Need monitor advice

[vsr600]

might just be the power transformer in your RA100 that's a little loose. Maybe if it's attached with bolts you could try tightening it down and that might stop the hum. I had that problem with my furman HDS6 headphone amp and it turned out the transformer was just a little loose causing it to vibrate inside the case. I tightened it up and it's been turned on and working fine with no hum for about a year straight now...

[calaverasgrandes]

I see crown DC300's in lots of "real" studios. I think you may have just heard what old caps in an old amp sound like. I would put Crown over the majority of the power amps out there.
As far as the Yamaha HS50/HS80 they arent very good. Almost no bass, kinda muddy sounding to my ears. If I was getting a budget powered speaker I would go for the KRK rokit G2 (not the original rokit!).
I was surprised how good the imaging and depth on those is.

[Professor]

Hey, just out of curiosity about that RA-100 amp, you said the unit itself is humming but it wasn't too clear whether the hum was audible through the speakers. Obviously if it is coming out of the speakers as well that's kind of important, and it should be fixed. But if you have an amp that's working and just making unwanted noise at the unit then get some longer speaker wire and put it in another room, closet, etc. That may not be a long-term fix, but it would buy you some time to do some research, find the right deal, save extra money, or whatever. And when you find the right next path, don't forget to take the old amp in to GC and see about selling it to them... on a day when the shop is busy and loud.

-J

[vsr600]

Hey, just out of curiosity about that RA-100 amp, you said the unit itself is humming but it wasn't too clear whether the hum was audible through the speakers. Obviously if it is coming out of the speakers as well that's kind of important, and it should be fixed. But if you have an amp that's working and just making unwanted noise at the unit then get some longer speaker wire and put it in another room, closet, etc. That may not be a long-term fix, but it would buy you some time to do some research, find the right deal, save extra money, or whatever. And when you find the right next path, don't forget to take the old amp in to GC and see about selling it to them... on a day when the shop is busy and loud.

-J

This is how we end up with so much old broken junk we can't get rid of... thanks

[Professor]

Well you know, one man's trash is another man's 'I can't believe GC was selling this so cheap!!'

-J

[skiltrip]

Hey, just out of curiosity about that RA-100 amp, you said the unit itself is humming but it wasn't too clear whether the hum was audible through the speakers.

-J

Actually... this is in the original post.. "It's starting to hum, not just through the speakers, but the actual unit."

So to be more clear. Yes, hum in speakers, and actual unit is humming. If I crank the output on the amp controls, hum increases in both the speakers and amp. It's pretty much on it's way out the door.

Fortunately the RA150 is a nice and cheap 199, so I just ordered one. I'm not ready to drop any significant loot on a pair of monitors right now (still need to treat my room). So this'll get me by.

But I'll probably stick the RA100 in my garage/storage for now. It'd probably be fine for a live room playback amp (when i finally build a live room. haha).