LSI9 Popping sounds

mikejl46
mikejl46 Posts: 63
edited February 2012 in Speakers
I hope it's ok to start a new thread,

I received the lsi9 speakers today and they sound great, but I'm a little concerned. If I crank it up pretty loud the right speaker dose some popping with the heavy bass. It just doesn't sound good. It sound like something is going to break. I can turn up my old speakers all the way up with no problem. Is the speaker shot already?

Thanks,

Mike
Post edited by mikejl46 on

Comments

  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2012
    What are you powering them with?
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    Face wrote: »
    What are you powering them with?


    Carver A-400x http://www.carversound.com/carver-amplifiers/a-400x/
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited February 2012
    Did you try swapping speaker wires to confirm problem stays with same speaker?If it does then you may have a driver with a wonky suspension or an air leak around one or more of the drivers.
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    I tried connecting straight to the Pioneer sc25 receiver with the same results, but not swapping speaker wires. I will try that tomorrow when no one is home.
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited February 2012
    If it does it with the Pioneer also then that eliminates the Carver as the cause.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,011
    edited February 2012
    How far did you turn it up ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    tonyb wrote: »
    How far did you turn it up ?

    -2 on the volume display on my Pioneer sc25 receiver. I can turn the pioneers up to +12 without any problem.

    It was definitely to loud to be listening to for any amount of time, but I was surprised the speaker was popping like that.
  • BeefJerky
    BeefJerky Posts: 1,320
    edited February 2012
    If it is only one speaker, and it stays with that speaker after the wire swap, I would say that the speaker is defective. I have never heard a single popping sound out of any of my LSi's, no matter how loud they were.
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    I tried switching speakers around and played one speaker at a time and both speaker are doing the same thing. While playing them one at a time it sounded like way to much bass was coming out of the speaker causing the popping, so checking the settings on the pioneer I found that the tone control was turned on with a bass setting of +6, I turned it down to 0 and the speakers seem to be ok now. I can turn them up past 0 with no popping.
  • fossy
    fossy Posts: 1,378
    edited February 2012
    Mike,

    New speakers need some break in time .... cranking it up all the way is not recommended until ya have some time on um.... what are the "old" speakers you are refuring to ?
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    Pioneer CS-G403

    I didn't realize they needed to be broke in. Hope I didn't damage them.

    I don't normally play that loud anyway, I usually don't go any higher than -10. I was checking how they compare to the pioneers. I can turn the pioneers all the way up and sound great, but they have had 20 years to break in.
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2012
    The Pioneers are a lot easier to drive than the LSi9's.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,011
    edited February 2012
    mikejl46 wrote: »
    I tried switching speakers around and played one speaker at a time and both speaker are doing the same thing. While playing them one at a time it sounded like way to much bass was coming out of the speaker causing the popping, so checking the settings on the pioneer I found that the tone control was turned on with a bass setting of +6, I turned it down to 0 and the speakers seem to be ok now. I can turn them up past 0 with no popping.

    Mike,
    Glad you have it straightened out. Turning it up past 0 is getting into the danger zone, so be cautious with the volume dial. Very important to set up the receiver when changing speakers, checking settings, and letting them break in for awhile before testing their limits. Don't feel bad though, many do the same thing you did. Enjoy your speakers, and hang around and enjoy the club too.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • fossy
    fossy Posts: 1,378
    edited February 2012
    I have also experienced that popping noise with the lsi9's also , I tracked it down to the port on the back .. it happened because imma bass freak & had the bass knob turned up also ...... glad you found the issue ..

    congrats on the lsi9 purchase .... they are a speaker that performs well above it's price range ...
  • mikejl46
    mikejl46 Posts: 63
    edited February 2012
    Thanks, everyone

    The LSI9's are a great speaker.

    The one thing I worried about before purchasing the LSI9's, is that they wouldn't have the big sound like the Pioneers. The Lsi9's definitely sound big.

    It's hard to believe that a speaker that small can sound just as big as the Pioneer CS-G403.

    Thanks again.

    Mike
  • pyrocyborg
    pyrocyborg Posts: 524
    edited February 2012
    Bass knob = evil... don't get me wrong, bass is cool, but this is the wrong kind of bass you're looking at if you turn that knob past a certain range. If people want more bass, they should add a sub, not increase the bass knob at +10. Playing with something in the range of -2/+2 is fine (as most receiver/integrated amps are already tuned to be at something like +2 bass/ -2 treble "in neutral position" to take my NAD for example... while others are dead neutral), going past this goes far from what your speakers should do IMO (except if you have 8''+ woofers, then they can take it).

    As for the break in, I doubt you did anything bad except if you continued to crank it up and make it pop for a long time. I mean, the general reflex is that when you hear that something isn't right, you turn the volume down... ;) Continue to play them at safe level (for both speakers and your ears) and everything should be fine for a long time, at least, I hope!

    Enjoy!
    Speakers: Polk Audio LSiM 705, LSiM 703, LSiM 704c
    Receiver: Denon X3500H