XPA-5 gain control??

[PSOVLSK]

Is there a way to adjust the gain on the XPA-5? I've looked through the owners manual and didn't find any info.

Not sure if that is even my problem, but maybe. Regardless of the volume in my pre-pro, there is an audible noise when no music/movie is playing. I guess I would describe the noise as sounding like the speakers is being fed power (if that makes any sense:confused:). Anyway this only happens with my H/T rig using the XPA-5, not in my two-channel system or my bedroom system...both of which also have separate amps.

Regardless of if it's a gain issue or not, any ideas on a solution?

Also, I have a dedicated circuit and a power center, so it shouldn't be line noise...should it???

[comfortablycurt]

This seems to be a pretty common problem with the Emo XPA-x's.

[TOOLFORLIFEFAN]

If you have that amp plugged into the monster power center unplug it and plug it into the wall "dedicated wall socket" The only problem i have had with my Emo is when i had it plugged into a power center. with it's dedicated wall socket i have yet to have any problems.

[Hilbert]

I don't think there's a gain control. If I'm wrong, would like to know.

You've made sure no doubt that the ICs and the speaker wires are apart from the various power cables? I had a slight hum in my speakers (same speakers and amp as yours, btw---sound great, don't they) and it went away when I adjusted the various wires.

Or, alternatively, just crank it. :)

[speakergeek]

My XPA-5 is plugged into the wall (no power conditioning). It's just as quiet as can be.

[bopicasso]

my xpa-3 has never made a peep.. I bet the sound is coming from a speaker cable crossing a power cable.

[devani]

it's common ground noise...try plugging into the wall outlet directly....try plugging into different outlets for the subs

[PSOVLSK]

XPA-5 was plugged into the power conditioner until a few weeks ago when I got the dedicated outlet installed. Same issue. I'll check the IC's and make sure they're not crossing a power cord.

[TOOLFORLIFEFAN]

XPA-5 was plugged into the power conditioner until a few weeks ago when I got the dedicated outlet installed. Same issue. I'll check the IC's and make sure they're not crossing a power cord.

Maybe even try some different IC's if the problem is the same. I have yet to have a problem with IC's at first i had Monster's then Audioquest and MIT's saving the MIT's for my 2 channel set up, but i did try them out, I am running the Audioquest in my HT setup now with the XPA-3.

GOOD LUCK trouble shooting this.

Larry.

[jinjuku]

This seems to be a pretty common problem with the Emo XPA-x's.

Actually it seems to be a common problem with ground :rolleyes:

Try plugging the amp directly into a wall socket. Emotiva amps have built in power conditioning.

[jinjuku]

XPA-5 was plugged into the power conditioner until a few weeks ago when I got the dedicated outlet installed. Same issue. I'll check the IC's and make sure they're not crossing a power cord.

Is the noise there if you unplug any of the line level cables. Just leave the amp plugged in with only the speakers connected.

[comfortablycurt]

Actually it seems to be a common problem with ground :rolleyes:

Try plugging the amp directly into a wall socket. Emotiva amps have built in power conditioning.

If you read back, he already has the amp plugged directly into the wall.

[jinjuku]

If you read back, he already has the amp plugged directly into the wall.

Well, I didn't.... Still curious to see if he has isolated to the amp simply plugged into the wall with no line level inputs.

[PSOVLSK]

I was a little disappointed when the dedicated outlet didn't solve the problem.

I don't really think I have any power cord/IC crossing, but I'll double check. I'll also try to isolate the problem. The good news is that the "noise" doesn't increase as the volume increases so it's really not a big problem. It's really just an annoyance when no music/movie is playing.

Thanks for the replies. They will either help me get rid of the problem or let me know that I'll have to learn to live with it.

[Hawkeye]

Is cable hooked up anywhere to the HT? Quite often cable will introduce a ground loop and add noise.

If cable is hooked up, diconnect it and see if the noise goes away. If it does, the cable company and I think Parts Express sells a filter that will fix it.

Gordon

[TOOLFORLIFEFAN]

Have you called Emotiva?
What IC's are you using?

[GV#27]

Is it hiss or hummm?If it's hum you have a ground issue,if it's hiss that just might indicate a highish system noise floor.

[PSOVLSK]

Is cable hooked up anywhere to the HT? Quite often cable will introduce a ground loop and add noise.

If cable is hooked up, diconnect it and see if the noise goes away. If it does, the cable company and I think Parts Express sells a filter that will fix it.

Gordon

I have DirecTV.

Have you called Emotiva?
What IC's are you using?

Haven't done the obvious and called Emotiva:o I did browse the Emotiva Lounge for a bit, but didn't find an answer.

IC's are Canare from zingo and Ben's silver.


Is it hiss or hummm?If it's hum you have a ground issue,if it's hiss that just might indicate a highish system noise floor.

It's more of a hiss...yet not really a hiss. Definitely not a hum though. I think you may have hit the nail on the head, but I'm going to give a few of the others suggestions a shot tonight.

[bigred7078]

I was a little disappointed when the dedicated outlet didn't solve the problem.

I don't really think I have any power cord/IC crossing, but I'll double check. I'll also try to isolate the problem. The good news is that the "noise" doesn't increase as the volume increases so it's really not a big problem. It's really just an annoyance when no music/movie is playing.


A dedicated outlet would not solve your "issue".

Sounds like your dealing with a trait of audible hiss that is very common in efficient speaker designs. The amp is just "amplifying" the floor noise. No worries.

[bigred7078]

This seems to be a pretty common problem with the Emo XPA-x's.

or its the fact that alot of the people that report these issues have never had an amp before so they don't know what certain things are a result of (Ex. Ground loops and sensitive speakers). Point is, the issues you read about have nothing to do with the amp itself because the problems usually are a ground loop or just the general trait of a highly sensitive speaker.

[ben62670]

My IC's? If so take them out for a test. I have had people have nothing but good to say with my cables with EMO's. and I have had one person have issues. It may be an RF issue at certain locations.
Ben

[apphd]

or its the fact that alot of the people that report these issues have never had an amp before so they don't know what certain things are a result of (Ex. Ground loops and sensitive speakers). Point is, the issues you read about have nothing to do with the amp itself because the problems usually are a ground loop or just the general trait of a highly sensitive speaker.

I agree with this but I'm not sure I would call the LSi's "highly" sensitive. While most owners report zero noise, I have seen some others with some hiss but not many when using the LMC1. Like many other things, a few times reported on the internet and it becomes a "common" problem.
I think the suggestion of removing sources and seeing if the noise is being generated in the amp, or simply the amp amplifying what is there has to be the starting point for this.

[TOOLFORLIFEFAN]

You said you had a dedicated circut put in for your amp. Is the outlet properly gounded?

[apphd]

I think the OP has described this the best he could, as a hiss, not a hum which would be more indicative of ground issue. IIRC all the Emo amps female power plug on the back of the amp is only two pronged (hot/neutral) so a good ground at the outlet doesn't do much, as it never enters the amp.
Every home should have one. Easy to eliminate reversed polaritys and open ciruits. $4 or less.

40405

[speakergeek]

I agree with this but I'm not sure I would call the LSi's "highly" sensitive. While most owners report zero noise, I have seen some others with some hiss but not many when using the LMC1. Like many other things, a few times reported on the internet and it becomes a "common" problem.
I think the suggestion of removing sources and seeing if the noise is being generated in the amp, or simply the amp amplifying what is there has to be the starting point for this.

Yeah. I wonder if it's the pre-amp as opposed to the amp...you could take it out of the loop and see if the hiss is still there.

[TOOLFORLIFEFAN]

I think the OP has described this the best he could, as a hiss, not a hum which would be more indicative of ground issue. IIRC all the Emo amps female power plug on the back of the amp is only two pronged (hot/neutral) so a good ground at the outlet doesn't do much, as it never enters the amp.
Every home should have one. Easy to eliminate reversed polaritys and open ciruits. $4 or less.

40405


I stand corrected, you are right as i have an XPA-3:p I was not thinking about that.

[speakergeek]

Just powered up my system and cranked the volume all the way up, putting my ear up to the tweeter. No hiss at all.

[PSOVLSK]

The last two days I've been both busy and too lazy to try to work on finding a solution. I did turn on the system last night and noticed...1) my original post calling the noise "audible" is a little misleading. You have to be really close to the speaker to hear it. 2) the noise seems to be more of a hiss through the tweeter and a buzz through the woofer. 3) the hiss/buzz stays the same regardless of the volume of my pre. In other words, it doesn't get louder as I increase the volume. 4) Here's the biggie: I'm being very anal and am looking for perfection in my system. The hiss/buzz really isn't that bad, but I know it's there so it bugs me.

Maybe tonight I'll get some motivation to problem solve. My system isn't too easy to get to and work with, so that's my main reason for putting it off.

[PSOVLSK]

Traded out one of Ben's cables for a Monoprice cable...no change.
Moved all speaker wire and IC's away from power cords...no change.
Unplugged the front right IC last night and...silence.
Here's the strange one. As I'm working on this issue I notice a hiss/buzz in the amp itself. The noise coming out of my woofers is the same as the noise in the amp. Also, the buzz is through the top woofer. The bottom one is silent.

[GV#27]

The noise coming out of my woofers is the same as the noise in the amp.It's not unusual to hear some residual low level hiss when your ear is close to the speakers.Also, the buzz is through the top woofer. The bottom one is silent.My guess is that the frequency content of the noise is above the operational range of the lower woofer.In the LSi 9 the lower woofer rolls off above 200hz while the top one works to above 2k.