Cornwall IV crackle

[Nick Blow]

Hi All,

I’ve had a pair of new Cornwall IV for just over six months. I paired them with a Sugden A21 se. They sounded amazing. 
The right speaker has started to crackle and pop. It is driving me nuts. Both when playing records and through a streamer. I have an inkling that my teenage step daughters played it loud while home alone two weekends ago. The volume dial was a 12 o’clock.it’s rarely run above 8 o’clock. I’ve checked the speaker cables. All ideas gratefully received.

Thanks

Nick

[Nick Blow]

To add the crackle pop is not constant.

[KT88]

Are you sure it is not the amp? Just try to check by swapping the left and right channel.

[Schu]

can you isolate it to the driver in that speaker?

sometimes, the tweeters can be fragile if over driven although it looks like the integrated amp you are using is only capable of 30 watts

[Shakeydeal]

My guess is that it's an electronics issue and not a speaker issue. As mentioned, swap channels. That's always the first line of troubleshooting when an issue is isolated to one speaker.

[KT88]

1 hour ago, Schu said:

can you isolate it to the driver in that speaker?

sometimes, the tweeters can be fragile if over driven although it looks like the integrated amp you are using is only capable of 30 watts

but therefore even more the possibility of clipping and damage drivers this way.

[Shakeydeal]

You’d have to be playing at insane levels to clip a 30 watt amp into Cornwalls. I have used 10 watt amps that would play at 100 db peaks.

[Nick Blow]

Thanks all. I’ll start by swapping. My step-daughter swears she didn’t play loud 🫣

[Nick Blow]

Ok so it moves between the speakers when I swap channels. So it’s the amp. I have another amp (the same) I will swap them over and that will confirm. 

[OO1]

35 minutes ago, Nick Blow said:

  it’s the amp. I have another amp (the same) I will swap them over and that will confirm. 

 you need a more powerful amp  ,   you risk  damaging the 2nd  amp just as easily   as high distortion levels can damage the amplifier 

Edited December 1, 2023 by OO1

[Nick Blow]

 

 

 

 

 

 

A21SE Signature Integrated Amplifier

The special edition A21SE integrated amplifier builds on the strengths of the classic A21. Offering pure class A single ended voltage rail operation, the sound remains distinctively ‘Sugden’. Upgraded with a fifty percent larger power supply and increased power output, dynamics are even more impressive. A sophisticated pre-amplifier stage is another improvement on the A21. This provides greater clarity without added brightness producing crystal clear highs. The larger power supply provides greater control over a wider range of loudspeakers and improved micro dynamics for low level listening.

 

 

Facilities

Inputs                                   Five line level operated by relays

Outputs                               One pre-out (variable), one tape out

                                            One pair of stereo multi-way binding posts

Volume Control                    Remote control (RC5 handset included)

Specifications

Line Input Sensitivity           110mV @ zero attenuation for full output

Power Output                      30 Watts into 8 Ohms both channels working

                                            40 Watts into 4 Ohms both channels working

Frequency Response           +/-1dB 12Hz-141kHz

Bandwidth                            6Hz-280kHz

Signal to Noise                     >90dB

Gross Weight  (packed)       15kgs

Dimensions                         115 x 430 x 360mm (hwd)

[Nick Blow]

I was told it is a perfect compliment for the speakers. 

[Nick Blow]

It sounds amazing when it’s not crackling! Which is less frequent btw. More sporadic.

 

thanks again all 

[KT88]

25 minutes ago, OO1 said:

 you need a more powerful amp  ,   you risk  damaging the 2nd  amp just as easily   as high distortion levels can damage the amplifier 

I do not understand that. It could be possible that the damage of the first amp has nothing to do with the speakers. Cornwalls are an easy load for such an amp and 30 watt should really be sufficient for the Cornwalls to play loud if you do not crank this amp too much.

[Nick Blow]

I usually play it at 7-8 o’clock. If it gets to 9 it’s really too Loud for the room. 
like I said when it doesn’t  crackle it sounds amazing.

 

just now it’s stopped for for the last 15’. Listening to Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson. So clear. Like they are in the room.

[OO1]

when the OP  says it's crackling ,he really means that the amp is overheating and distorting   , so yes , the solution is not to crank the amp in order for the amp to run cooler

[John Chi-town]

7 minutes ago, Nick Blow said:

I usually play it at 7-8 o’clock. If it gets to 9 it’s really too Loud for the room. 
like I said when it doesn’t  crackle it sounds amazing.

 

just now it’s stopped for for the last 15’. Listening to Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson. So clear. Like they are in the room.

Your amp is more than sufficient. to drive the Cornwall IV's at low to moderate volumes.  I think it is more than safe to assume that your stepdaughter over drove the amp to beyond its limits. You stated you found the volume at the 12 o' clock position.   Is the amp still under warranty?   If I am not mistaken the Cornwall are 103-104db efficient.  Anything over 15 wats of input power would drive most out of a small to medium sized room.  

[KT88]

25 minutes ago, Nick Blow said:

I usually play it at 7-8 o’clock. If it gets to 9 it’s really too Loud for the room. 
like I said when it doesn’t  crackle it sounds amazing.

 

just now it’s stopped for for the last 15’. Listening to Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson. So clear. Like they are in the room.

In my view the most important result ist that the speakers are ok.

[mikebse2a3]

On 11/9/2023 at 3:49 PM, Nick Blow said:

The right speaker has started to crackle and pop.

 

1 hour ago, Nick Blow said:

Ok so it moves between the speakers when I swap channels. So it’s the amp. I have another amp (the same) I will swap them over and that will confirm. 

 

Your amplifier could have an intermittent bad connection or intermittent component failure like transistor, resistor, etc...  hard to say without more troubleshooting.

 

miketn

[mikebse2a3]

1 hour ago, OO1 said:

 you need a more powerful amp  ,   you risk  damaging the 2nd  amp just as easily   as high distortion levels can damage the amplifier 

 

21 minutes ago, OO1 said:

when the OP  says it's crackling ,he really means that the amp is overheating and distorting , so yes , the solution is not to crank the amp in order for the amp to run cooler

 

Very bad advise based on information the OP has posted so far and simply because he is experiencing intermittent crackling and pops doesn't automatically equate to amplifier overload or overheating and he hasn't reported any overheating of the amplifier.

 

miketn