Popping crackling noise in speakers

ascalon

Hi. I have a problem that just started over the weekend. Here's my seyup-

Pioneer DEH-P3900MP head unit

Polk mmc6500 front components (125 rms)
MB quart rvf 216 back components (140 rms)

Kicker zx650.4 4 channel amp, 120 watts rms per channel at 4 ohms.

Ok. Had this stuff pro installed, for about 2 months now. All of a sudden, I start getting loud crackling noises. It occurs very randomly, and it relatively high volume (around 30 on my dial). The volume on my head unit goes up to 50, and I never crank it above 40. 30 gets plenty loud without any distortion, all the way up til 40~45. The gains should be set correctly for a kicker amp. Last week something slipped in my trunk and turned the gain up to max on the back set (nor the fronts), but that shouldn't be a big issue considering the power ratings, and it wasn't like that for too long.

Anyway, everything should be set right with nothing pushed beyond its comfortable limits, so there shouldn't be anything blown. When I get this crackling noise, it comes on when I have music on about 30 (and I usually have it about that level anyway). When I turn down the volume below 20, it seems to go away. I've tried to isolate where it might be coming from. The last time it started crackling, I faded the speakers all the way to the right side of the car, because it sounded as if it was coming from my left speakers (probably because they are closest). I faded all the way to the right while the crackling was going on at high volume, and I still heard the noise seemingly from the left, even though the left speakers should have been producing almost no sound at that point. So either something is really f'ed up with one side, or it applies to all of them. It's hard for me to isolate it, because it doesn't occur in any sort of pattern.

I'm thinking maybe it's a crappy ground or something? I really hope it isn't a blown speaker. It def doesn't sound like the noise my OEM speakers made when their paper cones had ripped from the frame. This really does sound electrical, almost as like when you have a loose wire/electrical connection. Any ideas?

MacLeod

First thought is since you still get noise thru the speakers even when faded all the way to the other side that sounds like speaker leads grounding out somewhere. Pull out the speakers and make sure theyre not touching metal anywhere or that the speaker leads or terminals arent anywhere near metal and re-check the speaker wires.

ascalon

Freakin A! I just drove my car around the corner, and got the damn noise again. This time it persisted (damnit) so I was able to test it a bit. I tweaked the fader a bit.

When faded all the way to the back, left, right, or equal, I didn't get the popping.

When faded all the way right, equal between front and back, i got popping.

When I faded all the way to the front, equal or right, i got popping.

When I faded all the way to the left, front or back, I got the most popping. I still heard noise out the left front speaker as long as some power was going to the fronts, even if faded to the other side. That shouldn't happen.

From that, I have to assume it's something with the front left speaker. I got some very loud popping this time. Could this be a blown tweeter?

I don't know about the wiring since I didn't do it myself. Do you think i should demand the installers to check everything? The damn things shouldn't be broken, even if they are. Or maybe it's an amp problem?

MacLeod

I doubt its the speakers. The popping has some power behind it so its either a wire or speaker lead shorting out to metal/ground or the amp itself.

If you can get to the amps easily, try swapping the front for the rears and left for rights and see if the noise changes sides. If it doesnt then you know the problem is further downstream than the amps.

Also you can pull the left speaker out of the door and see if there is still a noise.

ascalon

Thanks. I really hope it isn't the speakers. Perhaps it could've been because I always have loudness on, though I did keep the total volume low. I dunno. Figuring this out is becoming a pain because it turns up so intermittently.

You don't think it might be because all the wires on both my amps (subs and speakers) are running down the same side of the car, do you? That inlcudes everything except the right side speakers I think.

MacLeod

If the popping is loud and sounds amplified, then its not your speaker. A speaker has no power other than whats delivered to it.

It could be picking up some noise from the power wire but I seriously doubt it. Try the tests I suggested. Im still saying its an exposed wire or lead shorting to ground somewhere but it could also be the amp so you need to do some troubleshooting to eliminate it.