Ellen- The Chesky disc is really useful. 1st, it has 9 music selections in DVD-V and DVD-A format. (Stereo and multichannel.) You can set levels, DVD-V and DVD-A. Also, phase check between all speakers, and phase checks to the sub, again, all DVD-V and DVD-A. There are also "impulse" type tests, used to make sure all the delays to your speakers are correct. And this I thought was really unique: it has a low freq pan through all the mains. The idea is that if your BM is functioning correctly, even though the low freq pan is *only* through the mains, the output to the sub should remain constant. (There is a little beep as each pan "centers" on each main speaker.)

I had always used Avia as my bible for audio setup, but the Chesky disc gives it a run for the money IMO. (No video setup stuff on Chesky though.)

Kevin, I've been using Avia and a Denon setup DVD-A, though it has some rather odd tones/sweeps I'm not sure what to do with, and there are absolutely no instructions included, the sub phase test is not conclusive in my system...I"ve ordered the Chesky disc, thanks.

Thanks Soundhound.

I just tried an experiment. I recalibrated as you suggested with the volume control at 0, and indeed, the trim levels DO effect the hiss level with the volume set that high. With the volume control set at 0, to calibrate to 75dB, I have the trims for my front channels at -10. This gives me more hiss than before. If I have the volume control at 0 and calibrate to 70dB, I have the trims set to -15, and the net effect is that this hiss level is exactly the same as when I have the volume control set to -15 and the trims at 0. So if I have the volume control at 0 and the trims at -15, or the other way around, the effect is the same. To me this makes sense. The volume control and the trim levels are adjusting the same thing. With the new 950's gain 8dB greater, I don't think I COULD calibrate with the volume control at 0. I'd have to be able to dial the trims down to -18 just to get to 75dB. At any rate, I don't think it matters. I think the only reason to calibrate with the volume control set to 0 is so that you achieve "Dolby Reference level" or "THX Reference level" or whatever with the volume control set to 0. I don't care if I get that level with the volume control set to 0 or -10 or -15. The combination of the 950 and 750 amp has WAY more gain than I ever use no matter how I would set it up. If I were running "Maggies", it would be a different matter. Gain might be an issue, hiss probably not.

None the less, it sounds like you got a very significant absolute reduction in hiss with the new one. If I could get just a 50% reduction, I would be tickled pink. I think I will put in a request. I didn't want to ask Outlaw to send me another one unless I was very sure the new one would make a significant difference in my system. As several others discovered, I found the "Red Dot" one to actually be "hissier" at normal volume levels than what I have now.

Thanks again.

Skyfish:

The difference in hiss with the new 950 will be way more dramatic as the volume control is lowered, than on the old one. My only concern with calibrating lower than "00" would be inter-channel volume non-linearities in the volume control circuit as the volume is reduced too much. This may or may not be an issue however in the real world.

I think you will be a very happy camper with the new unit - the hiss will be _that_ much lower

Great news! As regards non-linearities in the volume control, when I recalibrated with the volume at 0, my speaker trims remained the same relative to each other as when I had previously calibrated at -15, so at least on my current 950, the volume control seems to remain accurate between channels at different levels.

I'll let you know how it works out. I'd kind of like to send mine in for the upgrade, as it is in mint condition, cosmetically and otherwise, but then I'd lose the ability to do a direct A-B comparison, and that I REALLY want to do.

I have a new 950 on the way! I am very excited to try it out, as my current one has audible hiss at 10 ft.

Ok, I now have the blue dot 950. Set up and calibrated (with my amp gain pots turned all the way up, as recommended by Parasound) the 950 and popped in a familiar CD. First thing I notice is that it sounds "honky" or "nasal". It sounds totally different than my first 950.

By the way, this 950 has nearly the same serial # as my original, but has a blue dot on it. My original is a "red dot" version, but has no dot on it.

I play a cd fairly loud, then turn on the tv and leave the room for a few hours. I come back and restart the CD. Wow! Now it sounds as sweet as the original did! So much for breaking in! I wonder if it will continue to improve over the next week or month. All "honkyness" is gone. Smooth and sweet.

So now I listen for hiss. I change from DVD (digital) to CD (analog) to TV (analog). The hiss when listening to a blank (no sound) format is gone. When listening to quiet passages on CD, the hiss is gone, allowing me to hear nuances that I could not hear before. When I first got my 950, I said it was the first time I ever used the words "detailed and revealing". This new 950 is even more so with the lack of hiss.

What more can I say. I was very happy with the 950, now I am ecstatic. My hiss is gone, and the amp is running the way it is supposed to, full out!

One last thing, when I calibrated, I gained 26db, not 8. The reason I did is because I had my amp turned way down to eliminate the hiss. When I turned it up, I gained the additional headroom.

Thanks Outlaws!

If you used the analog outs (DVD player internal decoder) on a DD it would still work, yes?

willscary:

Having volume control pots on your power amps, you might try calibrating your system by having the trims on the 950 at "0" and main volume at "00", and use the volume pots on the power amps to get 75db. I know what parasound says, but it is preferrable to calibrate this way. Don't worry about the amps not being "full out" as this is a misconception: it's the drive voltage coming into them that determines the power coming out. You would be driving the 950 a bit harder. In my experience with the particular analog IC they used in the output of the 950, it likes to be driven, and might sound better in your system for it.

Try it out.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited January 06, 2003).]

Soundhound,

I'm confused. Is it better to drive the 950 hard, or to drive it less? Doesn't the new 950 hiss more when it is driven? I think it was posted before that the new 950's hiss in a quiet room is extremely noticable when the volume knob on is at +10 and gradually gets less noticable until the volume knob gets to about -15.

Will

[This message has been edited by Will (edited January 06, 2003).]