[Ultralight]

I have read a number of times where reviewers raved about 'totally black background' or 'amazingly low noise floor'...and the likes. 

My question is whether this really matter?  If there is a very slight hiss noticeable from a couple of feet away, but it is almost imperceptible at seating perception, does it make a difference?

One the music starts, it seem that the music simply drowns out the hiss. Even with music with a lot of pauses (i.e. Some classical) it seems that any noise short of loud hiss is really not noticed.

Thanks in advance in helping educate me...

Thanks!
UL

[roscoeiii]

Great question.

[bladesmith]

First of all. Is the hiss you hear, get louder as you turn up the volume control without a signal/music input ?

Or just remain a low hiss at any volume position ?

[paul79]

Noise floor can have dramatic effects on the music you listen to, sure. It is weather or not those effects are important to you.

Like a DAC for instance... If it has incredibly low SNR, it will give better image location, focus, and even more depth portrayal IME, so long as the rest of the chain is capable. A good power conditioner can also be additive or even necessary for this as well.

[bladesmith]

Get an extra modular cord, and cut the ground off the male end. Then exchange it with the various equipment you have, until you find the culprit that is causing the hiss/hum in your system.

V....

[RDavidson]

Couldn't one just buy a cheater plug and accomplish the exact same thing?

[G Georgopoulos]

My question is whether this really matter?  If there is a very slight hiss noticeable from a couple of feet away, but it is almost imperceptible at seating perception, does it make a difference?

One the music starts, it seem that the music simply drowns out the hiss. Even with music with a lot of pauses (i.e. Some classical) it seems that any noise short of loud hiss is really not noticed.

Thanks in advance in helping educate me...

Thanks!
UL

whatever gets into the ear that is not music,IT'S BAD...

[steve f]

Hiss is not acceptable. Hum is a ground problem...usually. Hissing is often a piece of defective equipment.

[Early B.]

I have read a number of times where reviewers raved about 'totally black background' or 'amazingly low noise floor'...and the likes. 

My question is whether this really matter?  If there is a very slight hiss noticeable from a couple of feet away, but it is almost imperceptible at seating perception, does it make a difference?

One the music starts, it seem that the music simply drowns out the hiss. Even with music with a lot of pauses (i.e. Some classical) it seems that any noise short of loud hiss is really not noticed.

Thanks in advance in helping educate me...

A blacker background is a prerequisite for capturing the nuances of every other audiophile term -- detail, musicality, PRAT, imaging, sound stage, etc. You don't know just how crappy your system actually sounds until you remove the noise. Otherwise, what you think you're hearing is music, but it's really a bunch of "mud." Achieving a black background requires spending lots of money on power conditioning and cabling.

When critical listening, I make an effort to ensure that the room is as quiet as possible. In the middle of summer, for instance, I'll only listen late at night and turn off the air conditioner, the ceiling fan, and anything else that makes even the slightest noise.   

[bladesmith]

Couldn't one just buy a cheater plug and accomplish the exact same thing?

Sure.. of course...

[Ultralight]

Hiss remains the same. No change regardless of volume.  If hiss increases with increasing volume, then I can understand the concern more...

And no hiss at all, except when I connect the LCD TV screen to the laptop via HDMI so the stereo equipment has no hiss at all, but the TV does induce something.  But it is so soft that when music starts playing, I am unaware of the hiss - hence my query.  When the music plays, I'm not sure if connecting the TV screen or not makes much difference to actual perception. 

Hence my question...

UL

First of all. Is the hiss you hear, get louder as you turn up the volume control without a signal/music input ?

Or just remain a low hiss at any volume position ?

[Ultralight]

Deleted. Double post.

[Ultralight]

Or one can just take an approach like Vinnie Rossi's LIO where isolation from the grid is inherent in its fundamental design.  My guess is that some spend more on their power conditioning than Vinnie's entire system....

UL

Achieving a black background requires spending lots of money on power conditioning and cabling.

 

[steve f]

Sounds like the TV is probably the culprit.  Try a different set and see if hissing noise continues.

[S Clark]

Or one can just take an approach like Vinnie Rossi's LIO where isolation from the grid is inherent in its fundamental design.  My guess is that some spend more on their power conditioning than Vinnie's entire system....

UL

I've bought Dodd equipment over the years for the same reason.