So, would I hear what sounds like a bad driver if...

[AbMagFab]

...I don't have any acoustic treatments?

I'm on my way to getting my panels all set up (wiithin the next two weeks), but I was listening to the BD version of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and on the last scenes (with the space ships and the 5-tone music), I heard, very subtle, what sounded like a driver or tweeter vibrating.

So I went around to each speaker, replaying the scene with my ear about 1-foot away, and didn't hear it. But back in my seating position (or anywhere towards the middle of the room), I heard it again.

So could this be some weird sonic clashing of some sort at these specific frequencies? Or is there something vibrating in my room that I just can't pinpoint?

Again, it was subtle, and only for like 1/2 second a couple of times, but always at the exact same spots (when listening in the middle of the room).

Thoughts?

 

[Exit]

I would try moving the seating position over about two feet and repeat the listening tests again. If there is no change, then it probably is not room related. If there is a change, then it probably is room related. You might have found some acoustic mess in your original seating position. Room treatments will no doubt help here.

If there is no change when the seating position is moved a couple of feet, then I would suspect the audio equipment chain. The noise may be in the recording so try other recordings to see if the noise repeats. If the noise repeats, it may be in the CD/DVD player, the receiver or the speakers. To clear the CD/DVD player as a suspect, listen to the system with the FM radio. If the noise disappears the fault is probably in the CD/DVD player. If the noise persists, connect headphones and repeat listening tests. If the noise goes away, then you should suspect the speaker wires or speakers. If the noise stays, the problem is probably in the receiver.

This is just a quick fault isolation plan and no doubt can be improved upon. Hopefully the problem will just be in something simple like the DVD disc.

 

[bpape]

If you're not hearing it close to the speakers but are elsewhere in the room, it's likely something other than the audio system. Track lighting, loose rings on recessed lighting, etc.

Bryan