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How Much Hiss is Reasonable? Mesa/Markbass
- Thread starter jmattbassplaya
- Start date
In designing audio gear for a living, I never ascribed to theories like this - I spent a lot of time working on getting the noise floor of things as low as they could get. You can absolutely design bass heads that work in quiet rooms; anything noisier is (in my mind at least) a cop out.
0 hiss is the right answer. I had no Idea for the first few years I played bass tho..
(way back then) As a beginner, I had no idea that a certain amount of hiss was not normal. As it turned out I had a little PV amp that was (as it turned out) a bit of a lemon I guess...
(way back then) As a beginner, I had no idea that a certain amount of hiss was not normal. As it turned out I had a little PV amp that was (as it turned out) a bit of a lemon I guess...
i've had a few markbass amps, and i've used the same SD800 since around 2009
hiss is not normal, i'd return it.
hiss is not normal, i'd return it.
My first “proper” rig was an Markbass SD800 with a 106HR. Really great setup - kind of wish I still had the 6x10.
i was never much of an amp junkie, but i can recall owning 6 or 7 class d "good" bass amps.
my italian-era SD800 is the only amp i'm ever happy with. I don't know what it is, but it's just perfect. it's been acting up and needs to be serviced (crackling noises)
I'm content to just have this amp serviced every now and again rather than bother shopping for new amps. the genzler or mesa 800 are great amps and i'd be happy with them, but this damn SD800 is just "the sound" i need. for rock gigs i run a VT bass into it and get great results.
I have a Markbass TTE800 and a Little Mark 250 Black Line and both are silent.
and to this day some people say they can see the fiery outline of the bass player in the window, forever looking for his cue
IHMO - There are many posts on TB from players complaining of hiss.
I've seen a couple of videos in the last week on TB where high frequency noise was recorded from amps. One in this very thread. On another thread, someone couldn't hear the hiss but took out a DB meter and measured that it was actually there.
I'm more inclined to believe someone complaining about hiss, the manufacturer's tech support should not dismiss them. There's probably more amps in a batches hissing, but many players just don't hear it.
Even for Studio Monitors for Home Studios, I wouldn't get some of these:
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no way is it the outlet. if it's hissing, it's an issue with the amp.
I would return the amp, especially if it is the only one making the problem.
That said, I believe everyone should get an outlet tester and make sure their electric is up to code where they play. Cheap and effective.
https://www.amazon.com/Receptacle-T...lectrical+outlet+tester&qid=1679369724&sr=8-3
That said, I believe everyone should get an outlet tester and make sure their electric is up to code where they play. Cheap and effective.
https://www.amazon.com/Receptacle-T...lectrical+outlet+tester&qid=1679369724&sr=8-3
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Many TB people are deaf in the high frequency spectrum, age and playing loud contributes to this. My daughter has sensitive hearing (diagnosed and measured by an audiologist) and I usually ask her when she comes over. There really is no such thing as a dead quiet amp when it is set to gig levels (even with the fan off), even if it is just used as a stage monitor. You can even detect noise in a high end studio.
So wondering how sensitive the OP's hearing is.
You guys probably remember Jay Ganz with his straight ahead power amp. His power amps are hissy until you set the master volume past 12 o'clock then it disappears So when I use his power amp, I control the overall volume from my pre-amp
Also the Acoustic 360, they will always hiss loudly. But man they are a joy to play into. You really should try one
So wondering how sensitive the OP's hearing is.
You guys probably remember Jay Ganz with his straight ahead power amp. His power amps are hissy until you set the master volume past 12 o'clock then it disappears So when I use his power amp, I control the overall volume from my pre-amp
Also the Acoustic 360, they will always hiss loudly. But man they are a joy to play into. You really should try one
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I also think this has a lot to do with how sensitive your hearing is. I'm in my mid-thirties, with ok hearing according to the audiologist, and I heard some degree of hiss in just about every amp I've played through in the past 15 years. Yes, even with master all the way down, just by turning the amp on/unmuting some hiss appears. The most noticeable was with a Markbass SD1200 (no tubes), but I hear it too with my current Aguilar TH500. Now, this never bothered me at rehearsal and stage playing volumes, only noticeable in a quiet environment.
I currently own a LM Vintage and also had a LM3 until recently. The LM Vintage has more hiss than the LM3 but still within reason (but reason is a subjective attribute). I can hear it when standing in front of the cab on axis (Markbass NY122 placed vertically) and the tweeter is turned half way up or more. When standing off axis, there's less hiss. If the twitter is turned all the way down, I can hear no hiss at all.
All of the above when not playing. When I start playing, even at very low level practicing volume by myself, I don't hear any hiss. May I add that I have sensitive hearing and sometimes I hear more than I'd like to.
All of the above when not playing. When I start playing, even at very low level practicing volume by myself, I don't hear any hiss. May I add that I have sensitive hearing and sometimes I hear more than I'd like to.
Tweeter cannot be noisy by itself being a passive component. You need amplifier to make some noise and if there is hiss in the signal tweeter will make it audible. Tweeter has other properties that makes difference between good and bad.
I have a Markbass LMT800 and a Mesa D800. Both dead silent unless there was a problem in the signal chain or power source.
