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I’m at my wits end, please help

H

h3ndrix

New Member
System:

Krell KAV300i B&W 804s HSU STF2 Audio Innovations Phono preamp Schitt Modi DAC UB9000 UHD Player (with DAC)

A few weeks ago I was watching a movie and heard slight crackling coming from what seemed the left channel tweeter. I did some frequency sweeps and tests to see if the tweeter was fried. I was concerned because I had purchased the speakers only a few months ago and the tweeters they came with were dented so I had replaced them. In short, the tweeters weren’t that old.

So I suspected that maybe the amp is getting long in its teeth and needs to be sent to Krell for a refurb. Krell is currently closed after having lost their CEO in the last couple months.

In the meantime, I noticed that the left and right channels were not perming consistently. The left channel would seem to struggle to reproduce pink noise during a test. Like it’s being starved of energy.

I ended up buying an even older amp (NAD 2200) as a stopgap while waiting on Krell. It’s producing the same issue!

I’ve tried multiple things: different interconnects, new tweeter, with the sub in and out of the chain, removing everything but the UHD player as source. Everything but the MODI as source. The issues are never completely reproducible and sometimes show up in the right channel as well!

I even tried another pair of B&Ws I have. I’m so freaked out. I don’t know exactly what the issue is. If something has killed the cross overs in both of my pairs of speakers or in both speakers.

I use the sub in “augmentation mode” as in I run speaker cables from the speakers into the sub since the Krell does t have a sub out. I don’t trust the sub because of the way that even in this “mode” I’d experience some weird **** (noise coming out of the speakers while the Krell was off). When the sub was set to “auto on” in the past sometimes it would starve one of the speakers in a similar fashion to what I’m describing above and then it would come back after a slight “shock”. But even taking the sub out of the chain I’m getting the same issue.

I just want to know what’s broken so I can fix it. I can’t really get into the 804s crossovers. I don’t mind calling B&W but I don’t want to go down that path if it just happens to be that both of the amps are ****ed.

Anyone, anything, please?!
 
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Not sure, but you may have the sub hooked up incorrectly. I run the speaker outs of the amp to the SUB speaker level in, and then wires from the sub speaker level out to the main speakers. Never hear of any other way to do it. That lets you use the sub's crossover as a high pass, thus limiting the amount of low bass the main speakers need to reproduce. Then, by trial and error, you adjust the crossover frequency and the volume of the sub to blend in with the rest of the system. Then again, since I don't have an HSU sub (assume that's the sub) perhaps they're wired differently.
 
jheu02 said:
Not sure, but you may have the sub hooked up incorrectly. I run the speaker outs of the amp to the SUB speaker level in, and then wires from the sub speaker level out to the main speakers. Never hear of any other way to do it. That lets you use the sub's crossover as a high pass, thus limiting the amount of low bass the main speakers need to reproduce. Then, by trial and error, you adjust the crossover frequency and the volume of the sub to blend in with the rest of the system. Then again, since I don't have an HSU sub (assume that's the sub) perhaps they're wired differently.
Click to expand...
When you want the speakers to still play full range, you don’t want to do it the way you are. Some subs have the ability to “pass thru” without acting a crossover but that’s not always ideal when you just want the sub for the lowest lows. Granted, a lot of people run two cables out of the amp: one pair going to speakers, the other pair going to sub. In choosing to run one pair to the speakers and then using the bridged binding posts to run another set of cables to the sub. Should be the same signal path. And others do that too.
 
Sounds like my 25 yr old NAD 317 stereo integrated amp, it was the mute relay, also ended up replacing the preamp input relays for Tuner and CD too, no more static now.
 
loudnoises said:
Sounds like a dirty
Click to expand...
I took this advice and have 'exercised' the relay volume switches on the preamp that I am using the NAD. After turning 'up' the preamp, I noticed it isn't doing that 'starved sound' anymore. I also switched outputs of the preamp. I am impressed with your guys' identification of what could be causing that.

I have heard the original 'crackling' that started all of this, and I am now convinced that is truly from the UHD player.
 
h3ndrix said:
I took this advice and have 'exercised' the relay volume switches on the preamp that I am using the NAD. After turning 'up' the preamp, I noticed it isn't doing that 'starved sound' anymore. I also switched outputs of the preamp. I am impressed with your guys' identification of what could be causing that.

I have heard the original 'crackling' that started all of this, and I am now convinced that is truly from the UHD player.
Click to expand...
Have you tried moving the UHD player to a different preamp input to see if you still hear static?
 
h3ndrix said:
System:

Krell KAV300i B&W 804s HSU STF2 Audio Innovations Phono preamp Schitt Modi DAC UB9000 UHD Player (with DAC)

A few weeks ago I was watching a movie and heard slight crackling coming from what seemed the left channel tweeter. I did some frequency sweeps and tests to see if the tweeter was fried. I was concerned because I had purchased the speakers only a few months ago and the tweeters they came with were dented so I had replaced them. In short, the tweeters weren’t that old.

So I suspected that maybe the amp is getting long in its teeth and needs to be sent to Krell for a refurb. Krell is currently closed after having lost their CEO in the last couple months.

In the meantime, I noticed that the left and right channels were not perming consistently. The left channel would seem to struggle to reproduce pink noise during a test. Like it’s being starved of energy.

I ended up buying an even older amp (NAD 2200) as a stopgap while waiting on Krell. It’s producing the same issue!

I’ve tried multiple things: different interconnects, new tweeter, with the sub in and out of the chain, removing everything but the UHD player as source. Everything but the MODI as source. The issues are never completely reproducible and sometimes show up in the right channel as well!

I even tried another pair of B&Ws I have. I’m so freaked out. I don’t know exactly what the issue is. If something has killed the cross overs in both of my pairs of speakers or in both speakers.

I use the sub in “augmentation mode” as in I run speaker cables from the speakers into the sub since the Krell does t have a sub out. I don’t trust the sub because of the way that even in this “mode” I’d experience some weird **** (noise coming out of the speakers while the Krell was off). When the sub was set to “auto on” in the past sometimes it would starve one of the speakers in a similar fashion to what I’m describing above and then it would come back after a slight “shock”. But even taking the sub out of the chain I’m getting the same issue.

I just want to know what’s broken so I can fix it. I can’t really get into the 804s crossovers. I don’t mind calling B&W but I don’t want to go down that path if it just happens to be that both of the amps are ****ed.

Anyone, anything, please?!
Click to expand...
I have this sneaky suspicion that you have a crossover in that speaker that is randomly causing issues. Perhaps a loose solder joint, or marginal component (which works perfectly after a certain temperature). :idea:
 
Just a possibility: The crackling might also be a software artifact. My cheapo DAC interacts with the Apple USB output somehow and occasionally begins to produce a sudden click randomly. Some combination of restarting the DAC, iTunes, and the computer generally makes it stop. To test, do just what you were going to do - move the Modi around and see if the problem follows it.

I don't know Schitt too well but if they have a firmware update available that might be worth investigating.
 
h3ndrix said:
Yes, I have. My next test will be to bypass the UHD DAC and go into my other one to see if I’m still getting the intermittent static
Click to expand...
So did the static follow the UHD when plugged into different inputs? This sounds just like my NAD317. How about headphones, do you hear the static with them?

The Krell KAV300i is about the same age as my NAD, relays are moving parts that wear out over time.
 
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C Hart said:
Just a possibility: The crackling might also be a software artifact. My cheapo DAC interacts with the Apple USB output somehow and occasionally begins to produce a sudden click randomly. Some combination of restarting the DAC, iTunes, and the computer generally makes it stop. To test, do just what you were going to do - move the Modi around and see if the problem follows it.

I don't know Schitt too well but if they have a firmware update available that might be worth investigating.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is possible. It could also be the connection.:idea: I still think it might be in the crossover.
 
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iu
 
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