loud popping in brand new Klipsch Synergy F-1` floor speakers

[pittsburghkid]

Good afternoon, Forum. Today is my first time posting.

I have a question for the group, but first let me explain my dilemma. Last Sunday I bought a pair of Klipsch Synergy F-1 floor speakers and connected them to my Harman Karden 880 vxi receiver (the HK is about 17 years old and puts out 65 Watts/channel). The speakers were working great, although I didn't get a lot of listening time in during the week. This past Friday I got a call at work from my wife, who was off from work and packing up her winter clothes while listening to some tunes. Seems she was playing an Al Green CD at a few notches short of half volume when she suddently heard several loud pops coming from the left Klipsch. The pops continued throughout the rest of the tune.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

When I got home after work to investigate, I queued up the same tune to the same volume level (approximately at the 10 o'clock point on the dial, with 12 o'clock being half volume). After about 30-35 seconds, the speaker emitted a series of loud pops, almost like gunshots or firecrackers. It was very disconcerting, to say the least. Wondering if the problem might have been in the CD, I took it to our cheapo stereo system downstairs and cranked up the volume way past half. Nothing wrong with the CD.

Returning to the main stereo unit upstairs, I switched the popping left Klipsch Synergey F-1 and the one on the right. Cranked the volume to the 10 o'clock position, and the original popping speaker began popping again, this time connected to the right channel. That told me that I had a defective speaker. Still, it seemed odd that a Klipsch would have such a glitch. The spec for the speaker is 100 watts; my HK receiver delivers 65 watts, so I don't think the problem is too much power.

Saturday, I disconnected the popping speaker and returned it to Best Buy, which was very good about giving me a replacement. I hurried home, connected the new speaker to the right channel, put on the same Al Green tune, and set the volume at 10 o'clock. Much to my chagrin, the popping began!! (Still, there is, and has been, no popping in the other Klipsch.) I should note that I have noticed the popping from the same speaker on one other tune on another CD. All other tunes on the Al Green CD played without a pop, as did all the other tunes I have played so far during the week.

Now, my question: What gives? It's difficult to imagine two Klipsches with that same problem. I don't think it's a problem with the receiver because I don't have popping in the speaker that was connected first to the right and now to the left channel.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? Am I in the right place with this question?

Thanks in advance.

PK

[Frzninvt]

You are more than likely overdriving the speaker, are the tone controls set "flat" on the HK receiver, especially the "bass" knob. Those speakers only have 6.5" drivers if I remember correctly and cannot handle much if any bass response below 80Hz.

If you are feeding them a full range signal 20Hz-20Khz then you are overloading them. If that receiver has the ability to feed the main speakers only 80Hz and above signals that may eliminate your driver bottoming out issue.

[pittsburghkid]

The tone controls on the HK receiver are set flat because I have a 10-channel equalizer in operation. I'll have to check the EQ settings to see if my bottom is 80Hz or below. Thanks for the tip.

[Klipsch_Geek]

If the popping noise is really as lound as a firecracker, and only out of one speaker, it is probably NOT your receiver or the settings on it. My guess is a defective speaker, and hopefully the store you bought it from will let you swap it out since it was newly aquired. You already did the main thing I would have recommended to rule out another issue, which is swapping the speaker leads, so we know it isn't a channel problem on the amp or an issue with the channel output on the CD player.

[Trey Cannon]

I have seen the woofers in the B-3 and F-1 "bottom out". It takes a lot of power and some heavy low end... (In the movie Incredibles when the rocket takes off)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

What has me on this is that it is only one ch. you replaced the unit and it happened on the same ch again.

You could have a problem with the receiver, a setting or something, but I would think this would cause both channels to have the problem.

Maybe the receiver is at its max out at that point and is going into clipping or DC.

I suggest you try another receiver with the speaker, same song.

Maybe even send me a "back up of the cd and let me try to do the same thing here in the lab.

[Art D]

At first glance it does sound like a speaker issue, but if it is a speaker problem, what are the odds of PittsKid getting two consecutive brand new SF-1's with the same defect? He mentioned that only one of the SF-1's of the original pair had the popping, and after swapping speakers from left to right channel, the popping moved over to the right channel and stayed with the same speaker, which he says he returned and had replaced with another new one. However, the new one is exhibiting the same problem as the one he returned, but the other SF-1 he still has from the original pair has never displayed the problem when connected to either channel. As mentioned, it sounds like a speaker issue, but I'm hard-pressed to believe that he got two similarly defective new Klipsch speakers in a row.

[Guest BobG]

Likelihood this is a receiver problem 10%

Likelihood this is a speaker problem 1%

Likelihood this is an equalizer problem 89%

The firecracker noise is almost certainly voice coil striking the back plate. This takes lots of power. With your "10 o:clock" volume control setting, you should be far from clipping the reciver especially with its tone controls set flat. Most likely is a setting on the EQ which is calling for the receiver to send too much power to the speaker. Remember that for every 3dB increase on the EQ, you're asking the receiver to send double the power to the speaker. 6dB is quadruple power and so on. Very easy to clip the receiver with what would appear to be not a huge EQ bump. If that bump is below the port tuning frequency, the woofer is free to move violently. Check your EQ settings and try with the EQ out of the signal path.

[DrWho]

I don't think it's the speakers either...no form of speaker malfunction

or overdriving is going to sound like "gunshots/firecrackers" except

maybe the VC slapping against the pole piece. Do you notice the woofers

dancing a lot when this happens? Does the sound go away at lower volume

levels?

One of the most common problems I've run across is a loose strand of

wire at the speaker or amp terminals creating a short that doesn't

become noticeable until you start cranking the volume (because the

electrical connection of a single strand just laying there isn't very

good). Usually what happens is the reciever sees that its output is

shorted and goes into a protection mode. But since your unit is

slightly older it may not have such protection or doesn't trigger very

fast and the slight short could totally trigger a DC pulse down the

line, which will definetly sound like firecrackers.

I would definetly try swapping the good speaker back to the side that

is now popping and see if the problem follows the bad speaker. I really

think it is an electrical issue though and hopefully you'll get her

sorted out before stuff starts really breaking. (DC current isn't too

good for tweeters).

If the problem still occurs at the same parts in the music with the

volume turned down, then it is definetly a CD issue. It is quite

possible that there is a slight defect in the disc that is being

interpreted slightly different each time it plays - which might explain

why the problem shifted from right to left. All it'd take is a little

wiggle on the laser to throw something like that off. But ya,

skipped/misread bits from a digital source will also sound like what

you describe (it's pretty much a DC signal again).

[pittsburghkid]

Thanks for all the replies. Very informative stuff! My first order of business will be to check the EQ levels and go from there. I didn't realize the EQ magnified the power so much going to the speaker. That might explain the pops. I also will check for loose strands of wire at the connection terminals. I'll let you all know what I find out.

[pittsburghkid]

Good morning, folks. Here's an update: I flattened the lower bass frequencies of my EQ, then queued the tune on the CD, and cranked up the volume first to 10 o'clock, then, eventually, to beyond 12 oclock.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The bottom line: No popping.

I guess the EQ was overdriving the speaker in the lower frequencies. My lowest EQ frequencies are 30 HZ and 60 HZ, and both of those were set two and three hash marks above flat, respectively. That was probably enough to make the speaker pop. Dont know why the other one didnt pop, though.

Thanks for all of your help. If I encounter any more glitches, I'll be sure to contact this (very helpful and knowledgeable) group.

[chops]

It is possible that the original second speaker that never popped, that the driver in it could have been built just ever so slightly better to some degree where it was capable of holding its own with those bass hits and not be effected. Who knows...

[Capa]

now go back to Best Buy and find the speaker you returned in the open box section and buy it for a center channel

[Macho Nacho]

Pittskid, good luck man, that sucks biggest time ever. I would say let it sit for say a couple of hours or days and take a nap and approach a new. You gotta loose that anger and negative vibes. I got confidence in you Kid, your gonna work it out. I can feel it in my bones.