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Crackle/Distortion/Static in Center Channel?

47719 Views 63 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  imail724
This isn't the first time I've had this problem in a system. I've even noticed it before in other people's systems.


I have a makeshift 5.1 setup right now. I have 2 Paradigm Titans for fronts, a JBL N-28 bookshelf for center, and JBL N-24s for rears.


I'm waiting on a Paradigm center.



Every now and then, I'll hear a crackling sound in the center, usually on a voice, sometimes on other sounds. It sounds like too much preamp gain, distorting the signal.


My receiver is brand new, Onkyo 674. The speaker I'm using as a center has never given me trouble in the 2ch setup I pulled it from. I couldn't tell by listening that anything was wrong with it. I ran the receiver's auto speaker setup, and the sounds it put out of the speaker seemed to run through a full range, and I couldn't tell any problem.



Aside from the remote possibility of the speaker/tweeter being blown, would there be anything else I can troubleshoot here? Is it the DVD track?


I appreciate any comments or suggestions here.



Thanks!
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I would either calibrate it with a DB meter or check your reciever to see what gain your center channel is at..you might need to bring it down from the preset point it picked.
joshigh,


Test center channel speaker damage by connecting it to front main left or right and playing some stereo music.


Test the receiver center channel out by redirecting center channel audio data to the fronts.


Double-check your physical connections to the center speaker, too - something may be loose.


Good luck,


- Steve O.
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Josh-

I have the receiver that comes with the onkyo 780 package. That receiver, like yours comes with a feature called cinemafilter, which is supposed to take off some of the highs. I had it on for a while until I started noticing how the dialogue literally clipped and distorted, especially whenever people yelled. Even though the center channel on my speaker is basically crap, there was a noticeable improvement by turning off cinemafilter. Perhaps you could see if that's switched on? If not, it's most likely the center channel, or the way Onkyos handle dialogue ... ?
Hope this helps


mbird
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Thanks for the replies. I'm going to do some trouble shooting tomorrow to see if I can isolate it.


I noticed tonight, that there is clipping no matter what the volume. It is more apparent when the person is talking loud or yelling on screen. Most times I don't hear it, but when I do it's like an icepick to the temple.


I had this problem with 2 other recievers, both Sony's, with three different speakers.


That's why I was wondering if it's something common.


I've only noticed it with my DVD player, I'm going to check out the HD channels to see if I can recreate it. The player is hooked up through optical audio and components for video.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joshigh /forum/post/10522330


It is more apparent when the person is talking loud or yelling on screen.

I also have this problem when there is a sudden vocal volume change-- usually a male voice yelling. Sounds like clipping or distortion.


Onkyo605 receiver with an Infinity Beta C360 center channel. One would think these two components wouldn't have a problem.


I run everything at reasonable levels, center channel set at 0 on the receiver, overall volume at 60 or so.


Now I'm just trying to find some answers without having to purchase a new receiver.
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Hi Just wondering if anyone has found any solution or cause for this problem. I have this same problem with Onkyo 605 and Klipsch sat 2 speakers. Center channel has a high frequencies crackle and distortion on multiple blur ray titles.


PS3->Hdmi->Onkyo 605


any info appreciated!

-Norm

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nk1 /forum/post/14466422


Hi Just wondering if anyone has found any solution or cause for this problem. I have this same problem with Onkyo 605 and Klipsch

Norm, I haven't found a solution. Only solid advice I've received has been "I upgraded my receiver to the Onkyo805 and the problem went away". Which doesn't really help the situation much (but does tempt me to spend some money upgrading...)
Thanks Andy,

Wow, that is strange. Problem went away with a upgraded receiver but same speakers? What are the ratings of your center channel that was giving you the problems?

Perhaps I should send in my 605 for repair, this may be a amp issue? hmmm.

-Norm

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nk1 /forum/post/14468206


Thanks Andy,

Wow, that is strange. Problem went away with a upgraded receiver but same speakers?

No, I haven't changed receivers, so I still have the problem. I discussed the issue with AEguy (who swapped receivers) from the "Clipping Menace" thread.

*********   fix  *******

 

I had the crackling issue with a problematic Onkyo 5007 and a 5.1 setup.  I assumed it was the receiver because it was constantly in and out of repair.  Onkyo finally replaced my receiver with a 5010.  The problem remained with my Martin Logan center channel.  I was ready to unmount my center and send it in for service.  Each time I heard the crackle, I could rewind what I was watching and repeat it at the exact same point in the movie.  I spent a few hours again surfing numerous forums looking for a solution.  Most seem to believe that the DVD's/Bluray's are improperly coded.  I experienced the issue watching HBO HD on my TWC STB, Bluray's from PS3 media server or netflix.  It wasn't a source issue.

 

What worked was the following:

Center channel crossover went from 80hz to 200hz

Center gain from +6.5 to 0

 

This makes sense, I guess I was asking too much out of my center at too low a frequency.

I will experiment to see if it was the crossover or the gain that solved the issue but I know there are a lot of frustrated people out there so I wanted to post right away.

 

Best of luck to all of you!

Ash
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*********   fix  *******
 
I had the crackling issue with a problematic Onkyo 5007 and a 5.1 setup.  I assumed it was the receiver because it was constantly in and out of repair.  Onkyo finally replaced my receiver with a 5010.  The problem remained with my Martin Logan center channel.  I was ready to unmount my center and send it in for service.  Each time I heard the crackle, I could rewind what I was watching and repeat it at the exact same point in the movie.  I spent a few hours again surfing numerous forums looking for a solution.  Most seem to believe that the DVD's/Bluray's are improperly coded.  I experienced the issue watching HBO HD on my TWC STB, Bluray's from PS3 media server or netflix.  It wasn't a source issue.
 
What worked was the following:
Center channel crossover went from 80hz to 200hz
Center gain from +6.5 to 0
 
This makes sense, I guess I was asking too much out of my center at too low a frequency.
I will experiment to see if it was the crossover or the gain that solved the issue but I know there are a lot of frustrated people out there so I wanted to post right away.
 
Best of luck to all of you!
Ash
Thank you denutter. I am having the same issue with my Yamaha RX-V373 and Klipsch C-20 center channel. No crackle or distortion during nightitme viewing (which is most of the time), but during the day at -22db to -18db, crackling is unbearable when men start yelling or any bass gets directed to the center channel. My crossover is set to 80hz, unfortunately there is no individual crossover setting on my less than decent amp, and the center channel and surround channels' output ports are SPRING CLIPS! You know, those tiny little ones that are used for AM/FM antennas. Glad to see it's most probably a crossover issue and will upgrade the amp ASAP.

I'm just wondering in the meantime if the speaker, or just the tweeter, is being damaged every time there's a crackle? Thanks.
Old thread, but I think I'm having this exact issue with my Yamaha RX-V377. Distorition/static seems to occur during very "bassy" scenes in movies. Scenes with a lot of low-end. I was watching Guardians of the Galaxy last night and my center channel was freaking out whenever Thanos spoke. I'm about to just go buy a new receiver but wanted to see if there is anything that can be done here? It seems lowering the level on the center channel all the way to -10 (as low as it goes) is the only thing that will fix the issue. Lowering it to -9.5 and I can still hear the static. I've tried swapping out my center speakers and the problem persists, so it has to be either the receiver or could it be the speaker wire?
Old thread, but I think I'm having this exact issue with my Yamaha RX-V377. Distorition/static seems to occur during very "bassy" scenes in movies. Scenes with a lot of low-end. I was watching Guardians of the Galaxy last night and my center channel was freaking out whenever Thanos spoke. I'm about to just go buy a new receiver but wanted to see if there is anything that can be done here? It seems lowering the level on the center channel all the way to -10 (as low as it goes) is the only thing that will fix the issue. Lowering it to -9.5 and I can still hear the static. I've tried swapping out my center speakers and the problem persists, so it has to be either the receiver or could it be the speaker wire?
Are all your speakers set on "small" with an 80Hz crossover? You absolutely should NOT set your center speaker trim level so low---doing so basically renders it useless, you might as well throw it away and just go "phantom" center.

If you ran YPAO without examining what settings it chose for your speakers, that is the likely cause. YPAO and similar programs routine screw up so be sure to use them as a STARTING POINT only.
Are all your speakers set on "small" with an 80Hz crossover? You absolutely should NOT set your center speaker trim level so low---doing so basically renders it useless, you might as well throw it away and just go "phantom" center.

If you ran YPAO without examining what settings it chose for your speakers, that is the likely cause. YPAO and similar programs routine screw up so be sure to use them as a STARTING POINT only.
All but my rear two speakers are set to large. I've been running the same set up for years and the issue just started this week out of nowhere.

Crossover is set to 120 Hz. Here are all my current settings:
All but my rear two speakers are set to large. I've been running the same set up for years and the issue just started this week out of nowhere.
Maybe that's a result of wear and tear caused by your speakers being forced to handle lower frequencies they are not really optimized for, esp. if you listen fairly loud?

In any case, just try the 80Hz crossover and see what happens, will cost you nothing.

What is the make/model of your speakers?
Maybe that's a result of wear and tear caused by your speakers being forced to handle lower frequencies they are not really optimized for, esp. if you listen fairly loud?

In any case, just try the 80Hz crossover and see what happens, will cost you nothing.

What is the make/model of your speakers?
Center speaker is an RCA 40-5011. Don't think you're asking, but my front speakers are Yamaha NS-A100XTs and my rears are Monoprice MSYS-P5.1s. The rears are the last piece from the HTIB I had originally set up years ago.

I don't typically listen that loud because I live in an apartment, so I don't think I've really pushed it too hard.
All but my rear two speakers are set to large. I've been running the same set up for years and the issue just started this week out of nowhere.

Crossover is set to 120 Hz. Here are all my current settings:
Whether you set the speaker to large or small isn't based on the physical size - you should be setting all of your speakers to small if you have a subwoofer.
Whether you set the speaker to large or small isn't based on the physical size - you should be setting all of your speakers to small if you have a subwoofer.
That I did not know. My ignorance is showing I guess. Up until now everything's sounded good, so I never changed anything, but I will make that change. Having said that, would that have anything to do with the static issue?
Center speaker is an RCA 40-5011. Don't think you're asking, but my front speakers are Yamaha NS-A100XTs and my rears are Monoprice MSYS-P5.1s. The rears are the last piece from the HTIB I had originally set up years ago. I don't typically listen that loud because I live in an apartment, so I don't think I've really pushed it too hard.
CNET lists your towers as extending to 40Hz which is probably their 6 or 12db roll off point, so 3db roll off is likely 60Hz and 80Hz is actually a safe bet, and 60Hz is the absolute lowest I would ever think of setting your crossover.

Same with your RCA center, it's listed as 55Hz which means actual 3db roll off is probably around 80Hz. MOST DEFINITELY do not run that speaker full range! You'd want 80Hz or even 100hz with that one.

Better yet, just replace it with a good center speaker---it's the CENTER that does up to 80% of the HT output (and 99% of the dialogue) so THAT is where you want to get the best you can afford.
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