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Tweeter Hiss Issue

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Arrubin, Dec 27, 2014.

  1. Dec 27, 2014 #1
    Arrubin

    Arrubin

    Mar 14, 2014
    Milwaukee WI
    Had a question I was hoping someone could help out with. I am getting a hiss out of the tweeter in my cabs. Running a GK MB800 fusion through a GK 410 and 115 (yes, I realize this combination is frowned upon here), and I get the hiss out of both of them. Bad enough that I have turned the tweeter volume all the way down on both cabs.

    I have a TC BH250 head, and have the same hiss problem when I plug it in. I don't have a second bass to try, but when I plug in one of my guitars I still get that hiss.

    Here's some things that I have tried:

    1. Replaced instrument cable
    2. Replaced speakon cable
    3. Engaged ground lift (there is nothing plugged into the direct out)
    4. Ran each cab separately
    5. Verified cabs in full range mode. Tried switching to Bi-Amp, it bypassed the control and sounded just like if the control is all the way down.
    6. Removed instrument cable entirely

    None of these removed the hiss. When I engage the mute on the GK head, it removes most of the hiss. When I do the same on my TC head, all of the hiss goes away. As I would expect from a high frequency hiss, increasing treble, gain, presence, volume increases it. Any ideas on what it might be coming from or what I can do aside from rewiring my house?
     
  2. Dec 27, 2014 #2
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    You have done the correct thing; one step better would have been to disconnect the tweeters, altogether, for best results, overall. :bassist: ;) :hyper:
     
  3. Dec 27, 2014 #3
    Son of Wobble

    Son of Wobble

    Mar 8, 2010
    Tweeters suck. YMMV, but tweeters still suck.
     
    Matthew_84 likes this.
  4. Dec 27, 2014 #4
    B-string

    B-string

    Nov 21, 2008
    Lake Havasu City, Az USA
    Sounds like you may have hash (noise) in your house? You could try a line noise filter like found in a power "conditioners". The MB Fusion 800 has a tube preamp so amp hiss would be very rare in that one. The TC I would suspect preamp noise if it wasn't present on both amps without an instrument plugged in. Don't be put off by the "tweeter haters", there is a lot of life above the mud or even 2,000 Hz.
     
  5. Dec 27, 2014 #5
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    I think I can still hear higher than that! I know my tweeterless cabs can do at least 8K without breaking a sweat. :cool:
     
  6. Dec 27, 2014 #6
    seamonkey

    seamonkey

    Aug 6, 2004
    Hiss comes from the signal chain, if the bass is not plugged in then it comes from the head's pre-amp section or amplifier section. Turn the treble down, Turn the l-pad down, Hang a piece felt in front of the tweeter.

    Good amps, well designed cabs work fine with tweeters. Some bass amps were not designed for use with efficient tweeters. It may be you don't have the levels up high enough on the pre part of the amp, and the master low enough.
     
  7. Dec 27, 2014 #7
    Coolhandjjl

    Coolhandjjl

    Oct 13, 2010
    Appleton
    Some amps just hiss more than others, and you never know it until you use a cab with a tweeter.
     
  8. Dec 27, 2014 #8
    Polfuste

    Polfuste

    Sep 10, 2010
    South France
    My 700 RB have same hiss you talk about through gk neo115 or gk néo 212, even with the bass is not plugged in, and mute engaged. Not a problem when i play with the band.
     
  9. Dec 27, 2014 #9
    Arrubin

    Arrubin

    Mar 14, 2014
    Milwaukee WI
    Thanks for the responses. I will try a line filter. I am a basement player, so it's only me. My bass is admittedly somewhat noisy, which exacerbates the issue, I should get it better shielded. I like the extra top end "fizz" from the tweeter, I don't hear the same thing from just using the treble control. I am thinking about picking up a Jazz, and that bit of top end is part of what I like about the Jazz tone, I don't want to spend the dough on a new bass to find it sounds totally different at home.
     
  10. Dec 27, 2014 #10
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    Shielding the bass will help primarily with lower frequency hum and buzz, but it won't hurt if done properly (if not, it can make things worse). Is your bass passive or active? What bass is it that you have? Do the amps create this hiss when there is nothing plugged in?

    All amps will have some hiss, it is just the nature of electronics; some are louder than others, but once the music get going it gets masked and it becomes moot.
     
  11. Dec 28, 2014 #11
    Arrubin

    Arrubin

    Mar 14, 2014
    Milwaukee WI
    I have an Ibanez SR375M, active tone controls. The hiss is there when nothing is plugged in.
     
  12. Dec 28, 2014 #12
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    Does the hiss remain at the same level when you have the input gain and/or master volume turned down on the amp(s)?