My Speakers are Perplexing Me.....

wingnut4772

Ok. So just prior to moving all my SHITE from the room from hell (another story) I popped in my Shock Value CD(Timbaland - hey! I am down!:D ) in my system and it sounded like real class A dog manure. Really distorted and thready. I was like 'what the hell!? I chalked it up to a bad outlet in the crap room.....(did I mention it's a room from hell?)

SO.... then I put together a quick 2 channel system in my living/dining room and I am hearing the same thing. I unplug the interconnects fom my amp and use the receiver's amps to rule that out. Same. I used my iPod as a source to rule out the cd player. Same.


Albert Von Schweikert says 'send in the tweeters'. I do and they are perfect. He sends them back and I start with my new Vinyl Obsession ( echo, echo, echo) and Norah sounds divine. I am not hearing anything but lovely pretty lady music.

I put in my Madonna Confessions Tour Live ( I know, I know:o ) CD in and there it is again. That same thready, distorted sound from speakers I have knownin the past to be silky with the same material.

My Amy Winehouse LP had the same issue today. But NOT my Norah Album. Am I going crazy?

heiney9

wingnut4772 wrote: »

Am I going crazy?

YEP.......sell everything including your house and start over

Early B.

Wing -- does the distortion occur in one speaker only or both of them?

wingnut4772

Early B. wrote: »

Wing -- does the distortion occur in one speaker only or both of them?

Both. That's why I am thinking it's most likely not them - especially after the clean tweeter ok by the man himself.

steveinaz

Maybe you've got an output transistor going or something? have you tried another receiver/amp/..? You have already tried a different source, so now it's down to cables and amplification....

Check that you didn't bump one of your rear-tweeters level way up by accident. Maybe a problem with the VS interconnect?

Early B.

The last thing remaining to isolate appears to be the speaker cables. Have you tried changing those out?

wingnut4772

steveinaz wrote: »

Maybe you've got an output transistor going or something? have you tried another receiver/amp/..? You have already tried a different source, so now it's down to cables and amplification....

Yes. I tried my Pioneer receiver ( when I had it) and the HK receiver.

Early B wrote:

The last thing remaining to isolate appears to be the speaker cables. Have you tried changing those out?

No. I don't have any others.They are the same cables that sounded good before. How would they change?

steveinaz

That's just weird...hmmm...gotta be something with the speakers or some strange power problem...

wingnut4772

steveinaz wrote: »

That's just weird...hmmm...gotta be something with the speakers or some strange power problem...

Is it possible for the crossovers to be messed up and the tweeters be ok? What does it sound like when a crossover is messed up?

steveinaz

Absolutely, and it could be intermittent. Try just running the upper half of your speakers, then just the lower half..see if you can isolate it. Just seems strange that both crossovers would be bad.

Ricardo

IMO it's very difficult that both crossovers present a similar problem at the same time; not common.

Are you positive the distortion comes from the tweeters, and not the mids maybe?

I also think that speaker wires have a very low probability of being the cause.

Tough one. You can buy more Norah Jones though

Early B.

It's probably a loose connection somewhere.

I had a similar issue several years ago. It was driving me crazy because I couldn't figure it out. I finally realized that the binding post on my amp didn't like one of the banana plugs. I switched connector types and I was back in business.

wingnut4772

Everything's tight that I can see. I have spades on the speakers. I notice it on the voices so I just assumed it would be the upper module...? And it is intermittent and elusive dammit. That's why I think it may be the recording or me crazy but I am not sure. What would have to happen to speaker wire for it to um....go bad? Suddenly.

wingnut4772

HTrookie wrote: »

IMO it's very difficult that both crossovers present a similar problem at the same time; not common.

Are you positive the distortion comes from the tweeters, and not the mids maybe?

I also think that speaker wires have a very low probability of being the cause.

Tough one. You can buy more Norah Jones though

More Norah is a good thing!

I am pretty sure because when I place my hand over the tweeter it muffles the distortion as well.

danger boy

Darla, you've had a taste of the sweet soothing sounds of vinyl.. CD's from now on will sound like dog manure


seriously, i have no idea what the problem could be. good luck

wingnut4772

From: "Albert Von Schweikert" <albert@vonschweikert.com>
>" Hello Darla,
>
> If the Nora Jones recording sounds clean and smooth, that indicates that the
> speakers are not at fault. If the crossovers have burned parts, you would
> hear distortion on EVERY song.
>
> This is a mystery, certainly. I've got recordings that have all sorts of
> distortion on them, mainly mainstream rock CD's that sound distorted on all
> 4 of my systems, including my $10,000 car system.
>
> It may be possible that your system is so "clear" that you are hearing the
> great variation of the actual sound of the recordings themselves. It's a
> blessing and also a curse, and I've got the same problem as all the other
> audiophiles I talk to -- there is no "standard" for recording equalization
> or distortion, so some recordings sound clean and others sound "grainy."
> There is really nothing that can be done except to petition the recording
> industry to avoid compression, treble EQ/boost, and so forth.
>
> If you come to the belief that the crossovers have been damaged by an excess
> of volume level, by all means, ship the upper modules to us and we can test
> them for damage. That would be the definitive test...."

I might just send them in to kill the OCD beast but I don't think it's the speakers. Unless all my speakers are bad because I have my 2 VS LCR15s in now and I found a pair of speaker wire (same DH Labs though) and the distortion is still there. :mad: Can they be making recordings that actually sound like that?

By the way ...VON SCHWEIKERT AUDIO ROCKS! Excellent CS ..from Albert himself no less.

sucks2beme

wingnut4772 wrote: »

From: "Albert Von Schweikert" <albert@vonschweikert.com>
>" Hello Darla,
>
> If the Nora Jones recording sounds clean and smooth, that indicates that the
> speakers are not at fault. If the crossovers have burned parts, you would
> hear distortion on EVERY song.
>
> This is a mystery, certainly. I've got recordings that have all sorts of
> distortion on them, mainly mainstream rock CD's that sound distorted on all
> 4 of my systems, including my $10,000 car system.
>
> It may be possible that your system is so "clear" that you are hearing the
> great variation of the actual sound of the recordings themselves. It's a
> blessing and also a curse, and I've got the same problem as all the other
> audiophiles I talk to -- there is no "standard" for recording equalization
> or distortion, so some recordings sound clean and others sound "grainy."
> There is really nothing that can be done except to petition the recording
> industry to avoid compression, treble EQ/boost, and so forth.
>
> If you come to the belief that the crossovers have been damaged by an excess
> of volume level, by all means, ship the upper modules to us and we can test
> them for damage. That would be the definitive test...."

I might just send them in to kill the OCD beast but I don't think it's the speakers. Unless all my speakers are bad because I have my 2 VS LCR15s in now and I found a pair of speaker wire (same DH Labs though) and the distortion is still there. :mad: Can they be making recordings that actually sound like that?

By the way ...VON SCHWEIKERT AUDIO ROCKS! Excellent CS ..from Albert himself no less.

Let's see, moved system.....loose connection on the xover?
I had buzzing on a speaker-found the xover was no longer secured to the
cabinet. I went all high tech, then looked at the simple stuff.
Moving stuff=stuff coming loose. Connection, maybe a bad solder joint on a
xover board. Get out the flashlight and magnifying glass.

wingnut4772

sucks2beme wrote: »

Let's see, moved system.....loose connection on the xover?
I had buzzing on a speaker-found the xover was no longer secured to the
cabinet. I went all high tech, then looked at the simple stuff.
Moving stuff=stuff coming loose. Connection, maybe a bad solder joint on a
xover board. Get out the flashlight and magnifying glass.

I noticed it before I actually moved them though.

danger boy

what exactly does it sound like? overdriven audio or what? I'm curious now.

McLoki

Problem stays with the CD player and IPod but goes away with LP's?

Try the radio - same issue?

Plug your CD player into a different input on your AVR. (other than CD) and see if the problem stays....

Try to plug your CD player directly into your amp (provided either the CD player or amp has a volume control or level adjust) and see if the problem is still there. (plug your IPOD directly into the amp - that should have a volume control in it)

Any difference if you use a direct (2 channel) setting rather than a home theater setting (with sub)?

Plug another set of speakers into the amp and try them. same distortion?

Try some headphones....

report back and let us know how it goes....

Michael

danger boy

McLoki wrote: »

Problem stays with the CD player and IPod but goes away with LP's?

Try the radio - same issue?

Plug your CD player into a different input on your AVR. (other than CD) and see if the problem stays....

Try to plug your CD player directly into your amp (provided either the CD player or amp has a volume control or level adjust) and see if the problem is still there. (plug your IPOD directly into the amp - that should have a volume control in it)

Any difference if you use a direct (2 channel) setting rather than a home theater setting (with sub)?

Plug another set of speakers into the amp and try them. same distortion?

Try some headphones....

report back and let us know how it goes....

Michael

+1 good advice.

wingnut4772

danger boy wrote: »

what exactly does it sound like? overdriven audio or what? I'm curious now.

Not on everything but I guess I would best describe is as a distorted harshness.

But it is not consistent so I am thinking it's more the material.

I am also thinking that the Earthquake - although Norah sounds delicious - may just indeed be too bright for 2 channel. I have my Vons hooked up to my HK receiver and the CD's are way more pleasant although not as crisp as I would like. It does not have a phone input tho:( so I can not compare the Amy Winehouse album.


Anyone recommend a nice stereo amp?:D

Systems

Well maybe it is the difference in room acoustics you are hearing as they can have a huge effect.I recently removed the wall to wall carpet in my listening room and replaced it with a laminate wood floor.When I finally fired up my system after I completed ,the tonal balance of my speakers was substantially changed.This because higher frequencies where no longer being absorbed by the carpet but instead there was a lot of extra hi frequency energy because of floor reflections.Maybe you are expieriencing something similar?

wingnut4772

GV#27 wrote: »

Well maybe it is the difference in room acoustics you are hearing as they can have a huge effect.I recently removed the wall to wall carpet in my listening room and replaced it with a laminate wood floor.When I finally fired up my system after the change the tonal balnce of my speakers was substantially changed.This because higher frequencies where no longer being absorbed by the carpet but instead there was a lot of extra hi frequency energy because of floor reflections.Maybe you are expieriencing something similar?

It is a brighter room but I don't think that's it.

McLoki

Sorry - double post

McLoki

Sona wrote: »

Power. Or phono stage did something to your amp?

wingnut4772 wrote: »

I unplug the interconnects fom my amp and use the receiver's amps to rule that out. Same.

Not the amp.....

wingnut4772

Actually I plugged in the HK tonight just to double check and it seems better? I think its the recordings and the Earthquake combo. I can't really see anything else.


Edit: Plugged it all back with the Cinenova and now I am playing Diana Krall SACD and it sounds marvelous! I give up.:D

treitz3

Try this Darla. Can you take the same SACD input that sounds good and hook up your CDP RCA's to that same input and see if the grainy sound follows?

Early B.

F*k it! Start all over.

Unplug everything -- yes, everything. Thoroughly clean all of the connectors, binding posts, etc.

Connect it all up again and see what happens.

pearsall001

I think your CD rig is throwing a tantrum about your new TT. You know how siblings get when a new member of the family arrives!! Seriously though, it sounds like a problem that would drive any of us completely bonkers. You got plenty of good technical advice here & hopefully the solution for your problem is found & corrected. Bye the way your speakers are superb!!

wingnut4772

pearsall001 wrote: »

I think your CD rig is throwing a tantrum about your new TT. You know how siblings get when a new member of the family arrives!! Seriously though, it sounds like a problem that would drive any of us completely bonkers. You got plenty of good technical advice here & hopefully the solution for your problem is found & corrected. Bye the way your speakers are superb!!

Thanks. I like them a lot! Albert told me that's what he has in his rig right now- with all his uber expensive speakers!:eek:

treitz3 wrote:

Try this Darla. Can you take the same SACD input that sounds good and hook up your CDP RCA's to that same input and see if the grainy sound follows?

I have redbook hooked up to the 'CD' input on the pre and SACD hooked up to the 'Tape' input. I guess it was not necessary to do that as it seems the Pioneer 79avi plays both formats (in stereo) from the single pair of RCA's in my Stereo out from the cd player. (I put a pair of RCA's in the R/L Front of the 5.1 out section as well - redundant?)

No matter which format I am playing, if I toggle between 'Tape' and 'CD' on the pre I get the same music. Like I said though. it's inconsistent and I am leaning way more toward it being crappy recordings with an overly revealing amp and good speakers.....I hope. I really don't want to send them in.