Hiss List (S&R)

[Thomas Lund]

Yes the noise is equal with or without input source. So the noise floor of the interface is sufficiently low at the output level I use...

Keeping the noise floor down, and not wasting headroom, is generally a challenge with mixed interfacing. The Adam solution is good, a late, remote-controlled gain setting. Dynaudio Air had this, Genelecs with GLM, and probably others, too.

Reducing the risk of accidental, traumatic sound exposure is another important benefit. Late gain should not be set higher than needed at any point in time.

 

[Curvature]

Hi guys,

I recently bought a pair of HEDD Type 07 monitors and got strange hiss problem. Except hiss pink noise that is common with those speakers, i have this strange loop noise that sound like oscilator. My room is quiet and i can clearly hear this sound from 5ft away.

Both speakers behave the same even though nothing is connected, only power cord. And this sound is synchronized. It behaves as the same loop sound on both speakers in sync.

I tried most of the outlets in the house as well as the garage, everywhere is the same.

I recorded it with my iPhone at a distance of a few centimeters.

Can a Power Conditioner device maybe reduce this problem? What else I can try? I didn't test them in time and now I can't return them to the previous owner.

Listen to the audio HERE

Ground loop or faulty electronics, seems like.


Start a new thread and people here will help you diagnose.

 

[Proximus]

Thank you. I will start a new thread as you suggest, deleting post above.

 

[item]

Thanks for this. I started a similar survey back in 2019, but only got round to including a dozen or so models from what I had on hand at the time. I recorded and quantified hiss at several gain levels - they vary significantly, and differently for each model - noting total deviation and the points at which peaks occurred. It's difficult to simplify the data to a ladder of 'best' to 'worst' because there are many ways to present the data. On balance, the ADAM S series was judged the least intrusive, and the Kali IN8 (Mark 1) and KRK G4 were considered the hardest to live with.

Hiss Ranker (2021 Edition) – Item Audio

You took it much further than I had enthusiasm for - so thanks again. Especially when the Kali Mark II was so much better, it gave me confidence that the era of hissy monitors was finally over! Perhaps I was optimistic - the human race hasn't dialled out DSP self-noise at a sensible price yet. Roll on that day . . .

 

[Lambdalorian]

Where's the list?

I've created a sheet with Sound & Recording measurements of hiss in active loudspeakers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n62hGAdKptSSKC74_fIT_R7DxFJ60YR2_O9C8x-vYQI/edit?usp=sharing Viewers can comment if something's off or missing.

Where's the list?

 

[somebodyelse]

Where's the list?

Where's the list?

Did you look on the 'Data' tab?

 

[Lambdalorian]

Did you look on the 'Data' tab?

This is all I see:

 

[somebodyelse]

This is all I see:
View attachment 373680

You _should_ see the tabs at the bottom of the page. If you don't then there may be some browser incompatibility, or Google are taking exception to some plugin you're using. The 'Info' tab is selected by default. Click on the 'Data' tab and you'll see the details of hiss for different monitors.

 

[dasdoing]

View attachment 373687
You _should_ see the tabs at the bottom of the page. If you don't then there may be some browser incompatibility, or Google are taking exception to some plugin you're using. The 'Info' tab is selected by default. Click on the 'Data' tab and you'll see the details of hiss for different monitors.

why don't you link directly to the data tab? I would think the document is empty, too

 

[somebodyelse]

why don't you link directly to the data tab? I would think the document is empty, too

Because it's not my thread and not my document. I don't much like Google Docs, but it wasn't hard to find from the link in the OP.

 

[Kyle_PL]

I had in the past Adam A7X, Nubert Nu-Pro A300, and now Genelec 8330A.

Nubert NuPro A300 have much higher self noise (even when nothing is connected to analog In - just selected analog In in nubert's menu) than Digital In (selected from menu - TOSLINK optical or SPDIF COAX electrical). So this measured SelfNoise 26,2dB is on analog Input for sure! ... because ... Nubert NuPro A300 on Digital Input selected, have lower self noise than Adam A7X (measured 20dB) and Genelec 8330A. Even, when Adam A7X have set lower sensitivity than 0dB!!!

So Nubert NuPro A300 on digital input have the quietest self noise i ever noticed in comparison to other good active monitors (Adam A7X on low sensitivity, Genelec 8330A on low sensitivity) even when nothing analog was connected to inputs!

 

[Buckster]

Subjectively - I don't have measurements but ref the following active speakers I have:

JBL LSR 305 - very faint hiss - can't hear unless within about 30cm and then I have to really listen for

Genelec 8030c - extremely low level of hiss - practically would need ear very near to tweeter

JBL LSR 308 II - very disappointing amount of hiss - could hear from listening position 3.2m away from them in living room. Had to change them to Passive Speakers mainly because of the hiss

 

[carlo]

Subjectively - I don't have measurements but ref the following active speakers I have:

JBL LSR 305 - very faint hiss - can't hear unless within about 30cm and then I have to really listen for

Genelec 8030c - extremely low level of hiss - practically would need ear very near to tweeter

JBL LSR 308 II - very disappointing amount of hiss - could hear from listening position 3.2m away from them in living room. Had to change them to Passive Speakers mainly because of the hiss

When it comes to passive there seem to be a very poor choice; you can find some expensive stuff but nothing compared to - let's say - JBL 305 for what concerns price range.
Do they just not exist ( for any marketing reason) or maybe there are some little bookshelf marketed in the hi-fi world which could do the same job of a low priced active monitor? If there are, could you please indicate some models?

 

[Alchemist_]

Hello, silence lovers!

I have a Presonus Eris E8XT and an Eris e8 subwoofer (bought in 2021 before the upgrade) - they don't hiss, hum, or fart.

I tried the Yamaha HS8, and they don't hiss either.
The Mackie MR824s are a bit more hissy.

Now I need a pair of cheaper monitors.
I'm interested in the Tannoy Reveal 802.
Has anyone tried them? Do they hiss? Hum? Fart/pop when turned on/off?

 

[Tio]

Hello, silence lovers!

I have a Presonus Eris E8XT and an Eris e8 subwoofer (bought in 2021 before the upgrade) - they don't hiss, hum, or fart.

I tried the Yamaha HS8, and they don't hiss either.
The Mackie MR824s are a bit more hissy.

Now I need a pair of cheaper monitors.
I'm interested in the Tannoy Reveal 802.
Has anyone tried them? Do they hiss? Hum? Fart/pop when turned on/off?

Yes, Yamaha HS8 don't hiss. Same as Yamaha HS5 also don't hiss. I owned both for a short time.

 

[Curvature]

Hello, silence lovers!

I have a Presonus Eris E8XT and an Eris e8 subwoofer (bought in 2021 before the upgrade) - they don't hiss, hum, or fart.

I tried the Yamaha HS8, and they don't hiss either.
The Mackie MR824s are a bit more hissy.

Now I need a pair of cheaper monitors.
I'm interested in the Tannoy Reveal 802.
Has anyone tried them? Do they hiss? Hum? Fart/pop when turned on/off?

Yes, Yamaha HS8 don't hiss. Same as Yamaha HS5 also don't hiss. I owned both for a short time.

All active speakers hiss. The amps have a certain level of residual noise that is amplified by the amount of gain in the circuit. The question is if the level of that noise is high enough to be heard or not. The SNR in the cheap chip amps used in typical studio speakers is super low compared to the rest of the chain, in the range 50-70dB at nominal output levels.

The first post in this thread shows that the audibility of hiss is primarily a function of distance. Sit far enough away, and the intensity drops to zero, or low enough to be masked by other sounds. Sometimes users have control over gain as well, which helps.

With few exceptions, neither manufacturers nor reviewers provide measurements of hiss. These are necessary to make judgments about audibility.

 

[respice finem]

Many urban homes have a rather high level of background noise, so a bit of hiss often won't be audible at all.
Constant background noise will be ignored by the brain.

 

[Alchemist_]

Why should I sit any longer than I want?
Why should I think I'll stop noticing it?
Why convince myself that they all hiss?
The answer is, I don't need it!
Only the manufacturers who make crappy, hissing boxes need it.
So let the manufacturers use them themselves...

I just need to buy monitors that hiss less, or better yet, don't hiss at all!
The last time I bought monitors, I listened to about five different monitors in the store; and I chose the ones that sounded good and hissed the least.

 

[somebodyelse]

or better yet, don't hiss at all!

No such speakers exist, as was pointed out above. They all hiss to a greater or lesser extent. This thread is to quantify that hiss. Your Presonus and Yamahas just hiss at a level low enough that you can't distinguish it from background noise. Any others with hiss at or below that level should sound similarly hiss-free to you.

 

[markstein]

My old Neumann KH120A (nearfield desktop setup) and KH310 (farfield living room setup) don't hiss noticeably at all.

Hiss is absolutely no topic with good active speakers IMO.