Please Help - Sony ES Receiver HISSSSsssssssssSSING!

[admin_exported]

Hi Guys,

I have had a brief search through the forum and have not seen any posts on this topic, but if I've missed something let me know.

I really need help dealing with a problem I am having with my Sony 5300ES receiver. I use a PS3 as a blu-ray player and therefore have to send all HD audio as a decoded LPCM stream. The trouble is that my 5300ES makes a very audible hiss when receiving a LPCM signal. This hiss becomes audible from my seating position at anything above -15dB and increases in level as the volume climbs.

This hiss is even audible in the XMB. Some Blu-ray movies require a volume level above -10dB and under these conditions the hiss competes with dialogue. Switching to a bitstream output produces a hiss-free sound, but limits me to standard DD and DTS. Sony have even suggested this as a "solution", but I only upgraded from my Denon 1905 to gain HD playback capability!

I have posted this here to ask owners of new Sony ES receivers, who also use a PS3 for BD playback, to please check if this is a problem you also have. In order to check simply set the PS3 to output LPCM over HDMI, with all bitrates enabled. If you have this problem then the hiss will be present on the XMB as you raise the volume level above -15 to -10dB (depending on your speaker sensitivity). The Sony technician tells me that he has tried this on multiple models and has heard the hiss on all of them. I suspect he is trying to put the blame on the PS3 however - Sony South Africa do not distribute the PS3 in South Africa, so this would relieve them from responsibility.

Finally, for the What Hi-Fi team, I see you have posted a very positive review on the 5400ES. If you still have that unit, could you please check if it also suffers from this fault?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ElectroMan]

I don't have that receiver, but there's discussion of hissing problems here and here.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks ElectroMan. Yeah, I've seen those posts and in fact they were part of the reason I suspected the amp, rather than the PS3, when I first heard the hiss.

I have also managed to dig up a couple of other less prominent posts, but considering the Sony technician's assertion that every Sony amp he tries hisses, I would expect the internet to be all used up on posts from unhappy Sony customers. ;-)

Could you tell me if you've ever experienced anything similar with your PS3 Onkyo combination?

I also really hope to get some feedback from some of the What Hi-Fi guys on this one.

Thanks again for the response.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Have to say I haven't encountered this problem on this receiver...

That said, I'm not a PS3 person, but do have other sources capable of outputting LPCM.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the response.

I think it could be tricky to hear the hiss with another source, simply because the PS3 seems to output a LPCM signal on the XMB. This makes it very easy to isolate the hiss as it is the only sound present. Having said that, I first picked up this hiss during a movie. It was audible over the dialogue in quiet patches of Troy on BD. At first I thought it was just a noisy transfer, but I then heard it in The Fifth Element.

What these blu-rays have in common is that they both have a very low nominal volume level, so the receiver volume is set higher than usual (around -10dB) for a reasonable dialogue level. At this sort of level the hiss is clearly audible. I have since checked other Blu-rays and the hiss is always there but with some movies, The Incredible Hulk for example, it is hard to hear given the volume of dialogue and ambient noise.

 

[ElectroMan]

Mowin:
Could you tell me if you've ever experienced anything similar with your PS3 Onkyo combination?

To honest, I haven't played any Blu-rays on the PS3 through the Onkyo (as I got a BD player with the amp) yet. I have played the Killzone 2 demo and didn't notice any hiss - but then it probably wouldn't be noticeable as there's so much going on!

I had no problems with the PS3 playing Blu-rays through my previous (non HD) Yamaha amp.

I've got the second half of Casino to watch tonight - I'll try it on the PS3 and let you know if any problems.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks ElectroMan,

Could you make sure to set the PS3 to bitstream and see if you can hear hissing in the XMB menu before you hit play? I'm sure the Onkyo will be fine though.

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry,I meant to set the PS3 to LPCM, not bitstream.

 

[ElectroMan]

Hi,

It works fine, with no hissing at all, either in the PS3 menus or during playback.

It would seem to be an issue/fault with your receiver. Strange, as I would expect a PS3 to work well with Sony gear!

I'd suggest you take it up with Sony.

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks ElectroMan, I really appreciate the help.