Crackling speaker
June 26, 2002
Why is it that my Acoustic Energy speakers (120W maximum)
start producing crackling sounds when the volume of my Rotel integrated amp is raised
halfway, but are normal when the volume is reduced? This is especially true with
bass-heavy music.
Sunil
It sounds like you may have a damaged voice coil in one
of the speakers. I would take it to a service center and have it tested, but it's likely
you'll have to replace the driver that is making the noise.
Jamo in-wall speakers
June 24, 2002
I have been looking to buy some in-wall speakers: two for
my ceiling and two for my walls. My wife doesn't like the looks of speakers! Anyway, most
of the local stores sell JBL, but one place has Jamo. They are a little more than the
JBLs, but they sound nice and the salesperson says they are better. I was looking at the
10.5K3 (which is a four way) and the 892A (a two way). Thanks.
Al
I think you've answered your own question. You have a
local dealer recommending a product that you seem to find preferable to the alternatives.
Sounds like a no-brainer to me. If I were you, I'd go with the Jamo speakers and enjoy
your music.
Spiking speakers
June 20, 2002
I have a pair of PSB Stratus Silver i speakers in my living
room, and I'm having trouble deciding on the lesser of two evils. If I use the spikes
provided with the speakers, I can't move the speakers for fear of damaging the hardwood
floors. In addition, they can only be about a foot or two from the back wall. If I don't
use spikes, I can place the speakers on two small pieces of carpet. That allows me to move
them out into the room for listening and store them close to the wall. They're not
decoupled from the floor, though.
I considered getting a couple marble or granite slabs to
place the speakers on. I could put felt on the bottom of the slabs so they could slide
without damaging the floors. Would this be a better solution? Also, would I want to use
spikes between the speakers and the slabs?
Brian
There is more than meets the eye here. The spikes, in
many cases, set the correct speaker height. By placing the speaker directly on the floor
you run the risk of having them too low, which could easily change the sound quality. And
what the spikes actually do is couple the speaker to the floor, not decouple it. Having
the speaker firmly planted helps it remain stable, especially when you are playing
bass-heavy music. I'd try to find a compromise by working with the placement, so that you
can leave the speakers alone. Although the granite or marble option is one I've seen used
before, I'd leave it as a last resort. And nix the idea about the carpet squares, for
sound-quality concerns at least.
Integrated malfunction?
June 18, 2002
I experience occasional static in my audio system, usually
in the left channel. My system is an NAD 314 integrated amp, NAD 522 CD player, and Tannoy
Mercury M3 speakers. I do not think it is a connection problem. It only seems to happen
after I have been playing the system for 30 minutes or longer, even at low volume levels.
If I turn it off and let it cool for a bit, it is OK again. I have connected a different
CD player and continue to experience the problem. Do you have any suggestions?
Christopher
It very well may be a problem related to the integrated
amplifier overheating. I would advise you to take it to a service center before whatever
the problem is gets worse and causes further damage within the unit. You may just save
some money by diagnosing the problem early. Thermal problems can lead to all sorts of
internal nightmares. The last thing you want is a burned-up NAD!
Polk Audio versus Axiom?
June 17, 2002
Are the Polk Audio LSi7 loudspeakers better than
Axiom Millennia M3Ti? I'm looking for a very nice and balanced pair of monitor
loudspeakers. Transparency and excellent detail are what I want. Thanks for your help.
Joe
The LSi7 is a better-sounding speaker
than the M3Ti, but it is also about three times the price.
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