Have i damaged the tweeter on my Ultra Towers?

[Oggaaaa]

So about 2 weeks ago i upgraded from a Yamaha RXV779 to a Denon x3800H and during this time i have pushed my Ultra Towers pretty hard sometimes playing musik between -10 to +5 volume levels which is really frkn loud to be honest.

I can't say for certain if this was a problem before but what happens is that my left speaker spits out pops and crackles whenever I raise the volume on the reciever very rapidly or when I listen at a high volume and then switch song on Tidal.

- Is there a good way to test if there is any issue with the tweeter?
- is it usual that these sounds happen if you raise the volume quickly or switch songs at very high volume?

 

[lovinthehd]

Once you're at the raised volume level is it okay? Does the tweeter make odd sounds once at the desired level? Or only changing sources/volume?

I'd not use a volume level as high as +5 on the avr, tho.

 

[TLS Guy]

So about 2 weeks ago i upgraded from a Yamaha RXV779 to a Denon x3800H and during this time i have pushed my Ultra Towers pretty hard sometimes playing musik between -10 to +5 volume levels which is really frkn loud to be honest.

I can't say for certain if this was a problem before but what happens is that my left speaker spits out pops and crackles whenever I raise the volume on the reciever very rapidly or when I listen at a high volume and then switch song on Tidal.

- Is there a good way to test if there is any issue with the tweeter?
- is it usual that these sounds happen if you raise the volume quickly or switch songs at very high volume?

I think this is a receiver problem and not a speaker problem. Switch the speakers, if the problem stays with the receiver channel, it is the receiver, if it stays with the speaker, it is the speaker. I would say you have overdriven the receiver, and that has been damaged and not the speaker. Receivers are pretty fragile audio devices and going down the drain fast.

 

[Oggaaaa]

So I have done a lot more listening now. And this is what ive come up with.

- it happens in both front channels.
- it happens when changing volume, switching content but ALSO at a fixed volume level.
- it depends on the content how easy it is to notice.
- i plugged in my old RXV779 and it doesn't happen there.

 

[Alex2507]

- i plugged in my old RXV779 and it doesn't happen there.

Yamaha rules!

ADTG was right all along.

 

[Cos]

Separates for the win! (Just Kidding)

At least with the 3800h you should be able to get it fixed/replaced under warranty. I have no idea why anyone would want to listen to music at the levels you do unless you are deaf or want to be

 

[TLS Guy]

So I have done a lot more listening now. And this is what ive come up with.

- it happens in both front channels.
- it happens when changing volume, switching content but ALSO at a fixed volume level.
- it depends on the content how easy it is to notice.
- i plugged in my old RXV779 and it doesn't happen there.

So you need that receiver replaced.

When you get the replacement, then use it gently. Receivers are NOT high powered audio devices. The power supplies are insufficient and they are stressed when turn up high. So remember receivers are docile living room machines at best, nothing more.

 

[Oggaaaa]

Separates for the win! (Just Kidding)

At least with the 3800h you should be able to get it fixed/replaced under warranty. I have no idea why anyone would want to listen to music at the levels you do unless you are deaf or want to be

I like to feel my inner organs move from my dual SVS PC4000 subs at that level. Jokes aside i rarely listen to that volume for more then a few seconds and if i sit down and listen for longer sessions it's usually around -40 -> -20 in volume.

 

[Oggaaaa]

So you need that receiver replaced.

When you get the replacement, then use it gently. Receivers are NOT high powered audio devices. The power supplies are insufficient and they are stressed when turn up high. So remember receivers are docile living room machines at best, nothing more.

I will keep that in mind and maybe get a external amp in the future. It's just that my Yamaha which is less powerful on paper have been stressed to the same level for many years and it works like a charm.

 

[highfigh]

I will keep that in mind and maybe get a external amp in the future. It's just that my Yamaha which is less powerful on paper have been stressed to the same level for many years and it works like a charm.

Did you buy the Denon from Accessories4Less, or some other place that sells refurbs?

 

[lovinthehd]

So I have done a lot more listening now. And this is what ive come up with.

- it happens in both front channels.
- it happens when changing volume, switching content but ALSO at a fixed volume level.
- it depends on the content how easy it is to notice.
- i plugged in my old RXV779 and it doesn't happen there.

I'd first do a soft reset of the 3800, just unplug it from power for a bit. If that doesn't clear it up a full reset (factory/microprocessor reset as per your manual).

 

[mrstever42]

So about 2 weeks ago i upgraded from a Yamaha RXV779 to a Denon x3800H and during this time i have pushed my Ultra Towers pretty hard sometimes playing musik between -10 to +5 volume levels which is really frkn loud to be honest.

I can't say for certain if this was a problem before but what happens is that my left speaker spits out pops and crackles whenever I raise the volume on the reciever very rapidly or when I listen at a high volume and then switch song on Tidal.

- Is there a good way to test if there is any issue with the tweeter?
- is it usual that these sounds happen if you raise the volume quickly or switch songs at very high volume?

Use use clear fingernail polish and toilet paper to fix! Go easy on the tp and polish

 

[Cos]

I am not sure if the 3800h series can assign amps independently, but possibly get a 2/3 channel amp if you want to drive them that hard w/o risk of damagin them. I have seen the buckeye amps spoken about favorably on this site and are a lot of amp for the $. You will need to unbalanced to balanced connection, so that may be out.

 

[Oggaaaa]

Updating this thread once again. I have now tested alot more and the problem is actually the speaker(s). The distorded sound is coming with the Yamaha reciever also with different sources (spotify connect, nvidia shield, chromecast).

Thought the Ultras could handle som volume but i guess not.

 

[everettT]

Updating this thread once again. I have now tested alot more and the problem is actually the speaker(s). The distorded sound is coming with the Yamaha reciever also with different sources (spotify connect, nvidia shield, chromecast).

Thought the Ultras could handle som volume but i guess not.

+5 isn't "some volume" FWIW. It's likely that you were clipping and that's what did it. Contact SVS, their customer service is very good. By chance when you were playing them load where you using "multi channel stereo" sound field?

 

[TLS Guy]

Updating this thread once again. I have now tested alot more and the problem is actually the speaker(s). The distorded sound is coming with the Yamaha reciever also with different sources (spotify connect, nvidia shield, chromecast).

Thought the Ultras could handle som volume but i guess not.

You bought a domestic system, not a pro system for rock concerts. So you now you don't know which speaker drivers are damaged, or even if the crossovers are damaged.

Receivers are not high power units, and almost certainly you drove the receiver into clipping.

So potentially you could have done a lot of expensive damage here, that will require careful sorting out.

 

[Oggaaaa]

+5 isn't "some volume" FWIW. It's likely that you were clipping and that's what did it. Contact SVS, their customer service is very good. By chance when you were playing them load where you using "multi channel stereo" sound field?

Nope. Was using pure "auto mode" with audyssey enabled. So a 2.2 setup with a 80hz crossover. I live in Sweden so I have to contact my dealer here and see what they say.

 

[Oggaaaa]

You bought a domestic system, not a pro system for rock concerts. So you now you don't know which speaker drivers are damaged, or even if the crossovers are damaged.

Receivers are not high power units, and almost certainly you drove the receiver into clipping.

So potentially you could have done a lot of expensive damage here, that will require careful sorting out.

Audyssey had set the levels to about -5 on both front channels after calibration so that equals a -0db volume without audyssey.

I mean it still sounded really good, no distortion and i have played down to -0db many times with the Yamaha no problem.

Still finding it strange that i have damaged the speakers from that. Anyways now i know that it is the speakers and not the reciever.

 

[TLS Guy]

Audyssey had set the levels to about -5 on both front channels after calibration so that equals a -0db volume without audyssey.

I mean it still sounded really good, no distortion and i have played down to -0db many times with the Yamaha no problem.

Still finding it strange that i have damaged the speakers from that. Anyways now i know that it is the speakers and not the reciever.

Audyssey may be the issue here. I suspect the tweeters are damaged. My experience with Audyssey is that it boosts the high frequencies inappropriately, and so I don't use it. I personally regarded it as the supreme quality spoiler and only trust it for balancing speaker levels and distance settings, nothing else.

 

[lovinthehd]

Audyssey had set the levels to about -5 on both front channels after calibration so that equals a -0db volume without audyssey.

I mean it still sounded really good, no distortion and i have played down to -0db many times with the Yamaha no problem.

Still finding it strange that i have damaged the speakers from that. Anyways now i know that it is the speakers and not the reciever.

I wouldn't equate channel trim levels and master volume like that. What particular drivers on the speakers are the problem now that you've narrowed it down.