My system lost the bass, help!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Pedroboe, May 24, 2015.

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  1. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc
    I am reposting here from other forums. I am going crazy here wondering if I lost my hearing.... I have a nice analog setup with a few LOMC and couple of MMs, Project Tube ds. Also running a Pioneer N50a streamer, does DSD also.
    Focal electra 1007BE and Spendor s6e
    All driven by a Rogue Pharaoh which I got new 7months ago.

    Everything sounds great, detail, spectrum, timbre, soundstaging. I can hear the bass, but it's not being felt much.

    Here are the two suspects?

    Cheap canare speaker cables I replaced last month (changed setup and my stereovox firebirds are too short)


    The 12AU7 tubes in the preamp stage. There is quite a substantial amount of white noise coming out when the volume is turned down.

    Would worn out tubes affect the bass? I have read that they make the HF go away, but in my case everything is there except the low frequency extension.

    Thanks for your time, going nuts here.
     
  2. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    Maybe you connected the speakers out of phase ? (reversed positive and negative on the back of the amp/speakers). That would deffo suck out the bottom end.
     
  3. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Which Canare?
     
  4. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Cables could have been "assembled" out of phase...
     
    head_unit likes this.
  5. PHILLYQ

    PHILLYQ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    Sorry, couldn't resist:
     
    Licorice pizza and Ghostworld like this.
  6. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    You shouldn't hear white noise, particularly with this amp(hybrid with a ss amp). Make sure the tubes are seated properly, and if you can swap them out for another pair. Also make sure your speaker connections are correct. And while your at it, check all other connections as well.
     
    Dave likes this.
  7. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    Move the speakers very close to each other, turn down treble & up bass if you can, play something with constant bass. Now switch the polarity of ONE of the speaker connections. The louder connection is correct.

    As for the white noise, sberger is right, you shouldn't be hearing that.
     
  8. frimleygreener

    frimleygreener "It 'a'int why...it just is"

    Location:
    united kingdom
    Ypu say analogue....have you checked your cartridge leads?
     
  9. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Trash that junk and get this:

    [​IMG]
     
    Linger63 and Licorice pizza like this.
  10. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    THAT is junk, the knobs only go to 10...
     
  11. rob303

    rob303 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    When did you notice the loss of bass? You said you changed your setup and that's when you swapped the SCs. Was this when you noticed the loss of LF? If so, it could even be the change in speaker placement. A lot of variables, so try to pinpoint exactly when your LF dropped.
     
  12. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc
    I always wanted that JVC boombox. On my 14th birthday, my parents thought it was too expensive and ridiculous. I ended up getting a Marantz Superscope three head and a pair of microphones. That's why I can't hear the bass. The tears clog my ears.
     
  13. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc

    Been having some allergies and swelling of my ear canal. Sudafed is helping bring the bass back. Slowly. I guess I have been listening to my cans too much too.
     
  14. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc

    I would not mind some of that . Bass.
     
    PHILLYQ likes this.
  15. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc

    Would worn out 12AU7 tubes cause a reduction in bass? I called Rogue and they denied it. They just said that they would hiss. And they are.
     
  16. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Maybe, maybe not. But if they're making noise, something isn't right. Replacements are plentiful and cheap, so easy enough to find out.
     
  17. Pedroboe

    Pedroboe Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Nyc
    back with a new report. Got the new 12au7 tubes. Sounds the same. I replaced speaker cables with my Stereovox ones. Same sound, lacks balls. But....This is a little preliminary, but I think a made a big discovery. Probably by now my mind it's playing tricks big time. Furthermore the hitherto observations are made with headphones. I don't need to wake my wife or six year old right now.
    Of course I come to these forums thinking that I have covered everything, eg: phase, speaker placement, phono loading, etc. well, tonight I discovered that the amp was actually not directly connected to the wall ac. It was connected to a Monster 3600 thingy ma gig. You know, some glorified power conditioner where Everything is connected: pioneer turntable, pioneer N50a digital steamer, Muse Dac and Pro-Ject tube DS. Now it seems like the bass have come back sudafed or not. In fact, I think there's too much bass ;-)

    Engineers do chime in. Does this make sense? I guess the offense is analogous to calling support for your toaster and the finding out its not plugged in....

    I hope you find my posts amusing if anything. Dementia looms in the horizon.
     
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