Low level noise from spkr when nothing is playing


I need your help finding out why I am getting low level noise from my center speaker, even when nothing is playing. When I put my ear up to my center speaker I can hear low level noise. My system is made up of the following components: Sherborn 7/125A 7 channel power amplifier, Krell HTS 5.1 Control Amplifier, Faroudja DVD/CD DV-1000 player, Front Martin Logan Source Speakers, Center Krell Resolution 4 speaker. These are connected with MAC Silver PB Speaker Cables and Ultrasilver XLR cables. What can I do to test where the problem is coming from? I do not have a line conditioner. Will that fix the problem?
gdush

Showing 1 response by theo

It could be a ground loop issue, meaning that you may have a "dirty ground" feeding noise thru the amp. Have you tried a cheater plug to lift the ground and see if the noise vanishes? To be clear if your amp has a 3 prong plug, try one of those cheater plugs that a 3 prong plugs into but only 2 prongs plug into the wall socket available at most hardware stores and usually gray in color. About buck fifty. Another path of investigation is try disconnecting the center IC between the pre/pro and the amp. If the noise is still there then you know it is coming from the amp. If it goes away then start tracing it backward thru the pre/pro and source components. Do you have anything plugged into the 6 channel pass thru on the Krell. Pull the center IC on that
and see what results you have. Once you determine which component is generating the noise, try the cheater plug on that and see what comes of it. I have had similar issues and it can drive you nuts. I chose not to leave it as I figured something is causing it. It could be as simple as a speaker cable crossing an IC or Power Cord etc. Good Luck.