New LSiM705-Tweeter Distortion

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imsjry
imsjry Posts: 120
in Speakers
Got my new LSiM705s today and five random songs in, I’m hearing a distortion in the left speaker tweeter. Not in every song but I can recreate it. Is this a known issue around these parts or am I just unlucky? I’m very disappointed.

In better news, I’m already loving the sound more then the RTi12’s. Much more refined and not as in your face.

Thanks all.
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,480
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    Had the same issue with my 705s. Coil rub, bad tweeter. Call Polk.
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    Oh bummer. Ugh! Is it normal that it’s not on all songs and even the ones I do hear it on, it’s not necessarily recreatable?
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,480
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    In my case, it was most evident on piano and synth solos. Easy to recreate, every time.
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  • sponger
    sponger Posts: 325
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    Re-check your connections? Switch L/R amp channels to confirm it's the left speaker? Play a tone sweep? What are you driving them with? Are you using power line filtering of any kind?
    Denon X7200WA
    LSiM 705 703 704c
    Denon DP 400
    Yamaha CDC 775
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    sponger wrote: »
    Re-check your connections? Switch L/R amp channels to confirm it's the left speaker? Play a tone sweep? What are you driving them with? Are you using power line filtering of any kind?

    I literally unplugged my RTi12s I’ve had for years and plugged these in with same cables and gear. Connections are all good. No power line. B&K3030 with a Kenwood KA8004 as the Preamp. Swapped cables on amp and still happens on the left speaker only.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,602
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    @joecoulson just experienced similar with his 705s and ended up ordering a replacement tweeter from Polk.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Yup. It was a bad tweeter. Easy to repai but I d
    Suggest you find a track that does it and listen as low as you can next to the speaker and make sure it’s the tweeter and not the mid. You can always swap drivers to test it and make sure.
    Easy to replace these drivers. Not so in the Elacs I have now :#
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    Not being a big audiofile, techy person, I’m not sure id feel comfortable taking this massive thing apart. Shouldn’t Adorama send me a new speaker? Certainly not looking forward to packing and shipping this one back however.

    It was definitely coming from the top of the 705 so I assume that is the Tweeter right?!
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  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
    edited January 2019
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    Yes swapping out the tweeter will be much easier than shipping that one back. Adorama returns are a huge pain, been there done that.

    They’ll get it right eventually but it could take weeks and many phone calls.

    Call Polk
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    imsjry wrote: »
    Not being a big audiofile, techy person, I’m not sure id feel comfortable taking this massive thing apart. Shouldn’t Adorama send me a new speaker? Certainly not looking forward to packing and shipping this one back however.

    It was definitely coming from the top of the 705 so I assume that is the Tweeter right?!

    Most likely it is but you might want to try that low volume test with your ear next to each driver to try and verify. They are very easy to take apart. See this thread:

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/184789/lsim-tweeter-swap#latest
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    joecoulson wrote: »
    imsjry wrote: »
    Not being a big audiofile, techy person, I’m not sure id feel comfortable taking this massive thing apart. Shouldn’t Adorama send me a new speaker? Certainly not looking forward to packing and shipping this one back however.

    It was definitely coming from the top of the 705 so I assume that is the Tweeter right?!

    Most likely it is but you might want to try that low volume test with your ear next to each driver to try and verify. They are very easy to take apart. See this thread:

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/184789/lsim-tweeter-swap#latest

    Thanks very much for this, although the process looks frightening to me. You may be hearing from me directly for guidance if that is ok! For starters, did the "beauty plate" go back on properly? Also, did this permanently solve your issue?

    Since I haven't had time to properly try to recreate it, do you happen to remember specific songs or music you used when you heard it? I know "Ray of Light" by Madonna did it for me.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Mine broke up on vocal tracks like:

    83m9tf9xk3bh.png

    Very low volume and ear right up to tweeter and it was obvious that it was that driver breaking up. Make sure and listen to the mid above it also as that might be the culprit
    It’s an easy process and yes the plate went back fine. A slight amount of the double sided adhesive was left behind on the mounting plate but it did not affect reattachment of the beauty plate.
    Glad to help. Reach out for anything.
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    joecoulson wrote: »
    Mine broke up on vocal tracks like:

    83m9tf9xk3bh.png

    Very low volume and ear right up to tweeter and it was obvious that it was that driver breaking up. Make sure and listen to the mid above it also as that might be the culprit

    Ok so the mid is the "top", bigger piece and the tweeter is the smaller one right below it? Just making 100% sure my brain has that right.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Yup
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    So I don't seem to hear the issue at lower conversation levels. Its only at louder levels (say 9 o'clock on my preamp). And even then, not on every song so it's hard to replicate at will. Frustrating!
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Might be a source issue actually. Especially if your not hearing at low levels.
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  • imsjry
    imsjry Posts: 120
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    joecoulson wrote: »
    Might be a source issue actually. Especially if your not hearing at low levels.

    I plugged my RTI12's (that I've had for years with same gear) back in and don't hear anything like this. Plus, it's literally only on the one speaker and it is for sure a Tweeter crackle.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Ok. Well them call Polk and replace the teeeter. If your sure that’s what it is.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,602
    edited January 2019
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    Polk will get it shipped out to you lickety-split.

    Also, you can ask for a slight discount on it since you are a member of Club Polk.
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  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
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    It’s under warranty, you can’t discount free, I mean maybe a credit. They’ll take care if it.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,602
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    jeremymarcinko wrote: »
    It’s under warranty, you can’t discount free, I mean maybe a credit. They’ll take care if it.

    Ah good call, didn't realize it was under warranty.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
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    Lickety-split. Yeah
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