®
Troubleshooting
Owner’s Reference GCA Power Amplifier Series
No sound comes out of the amp
If no sound comes out of the GCA Series Power Amplifi er there are several areas to check. Either you are not getting an audio signal into the Series Power Amplifi er, you are not properly connected to the loudspeakers so the audio can get out of the Series Power Amplifi er, there is no power from the AC socket, or you have the DC trigger jack connected without an appropriate voltage to turn it on.
Check the input
Check the rear input selector first
It is obviously important that the GCA Series Power Amplifi er receive a high level signal from the preamplifi er, surround processor or whatever source you are feeding it. One way to determine if this is the case, would be to fi rst go to your loudspeaker. Place your ear very near the tweeter and listen for a very slight hiss. If you hear one, chances are good the amp is working fi ne, connected properly at the speakers and you have an input problem. If you suspect an input problem, the fi rst thing to check is the rear panel switch. The switch on the rear of the GCA Series Power Amplifi er is an input selector. With a source connected to the preamp and the preamp volume turned up, click the rear mounted input selector on the GCA Series Power Amplifi er to both positions and see if this solves the problem.
Try another source
If not, place the switch to the proper position and replace the interconnects between the preamp and power amp. At last resort, if you suspect an input problem, try another preamp, or plug the output of your CD player or DVD player directly into the GCA Series Power Amplifi er. Be careful to choose a CD or DVD with relatively soft music because this will play very loudly.
If you suspect an output problem
If there is a lot of hiss in your speaker
If you suspect an output problem, use the same technique of placing your ear very close to the speaker’s tweeter while the GCA Series Power Amplifi er is turned on. You should hear a very slight amount of hiss from the tweeter. If you do not, check the speaker cable/amp connection. Make sure the amp’s front panel light is on, indicating proper performance.
If there is no sound and you are convinced the GCA Series Power Amplifi er has power and its front panel light is lit, contact your dealer, distributor or PS Audio for further assistance.
If there is an excessive amount of hiss or noise from the loudspeaker, it is probably not from the GCA Series Power Amplifi er as this amp has extremely low self noise. Turn the amp off, remove the interconnect cables from the GCA Series Power Amplifi er and then turn the amplifi er back on. Listen once again to see if the noise has been diminished. If it has, chances are good you either need to replace your preamplifi er with a quieter one or you may need to experiment with better shielded interconnect cables.
If you have hum or buzz
If you experience a hum through the speakers this can be caused by several things. The fi rst is the source. If there is an excessive amount of buzz or noise from the loudspeaker, it may be caused by a ground loop, a light dimmer in the home, poor AC power, or any number of causes. The quickest way to determine where to start your search is to simply turn the amp off, disconnect the cables feeding its input, and see if the hum goes away when you turn it back on. If it does, it’s most likely a ground loop or buzz from a dimmer.
The easiest way to fi gure out where ground loop problems lie is by the process of elimination. You
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