Hello all,
My eagerly anticipated SS V3 arrived. Nicely packed, no damage, obviously handled with care. The first thing I do with any electronic audio gear is the quiet test. So, I unpacked the SS, made sure all knobs were set to minimum, plugged it in, and turned it on. Instant hum and slight high-pitched whine! Strange, but okay, Ill move it to another outlet. But, first, just for grins, I turned up the Width control. When I got past 12 oclock, I began to hear hissing. Remember, all other knobs are at minimum. When I turned the Width control all the way up, the hissing was noticeable, even from a couple of feet away. I then turned up the Level control. The volume of the Width control hiss did not change until the Level control was at about 1 oclock. After that, it increased quickly and significantly. However, if the Level control is turned all the way up, and the Width control is turned off, there is no hiss. Only the hum/whine. And, the hum/whine does not increase in volume as the Level is turned up.
Now, by comparison, I got out my old (old!) Roland Cube 40 Keyboard amp. I unplugged the SS V3, and plugged the Cube into the same outlet. Turned it on no hum or high-pitched whine! I turned both volume knobs (one for each input) all the way up still quiet. Now, the Cube does have a couple of scratchy pots the Treble knob and the Reverb knob. They can also introduce some hiss, so sometimes I have to whack em to quiet em down. Still, in all the Cube was as quiet as the SS V3!
I moved the SS V3 to another room and outlet. No change. Remember, the only knobs not set at minimum were the Width and Level knobs. So -
1. Are the rest of you getting any hum and/or whine when you turn your units on with nothing plugged in?
2. Are you getting hissing sounds as you turn up the Width control?
I bought the amp to use with three instruments
1. E-drums
2. Keyboards
3. Chapman Stick
My current rig is massive (including a JBL 18 inch powered sub) compared o the SS V3. Im definitely looking to downsize.
Its true I havent plugged anything into the SS V3 yet. But, I tend to approach electronic audio items pretty methodically. If you guys with great working units can confirm that your units behave in the same manner as mine simply by turning yours on, Im good to go. With the Level knob all the way up, the Width and Mid EQ at about 1 oclock, and the Hi EQ all the way up, the hiss is noticeable, but not particularly objectionable. I can only imagine how loud an instrument would be played thru the amp at those settings. The hum/whine is always there, but again, not audibly objectionable. Its just disconcerting that a decades old Roland Keyboard is as quiet/quieter than the SS V3.
Thanks in advance.