Calling all audiophiles ~~~ speaker help

[Spooner]

Lately, i've noticed my computer speaker (Klipsch 4.1 THX Surround) have a slight crackle at high volumes from what sounds like 1 or 2 of the 4 speakers (not including the sub)

is there something blown here? You don't always here it and it doesn't sound muffled at all

 

[ElFenix]

might be bad resistors in the volume controller. or it could be dirty

 

[Spooner]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
might be bad resistors in the volume controller. or it could be dirty

explain further

also, the sub is EXTREMELY hot in the back without playing music for very long at all

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: Spooner

Originally posted by: ElFenix
might be bad resistors in the volume controller. or it could be dirty

explain further

also, the sub is EXTREMELY hot in the back without playing music for very long at all

isn't the amp contained in the sub enclosure for the Promedia's?

 

[Keego]

Originally posted by: Beau6183

Originally posted by: Spooner

Originally posted by: ElFenix
might be bad resistors in the volume controller. or it could be dirty

explain further

also, the sub is EXTREMELY hot in the back without playing music for very long at all

isn't the amp contained in the sub enclosure for the Promedia's?

This kind of makes that obvious

 

[Spooner]

i'm dying here, i don't know what you guys are talking about


<---- audio n00b

 

[MichaelD]

If the rear of the sub is EXTREMELY hot as in "Ouch! That's hot!" That's "Class A Indicative" of a short.


Are you absolutely positive that you don't have any stray "strands" of wire from one terminal shorting out to an adjacent terminal? I would highly suggest removing ALL the speaker wires from the connectors. Retwist them with your fingers to ensure all the strands are tightly wrapped. Tinning the ends with solder and an iron would be better...but I digress.

Then, reinsert all speaker wires into their respective slots. I have a feeling this will cure your problem.

 

[Spooner]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
If the rear of the sub is EXTREMELY hot as in "Ouch! That's hot!" That's "Class A Indicative" of a short.


Are you absolutely positive that you don't have any stray "strands" of wire from one terminal shorting out to an adjacent terminal? I would highly suggest removing ALL the speaker wires from the connectors. Retwist them with your fingers to ensure all the strands are tightly wrapped. Tinning the ends with solder and an iron would be better...but I digress.

Then, reinsert all speaker wires into their respective slots. I have a feeling this will cure your problem.

i will do that, but i don't exactly have a soldering iron handy

What about the crackling ont he front speakers? It seems to be all related to bass, because if i up the subwoofer knob on the main speaker, it gets a LOT worse


So, do I not have anything blown?

 

[spidey07]

Could be blown.

The hot comment makes me think of a short or problem with a crossover. Disconnect all speakers and then reattach one by one to see where the noise is coming from.

Also crackling can come from a loose connection hitting ground.

 

[Savij]

I'm don't have the promedia system, but i do know that the biggest heatsink(4'x4.5'x1') in this place is on the back of my sub, and it gets too hot to touch after 15min of bass heavy music

 

[Spooner]

the system's been turned off for a few hours, and the sub is still pretty damn hot

does this point to a blown fuse?

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Spooner
the system's been turned off for a few hours, and the sub is still pretty damn hot

does this point to a blown fuse?

Blown fuse= no power at all. Not the fuse. You have a short/loose connection somewhere. The wires that run from the sub to the sattellites are long. Are they pinched somewhere? Under/behind the desk? Under the carpet? If they are being pinched by a metal object, that could be shorting them.

It's a lenghty troubleshooting process, but necessary if you want to solve the problem.

 

[Spooner]

i guess the real question is, and from what it seems, a "no" might be the case

are any of my speakers blown?

i will get around to checking all the wires and reconnecting them all shortly

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Spooner
i guess the real question is, and from what it seems, a "no" might be the case

are any of my speakers blown?

i will get around to checking all the wires and reconnecting them all shortly

It is quite possible that you have a blown speaker. When speakers blow, they either don't work at ALL, or they work sporadically, sounding very "scratchy" and "tinny....like a laptop speaker, only worse.

Being that you own the 4.1s (so do I!) I don't need to ask if you play them very loudly...God knows that's what Mamma Klipsch built them to do. But playing them TOO loudly TOO much of the time might do them in. Are they still under warranty?

I'm not saying don't check all the things that have already been suggested....do that, but the possibility that they are toasty does exist.

 

[Spooner]

yeah, i got the 4 year service plan, so i'm all set, i just would like to alleviate the headache if i can

I noticed this after a night of playing them pretty loudly, that's why i think something might be blown. Although, it wasn't excessively loud and nothing far from the norm that i play them when i play them loud


... if that made any sense

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Spooner
yeah, i got the 4 year service plan, so i'm all set, i just would like to alleviate the headache if i can

I noticed this after a night of playing them pretty loudly, that's why i think something might be blown. Although, it wasn't excessively loud and nothing far from the norm that i play them when i play them loud


... if that made any sense

makes perfect sense. Are they BRAND NEW? You should always gently break-in electronic components before beating the crap out of them.

Don't waste your time troubleshooting them. Put them back in the box (you DO have box, right?) and take them back, show them your service plan and walk out happy. Play the new ones at moderate volume for a few days before you crank the volume on that "Bloodmaster Pimpin' Harold and the Harlot Skeezy Girls" Bass cd. Good luck.

 

[Spooner]

hahahhaah, thanks for all the advice, MichaelD

naw, they aren't new, in fact i want to say a little over a year old

i don't think i have the original box, i'll have to check in the back... am i screwed if i dont?

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Spooner
hahahhaah, thanks for all the advice, MichaelD

naw, they aren't new, in fact i want to say a little over a year old

i don't think i have the original box, i'll have to check in the back... am i screwed if i dont?

Honestly? It depends on the mood of the manager. Did you get them at BestBuy? Go in and ask to speak to the MOD (Manager on Duty). Be nice, smile and speak your piece. Tell them you've done basic troubleshooting on them, but can't figure out what's wrong. Tell them that you'd like to use your Performance plan (or whatever its called) to get a new set...but (put puppy face on) you don't have the box....

They'll prolly give you the new ones in a plastic bag and put your busted set in the box to send back to Klipsch.

 

[NewSc2]

Originally posted by: Spooner
Lately, i've noticed my computer speaker (Klipsch 4.1 THX Surround) have a slight crackle at high volumes from what sounds like 1 or 2 of the 4 speakers (not including the sub)

is there something blown here? You don't always here it and it doesn't sound muffled at all

check to see which speaker has the sound (play music, listen closely to each one) then check the drivers to make sure they're in perfect condition - i had this happen to my altec lansing ACS495's once (the left surround was crackling) and I was going to get a replacement driver, but just bought a new system.

 

[Spooner]

this thing's been off for half the day, and i STILL can't keep my hand on the back of the sub for more than a couple of seconds.

EXTREMELY hot! what does this mean?

 

[Spooner]

so i'm prolly gonna go return these thigns today

my roommate, who used to work at BB, claims you do not need the original box, but i'm wondering if i need to rip down all my wires, or can i just get a new set without new wires?