Buzzing in my speakers w/ new amp


I've just introduced a new Odyssey Stratos Amp with a cap upgrade to my system, and I'm getting a nasty buzzing sound in my speakers. It sounds like its definitely an electrical issue. I contacted Klaus at Odyssey (great guy!) and he had me disconnect the interconnects and the buzzing went away. This tells me that the amp is picking up some interference and its not within the amp itself (unless its the interconnect connections, which I doubt). I think I'm dealing with some serious dirty power. I did not have this problem with my previous amp (Marantz MM9000), but that amp did not have the same quality (sensitive) power supply.

I'm hoping that you people have some solutions for me to try, so that I can stop focusing on the buzz, and concentrate on the beautiful music this amp is delivering.

I've already tried isolating the cables, different (dedicated) outlets,different interconnects, a PS Audio UO (did quiet it down a bit), a "cheater plug" (dangerous?), a Monster Cable HTS5000(the high-end one with the "glowing meter") and a PS Audio P300 power re-generator (made it worse!!!). The Stratos Amp has two little blue LED's inside to illuminate the Odyssey logo. I'm wondering if these could possibly be introducing some interference? In the past I've had some experience with this type of wiring introducing problems.

My system consists of the following:

Sunfire TheaterGrand 2 Pre-Pro
Odyssey Stratos 2ch amp
Marantz MM9000 Amp (center, surrounds for theater)
Alisis MasterLink HardDisk Recorder/CD transport
MSB Link DAC3
Sony DVD (high end, forgot model)
PS Audio P300
PS Audio 20 Amp UO
Monster HTS5000
TaraLabs interconnects (high end, forgot model)
TaraLabs speaker cables


Im sure this is a common problem out there, so HELP ME PLEASE!!!!
mhubbard

Showing 7 responses by mhubbard

I have TaraLabs RSC Prime interconnects. The damn things better be shielded!!! If there not, they should have spent a little less on the fancy (yet beautiful) box they came in, and done it right!!!

However, as I mentioned in the beginning, I did not have this buzz issue with the previous amp, which used the same IC's. How about taking the cheater plug off my amp and trying it on the pre-amp instead? Is there any logic in this?
Hey Sugarbrie,

Do you mean take the top plate off the amp and "bend" the ground wire upward?

If not can you detail your idea?

Thanks
Hey Sugarbrie,

I already had a cheater plug from the amp to the PS Audio UO. So I added a cheater plug to the UO cord thats plugged into the wall....and I got the same buzzzz.

I think its time to disconnect everything and add componets back in one at a time to isolate the culprit.

Anyone else have any ideas?
OK, heres the deal. Just for the hell of it I tried disconnecting one interconnect to the back of the amp from the pre-pro (the right channel).......the buzzing went away!!! The buzzing went away!!!!

So naturally I thought I had found the culprit...the right channel on the amp. NOPE, I decided to reverse the hook up and connected the right and disconnected the left.... the buzzing stopped.

The buzzing only happens when both interconnects are connected to the amp. I AGAIN tried different IC's and got the same results.

I dont think this is a problem with the pre-pro, I feel that there could be a connection problem within the amp itself. I called Klaus at Odyssey and he was very cool and very concerned about this issue. He never took the tact of "your doing something wrong". Instead he offered to sit down tonight and MAKE ME A NEW AMP, then take it home with him to hook up to his own system to make sure its in working order. I only hope this is the problem and Klaus isn't waisting his valuble time to help me out.

Although I wish this was never an issue in the first place, I understand that sometimes this stuff happens. I'm just glad I'm dealing with a company that is willing to go the extra mile to help out a customer.

Thanks Klaus!
Just an update.

I receved the replacement amp on Friday just as Klaus said I would (and for my trouble he included some really beautiful adjustable isolation cones!). I hooked the amp up and GONE was the buzz, totsl silence!!!

THEN I heard this terrible ZAP!, ZAP! sound!!! I'm thinking "what the hell is going on!!! Then I notice that there is no sound coming from the right speaker!!! I look behind the componet rack.... and a frickin inner connect that was dissconnected from my other 5ch amp had fallen down and made contact with the right speaker terminal on the back of the Stratos Amp, blowing the two fuses inside the amp!!!

OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NO FAULT OF ODYSSEY OR KLAUS, JUST ME BEING AN IDIOT WHO WAS TOO EAGER TO SEE IF THE BUZZING HAD GONE AWAY, AND DIDN'T SECURE ALL THE OTHER CABLES SURROUNDING THE AMP. Life can be a real bitch sometimes.

I simply replaced the two fuses inside the amp, and all is good.

The amp is VERY nice indeed!!!