Remove Hiss on speaker lines adjacent to AC cables

[Ezekial66]

I read through a few posts before deciding to start a new thread as I know the particular details of my situation that didn't seem to fit with issues anyone else has had.

The original owner ran 16 gauge speaker wire, as well as AUX cables, throughout the house for in-ceiling speakers and connected them to Amazon echo devices for each room. The setup works great, but after seeing some pictures of his install, It is clearly visible that he ran the speaker wires and AUX cables adjacent to the AC electrical cables.

Most areas have no issues except for the kitchen, which was the main area I could see the speaker wires run alongside the AC cables. There is a very audible 'hiss' sound (not humming or feedback) coming from both the left and right speakers. The fact that the sound is even and consistent on both speakers, and the speaker wires were run in different areas as they're 10 ft apart, I believe the AUX cable to be the culprit. As the house is now finished and drywall installed, is there any type of filter or device I could put on either the speaker end/amplifier end of the speaker cable, or preferably the Amplifier end/echo end of the AUX cable to help reduce the hiss.

I just found this forum and am very excited to become a part of the community!!

All the best.

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

Hiss is rather high frequency. I don't expect that mains wiring is able to induce this to speaker wiring. (but still possible).

I rather expect that the "hiss" is induce somewhere before or within the amplifier.
Maybe just replace it's power supply if possible.
You also may test with short wiring (but use same signal source and same speaker)

In case the signal really is induced over the long wiring I'd replace the speaker cable with twisted pairs, maybe even shielded.

I guess the system is:
Signal source, including amplifier (connected to wall wart supply) --> long wiring --> speaker

Maybe:
* in kitchen there are different speakers installed (able to reproduce higher frequencies)
* in kitchen your ears are more close at the speakers, thus the hiss is better recognizable
* in kitchen the signal source is more noisy

Klaus

 

[Audioguru]

You could filter out the high frequencies then the hiss will be reduced but music and speech will sound muffled like an old AM radio or old telephone where "What did you say?" is commonly said.
AUX cables are always shielded audio cables to avoid hum pickup. Maybe the AUX wiring inside the Echo unit picks up digital fuzz?

 

[Easy peasy]

The hiss is being induced into the amplifier driving the spaekers - probably a switch mode psu in an item of equipment near the amp - try switching things off in the room ( including lights ) one by one to find the culprit ...