet. If the problem is RFI, all the outlets in the house could be affected if they share a common ground - which they more than likely do. |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 157 Registered: Dec-04 | The shield on one of your cables is grounded on both ends. remove the ground wire wherever you find one and see what happens. Either end will do. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6270 Registered: May-04 | I don't think the problem is a ground issue. This sounds like a description of a buzzzzzz. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6271 Registered: May-04 | Also, I didn't think there were any interconnect cables hooked up to the receiver as of yet. |