Adam A7s - are yours hissing?

[TyRip]

I just got some A7s in and the first thing I noticed was the noise. It is not terrible or anything that makes them unusable, but it really annoys me, as my old KRKs were dead quiet.

I know I could live with it, but I have a feeling I would have heard this complaint before if it were commonplace with these speakers. It would be a fantastic noise floor to have for a PA, but in a quiet studio, it is just not good.

Anyone else have this issue?


Thanks,

Tyler

[jebjerome]

Yes. I just got a (barely) used pair the other day and was surprised to hear them with a mild hiss.

[soupking]

No, but I'm going to have to have mine looked at.

They are brand new and the ribbon tweeter is bugging out, like it sticks, and I have to whack it it to unstick and give me treble.

It's really annoying. They sound great when they work though.

[baikonour]

No problem with mine...

Can the hiss be caused by the proximity of a computer/ screen?

[Bryce]

Originally Posted by baikonour

Can the hiss be caused by the proximity of a computer/ screen?

Shouldn't be.

A7s typically do not hiss - at least, not the ones I've heard. The first thing I'd check would be the gain staging - do you have the A7s turned all (or most of the) the way up? If so, maybe try turning them down and the output of your chain up.

I typically run the front panel volume control at between 11 and 2 o'clock, depending on how hot the output is that's attached to them. I never go any louder than 2 o'clock, though.

Hope that helps...

dB
ADAM Audio USA

[TyRip]

I have the gain at 12 o clock and they are hissing even if I have the control room all the way down and the speaker mute on. I even checked them without anything else plugged in and they hiss at the same level.

It is definitely not a gain staging issue of me boosting low level signal. With everything off they still hiss with the power set at 12 o'clock.

[mahasandi]

no hiss @ 12 o'clock ...

[warhead]

Never heard any hiss out of the two pairs I've had up to demo here.

War

[MikeMitchell]

No hissing here. thumbsup

[noiseflaw]

Hmm, I was round at a friends studio just yesterday, he was showing off his new 5 speaker 'Adam A7' surround set up. I heard no hissing, just a very clear precise, crisp stable sound.

Strangely enough he just sold his Active KRK's because he could not get rid of the buzzing and hissing!, or was it buzzing and humming.

Anyway the A7's look pretty tasty.

[Bryce]

Originally Posted by TyRip

I have the gain at 12 o clock and they are hissing even if I have the control room all the way down and the speaker mute on. I even checked them without anything else plugged in and they hiss at the same level.

It is definitely not a gain staging issue of me boosting low level signal. With everything off they still hiss with the power set at 12 o'clock.

Hmmmm....not sure what's causing it. It's not likely that there's anything wrong with the units you have, since the odds of both being defective in the same manner aren't high.

I'm admittedly reaching here - but I wonder if they're reacting to something in your studio. If you take one into another room and plug it in and turn it on with nothing wired to it, does it still hiss?

dB
ADAM Audio USA

[LZA]

I got a new pair here and they are hissing both, too.
It`s not very loud, I only hear it in ~10-20 cm distance.
But it`s there.
My last monitors (event asp6) had a light hiss too, so I thought that it is normal.
But as I read that the A7´s should not hiss...

Could it just be in the production tolerance, or should they be really dead quiet?

[drew]

When I demoed S3As earlier this year I seem to remember them having a slight hiss. There have been other threads about this. ADAM hiss

[djui5]

My S3A's had a tiny hiss too. Not sure what caused it. I sold them though, so if the buyer hears that and wants to comment, thats their decision

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by djui5

I sold them though,

Really? What are you using these days?

[kingofswing]

As much as i love Adam speakers, i also experienced hiss on both my P33a and S3a demos. This was on initial start up, with no signal running. Just flick the switch and you have slight audible hiss.

Something tells me that the Adam Amps are the cause. I could be wrong though.

[DAWgEAR]

If I put my ear right up against the cone, I can hear a very slight hiss. At working distances, nothing: dead quiet.

[bleen]

Originally Posted by DAWgEAR

If I put my ear right up against the cone, I can hear a very slight hiss. At working distances, nothing: dead quiet.

Ditto.

[cfjis]

I just got some A7's last week, and have had no problems so far.... really enjoying them, actually. A massive step up from the M(H)ackie 824's.

Sorry to hear about the hissing....

[cww2]

Brand new pair with no hissing but one of the monitors volume pots crackled when adjusting volume, right out of the box. The retailer was supposed to replace it but I haven't heard from them on the replacement.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Killahurts

Really? What are you using these days?

Nothing. I'm not doing much work at all. People are strange.

[warhead]

Originally Posted by cww2

Brand new pair with no hissing but one of the monitors volume pots crackled when adjusting volume, right out of the box. The retailer was supposed to replace it but I haven't heard from them on the replacement.

Well at this point then I would suggest you contact David Bryce @ ADAM USA. He is very responsive if your dealer isn't. He is the fifth post down in this thread.

War

[jebjerome]

The hiss is very slight for me and probably won't be an issue in the end. My gain is setup around 1 o'clock on them with no eq. Haven't checked whether it exists without any input. Could well be a gain staging issue.

[cww2]

Originally Posted by warhead

Well at this point then I would suggest you contact David Bryce @ ADAM USA. He is very responsive if your dealer isn't. He is the fifth post down in this thread.

War

Thanks, War - That is indeed a fact about Adam - I emailed them directly to start and within less than 2 hours the retailer was calling me about shipping a new one. They were supposed to initiate the exchange on Dec 14 when their new stock came in but that has obviously passed...

Regardless - I didn't really post to moan about the retailer, just my experience with my Adams - other than the scratchy pot - they're a wonderful addition to my mixing setup.

[danasti]

Originally Posted by jebjerome

The hiss is very slight for me and probably won't be an issue in the end. My gain is setup around 1 o'clock on them with no eq. Haven't checked whether it exists without any input. Could well be a gain staging issue.

Could be. Are you running a converter output directly into them?

What about listing exactly what device you guys have before the A7? And what output of that device you are using?

[jebjerome]

What about listing exactly what device you guys have before the A7? And what output of that device you are using?

HEDD192 --> Speck XSum --> A7s

[TyRip]

A lot of people getting involved, that is good.

Mine are hissing with no input, input straight from converter, and input from control room out of AH GS3000, even with CR volume all the way down and speaker mute engaged. As I said before, gain at 12 o'clock. It is just odd, as my KRK RP5s don't have this problem. Back panel controls are all at unity as well.

I love the way they sound so far (though I haven't had a chance to do any serious mixing on them yet) but the hiss is just a little annoying. It's not terrible, but can be bothersome.

[TyRip]

More clarity for the chains

1) no input

2) Yamaha I88X line level converter output > A7

3) I88X > Allen and Heath GS3000 > GS3000 control room out > A7

[warhead]

Originally Posted by cww2

Thanks, War - That is indeed a fact about Adam - I emailed them directly to start and within less than 2 hours the retailer was calling me about shipping a new one. They were supposed to initiate the exchange on Dec 14 when their new stock came in but that has obviously passed...

Regardless - I didn't really post to moan about the retailer, just my experience with my Adams - other than the scratchy pot - they're a wonderful addition to my mixing setup.

I must admit...as busy as December is for all retailers I'm sure there's been a detail or two overlooked by more than one sales rep / dealer. Maybe just ask them again, trust me if they're a pretty good sized business they are SWAMPED this time of year.

War

[Vertiges]

Mine are hissing too ! (even with nothing connected to the inputs)

My control room is VERY quiet (no computer, no fan at all) and I just can not stand the hiss if the input gain is above 12 o'clock...
I put them at about 10 o'clock, I use a Presonus Central Station and I can get high levels without any problems.


eD