®
Troubleshooting
Owner’s Reference GCA Power Amplifier Series
Finding a ground loop
Try a cheater plug
need to determine where the hum or buzz is coming from within your system.
If the hum/buzz goes away when you remove the inputs to the power amp, your next step will be to reconnect the amp and move further down the chain. If you were working with a receiver or an integrated amplifi er, you will need to jump to step 4. If you have a preamp, or processor that is feeding the power amp, your next step would be to disconnect all inputs to the preamplifi er or processor. Once these are disconnected, and the preamp or processor is connected only to the power amplifi er, turn the system on and again, listen for hum. Should the hum now appear, it is a problem with your preamp or processor or their interaction with the power amp. Before returning the preamp or processor to the manufacturer, try a cheater plug to break a ground loop. Cheater plugs are simple devices that convert a three prong AC plug into a two prong AC plug and in the act of converting three prongs, to two prongs, they disconnect the ground from the wall socket. Try one of these on the preamp, or the power amp, or both.
Process of elimination
It could be the cable TV
Blue light is too bright
Problems with subwoofers
If you determine that there is still no hum present when the preamp, processor or receiver is connected with no inputs, then selectively begin plugging in your various inputs one at a time. After each connection, check for hum until you discover the humming culprit.
VCR’s, surround processors, and any device that is connected to a television cable or satellite dish can cause a loud buzz and should always be suspect. If, by the process of elimination described above, you determine it is a component like a VCR that is causing the hum/buzz to occur, and using a cheater plug or removing the ground pin on a PS xStream Power Cable doesn’t help matters, it may be necessary to isolate the cable connection (CATV) with an isolation transformer. This inexpensive device is available at most Wal Mart, Radio Shack or department store type outlets and is sometimes called a ‘matching transformer’. If you have problems fi nding one, call your local cable TV company for advice. The matching transformer will be placed between the cable TV cord and the VCR, TV or processor.
Just remember, take the system down to its simplest level of connection. Find a way to hook the system up with as many pieces of the system missing or not connected. Keep it simple and get it to the point where the hum’s gone. Then start adding back components one at a time until the hum returns.
Finding the problem is 9/10th of the work in fi nding a solution.
If the blue light is too bright, or if it is not lit but the amplifi er plays, check the rear panel of the GCC Series Power Amplifi er for the three position dimmer switch. The switch is located on the rear panel, upper left hand side as you face the rear of the unit.
If you have a problem connecting a subwoofer, please refer to the quick start guide in the front of this manual. We do not recommend connecting the high level inputs of a self power subwoofer to the outputs of the GCC Series Power Amplifi er. For many subwoofers it will be fi ne. Some, like the REL subwoofers, and the Carver, Sunfi re type of subwoofers will not work properly when connected to the GCC Series Power Amplifi er’s outputs. This is because the GCC Series Power Amplifi er is a balanced type of output with a DC voltage as referenced to ground.
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