Slight static/crackle

[JRED 1219]

I am having an issue. Just got new 4ohm monolith 365 THX speakers and Denon avrx-3600h, so all new equipment. I am hearing a slight static sound on some tracks similar to the sound of a blown tweeter but much less dramatic. For instance: very beginning of 'Acid Rain' by Lorn and around 7:10 into 'Invincible' by Tool.

I thought I would try listening through my headphones, and I still get the issue playing 'Acid Rain' but not at all with the Tool song.

I hooked up my old speakers (8 ohm klipsch towers) to the new AVR and I have the same issue but less significant - still very much audible.

I have not tried switching out to my old AVR yet (Onkyo txnr 515). But I feel like I remember this happening very very infrequently and to a lower extent in the past only at very high volumes. I just thought it was a limitation of my low end gear at the time.

I doubt this is a ground loop issue. Could it be a wall outlet issue? I know very little about electrical stuff, but my head points to the fact that there is presumably much more current being drawn with the new gear. I haven't tried a different outlet yet because that would be a lot of work

 

[JRED 1219]

Oh, forgot to mention that I thought it might be a connection issue and still could be but I tested it out with a new cut if 12 guage speaker wire and the issue is still present. I have not tried disconnecting the banana plugs and just attaching bare wire yet.

 

[JRED 1219]

Just an update as I have been playing around using test tones. I have been getting a static sound when turning the volume up or down (sound occurs at each increment) and also when I pause and start playback. Changing songs in Spotify causes a slight pop/crackle. This isn't happening all the time though.

This is getting really frustrating...

 

[lovinthehd]

Might try something simple like a soft reset (unplug the avr for a while), maybe even a full microprocessor reset....

 

[PENG]

Just an update as I have been playing around using test tones. I have been getting a static sound when turning the volume up or down (sound occurs at each increment) and also when I pause and start playback. Changing songs in Spotify causes a slight pop/crackle. This isn't happening all the time though.

This is getting really frustrating...

If it happens with all source media and speakers then it could be due to one of the following:

- Bad connections, could be banana plug(s), terminal connections etc.
- Defective AVR (what do you mean by "sound occurs at each increment, did you mean it "pop" only as you increment the volume and no "pop" when the volume is fixed?

First to check are the speaker wires as they are the usual suspects, especially if terminated with cheap solderless banana plugs.

 

[CajunLB]

I’ve had issues before with crackling sounds because of loose banana plug wiring.

 

[JRED 1219]

If it happens with all source media and speakers then it could be due to one of the following:

- Bad connections, could be banana plug(s), terminal connections etc.
- Defective AVR (what do you mean by "sound occurs at each increment, did you mean it "pop" only as you increment the volume and no "pop" when the volume is fixed?

First to check are the speaker wires as they are the usual suspects, especially if terminated with cheap solderless banana plugs.

Just hauled everything out, terminated with the bare wire, tested multiple sources and different speakers. Same issue.

 

[JRED 1219]

So I also just hooked up my old receiver and tried combinations of the new and old speakers, different speaker wire, different inputs, and I'm having the same issue. I'm playing from Spotify but downloaded to me phone and transmitting both by Bluetooth and headphone jack, same issue. When I listen from my headphones directly from the phone, no issue.

Have I somehow slightly blown all or my speakers equally?

 

[JRED 1219]

Can someone kindly listen on their system to the two parts of the songs I mentioned above just so I can rule out the source recording itself?

 

[JRED 1219]

Another thing I will mention is I have the same issue when I play these songs through my phone using the phone's speaker ..

 

[lovinthehd]

Listened to both on Spotify just now....nothing in the way of static/crackles. Did you try the soft reset?

 

[JRED 1219]

Listened to both on Spotify just now....nothing in the way of static/crackles. Did you try the soft reset?

That's next. Unplugged now

 

[PENG]

Listened to both on Spotify just now....nothing in the way of static/crackles. Did you try the soft reset?

But he's having the same issue even when playing with the phone and through the phone's speaker.

Logically it would be originated from the source then, but why would it be okay with his headphone? I can't resolve the logic!!

 

[JRED 1219]

But he's having the same issue even when playing with the phone and through the phone's speaker.

Logically it would be originated from the source then, but why would it be okay with his headphone? I can't resolve the logic!!

Agreed. After I typed that, I could make it happen on my headphones once.

 

[JRED 1219]

It's happening in the first few seconds of Acid Rain like clockwork on my old AVR and speakers also....

 

[lovinthehd]

But he's having the same issue even when playing with the phone and through the phone's speaker.

Logically it would be originated from the source then, but why would it be okay with his headphone? I can't resolve the logic!!

Got me. Could be something in these particular songs he hears? Why just these two? Or is it more?

 

[JRED 1219]

It's happening in the first few seconds of Acid Rain like clockwork on my old AVR and speakers also....

At high volumes.

 

[lovinthehd]

Just how high a volume?

 

[JRED 1219]

Got me. Could be something in these particular songs he hears? Why just these two? Or is it more?

I pick it up occasionally on other songs. Just slight crackles. These were two songs I was able to isolate

 

[JRED 1219]

Just how high a volume?

Not rediculous. Like 70-80db on Spl meter