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RF-83 mid-high distortion


Mic Stiffy

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Hi Everyone,

 

It's been a long time since I've posted on here. I'm having an issue with my 83's. The wife and daughter went away for a day so I decided to let loose and play some music at man-volume. I think I overworked something because I noticed distortion on songs I didn't notice it before.  It was definitely coming from the tweeters.  I thought perhaps it could be compression in the recording but I have listened to these songs before and there's no way I missed this.  I also tried listening on my headphones and I hear little to no distortion. 

 

I assumed that the tweeter was blown so I ordered a new one.  I replaced it and the issue is still there.  I then removed the tweeter to make sure it wasn't coming from the 8" speakers.  The distortion was gone when I removed the tweeter so I think process of elimination shows it is not the 8" speakers. I highly doubt the new tweeter is blown but I will install the other new one to see as well.  The distortion is in both speakers and it is only noticeable during certain frequencies. The songs I listened to are OTW by Khalid and Don't Matter to Me by Drake. It's right in the beginning and it seems to be right at the cross over frequency.  This begs the question: could there be an issue with the crossover?  Is this possible to damage at high volumes?

 

I'm running class D 200 watts per channel.  

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How about your phone?  Assuming you have line level inputs on a preamp or integrated of some sort?   Go to the 99 cents store and get a headphone to aux cable.   Play pandora same artist and match the song. Just to scratch something else off the list before tearing into things so to speak.   

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I’ve had similar thing happen to me. I also had a hard time pinpointing the issue. With me it was the song “Remedy” by Adele. With her high pitch voice I could hear what sounded like a bad tweeter. But I also realized that it only did it with certain gear (DACs ). It did it with my wireless hifi streamer. But it sounded perfectly fine with my red dragonfly usb dac. But only with certain high pitch songs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Interesting.  I tried playing those songs through the same streaming device (Xbox) on my Focal speakers and there is no distortion. I had to order the cd since I do not own that cd. I have heard it in other music too but not nearly as prominent. I'm 90% sure this is a recent development so it must be a mechanical failure of some sort. I don't really think playing a cd vs digital will make any difference. If the concern is the quality of digital streaming I would hear distortion across the majority of the frequency range and after years of recording arts I have a very critical ear. 

 

My main question is if anyone has experience with another component failing and causing this issue?  The only other component I can think of is the crossover.   

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Guess what?  It's gone now.  I unhooked the left speaker and listened to just the right speaker and heard no distortion.  Then I hooked the left speaker back up and there was no distortion.  I'm bewildered but very happy.  Could a loose connection cause this?  Perhaps the Rythmik F18 next to the left speaker loosened something? 

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