I have some old speakers in the house that I wanted to test. So instead of messing with the real stereo unit from the 80s, I bought a $30 stereo from Amazon, and new speaker wire.

The speakers sound okay, but there’s a hum coming from them all the time. Even with the stereo volume knob turned all the way down. Is this normal for stereo systems and I just haven’t noticed?

  • sem@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
    2·
    1 day ago

    Yes the house speakers (almost imperceptible hum, with the wires in the wall) are amplified by an Onkyo Tx-8011, which goes through a Niles audio HDS-6 high definition speaker selection system, with the protection toggle always engaged.

    For protection, it says:

    Disengaged:
    1-2 8 ohm
    1 4 ohm

    Engaged:
    3-6 8 ohm
    2-6 4 ohm

    But honestly I don’t have the users manual and I don’t know what it means.

    Back to the test setup (with the louder hum; speaker wire NOT in the walls, just draped over the dining room table), the speakers are AR18s, U028144. The 2 pronged plug is NOT polarized. I’ll look for a DC power supply and see how that goes.