Crackling/Popping Polk CS1 & Polk Monitor 30's

biggame1717

Hey there,

First let me start off by giving you my setup.

AVR:Onkyo TX-NR515
Fronts: 2x Polk Monitor 30's
Center: Polk CS1
Surrounds: 2x Polk Monitor 30's

The issue I'm having is a crackling or popping sound coming mainly from the center channel(Polk CS1), when there are high screeching sounds or really deep low sounds as well. For instance, on the Game of Thrones premier, when the dragons were flying around screeching, and diving into the water, it was very noticeable. Even when I turn the receiver way down to almost minimum, the crackling is still there. The front speakers seem to do it as well, just not as much. The surrounds, however, do not seem to do it. Any help or advice would be great.

Thanks for your time!

cnh

Welcome to Club Polk!

How are you hooked up for Audio? HDMI through the Onkyo to the TV? Or some other way?

How does the unit sound in two channel stereo on a non-digital source, like FM?

Are there any pops in the rear speakers? Or are they OK?

What is the SOURCE. A gaming box or a cable box?

Need more info to see what's going on. Others will, hopefully chime in as well!

cnh

biggame1717

Thank you for the fast response!

Sorry for not adding the rest of that.

I use all HDMI hookups for all my sources, as well as an HDMI from the TV to the Onkyo.

I used the pandora radio from the Net function on the receiever and was able to listen to music quite loud with no pops or crackles.

The rear speakers do seem to be fine, no pops or crackles during the times the others are doing it.

The source it is happening on is a DVR from Motorola. It is the Motorola DCH6416.

Thanks for your time!

cnh

If the receiver can process Pandora as a digital stream and not pop or crackle then, most likely, your DVR is the problem. There may be some compatibility issues between the Onkyo and the Motorola's HDMI output (handshake).

Do you get popping ON ALL STATIONS or only on a few? Because it could also be due to how the signal is being processed at its transmission source and how much it is being "compressed", etc.

What I would do is run a blu-ray on the Onkyo and if you don't hear anything unusual, it is pretty much the Motorola and/or the SIGNAL being passed to it?

cnh

biggame1717

Ya, now that you mention that, it does seem to happen more often on the HBO, Cinimax, ect channels. It is really bad on the HBO HD channels, like the game of thrones example I gave. I do not own a blue-ray player yet, since I just started building my system. Would a DVD do fine as well or does it have to be a blu-ray for the sound quality?

cnh

A DVD would do fine as most HDTV broadcasts are Dolby Digital, at best...just like what is on most DVDs.

Sounds like a plan. I suspect the Onkyo and the speakers are fine. I, myself, have some sound drop-outs on HD channels now and then!

cnh

rpf65

You may also want to try switching HDMI cables, from one that doesn't crackle. Sometimes even the best of companies make a non-perfect product.

nme medic

I think its HBO I heard the same during the Game of Thrones premier. But when I watched it on HBO GO via air play everything was
Fine.

ddank

biggame1717 wrote: »

Hey there,

First let me start off by giving you my setup.

AVR:Onkyo TX-NR515
Fronts: 2x Polk Monitor 30's
Center: Polk CS1
Surrounds: 2x Polk Monitor 30's

The issue I'm having is a crackling or popping sound coming mainly from the center channel(Polk CS1), when there are high screeching sounds or really deep low sounds as well. For instance, on the Game of Thrones premier, when the dragons were flying around screeching, and diving into the water, it was very noticeable. Even when I turn the receiver way down to almost minimum, the crackling is still there. The front speakers seem to do it as well, just not as much. The surrounds, however, do not seem to do it. Any help or advice would be great.

Thanks for your time!

I heard the same thing during Game of Thrones last week at the exact same part. I just posted a thread tonight because I heard it during Game of Thrones again during the fight on the bridge. This has been driving me crazy trying to figure it out. I have wondered could it be the signal some stations are transmitting. I don't have an answer but maybe try hooking up the hdmi cable directly to your cable box and listen thru your tv speakers. If it happens again at least you can rule out your speakers and avr. Maybe its the cable box or call your provider and see if there is a problem with them in the area.