Clicks and pops from Stratos/Tempest?

jkm · « **on:** 9 Oct 2005, 03:12 pm »

Last July I sent my Stratos/Tempest back to Klaus for the monoblock/Extreme/remote control upgrade. I also thought that there might be a problem with my Stratos power supply since, for about a year, I was hearing intermittent noises coming from my speakers that sounded like the pop or click of a needle dropping on a record. During the upgrade wait I was using my 25 year-old Harmon Kardon receiver with my jmLab speakers and modded Sony SCD777ES SACD player without hearing these pops even once.

So, upgrade arrives this week (still waiting for green faceplates and remote) and I immediately start hearing these pops again. At first I thought they were just coming from the converted mono-block but that isn't always the case. When I turn off the Tempest the pops aren't there though a slight hum from my cables is audible.

I live in a two-story 8 year old loft building with commercial units below. The only heavy appliance I have is a refrigerator. The pops do not coincide with it turning on or off. Can anyone suggest what the problem might be?

rosconey · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Oct 2005, 04:10 pm »

static build up of some kind?
or a loose cable or connector?
maybe borrow a cheap pair of speakers and try them,bad cap in yours?

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Oct 2005, 05:24 pm »

Capacitor failure... Isn' it ?

philltubes · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Oct 2005, 06:58 pm »

Sounds like this may be RFI. Try changing the routing of your interconnects, pay special attention to your power cords. I believe the rule of thumb is to have interconnects and speaker wire cross power cords at a 90 degree angle if you cant keep the power cords several inches away. If you can try some different interconnects that are shielded. Hope this helps.

Phill

jkm · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Oct 2005, 07:17 pm »

All my interconnects, speaker and power cables are Groneberg. Aren't these shielded? Will try your suggestion. Currently have cables separated by styrofoam. Perhaps it is a cap problem though.

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Oct 2005, 08:11 pm »

I have the same situation and I have tried many things...

RFI I think it is not neither static... I just have that problem in one amp (mono)

The pops and clicks sometimes sounds louder...

Here is heavy RF waves that even affect tuner in some older TV's (not high end models at all)...

I will check the cords but I think that is not the problem, hopefully it is... instead of a internal part failure.

klaus@odyssey · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Oct 2005, 03:01 pm »

Easy if it's a part problem such as a cap, yes. Pain in the ass if it's environmental and you're in the needle in the haystack situation. Amps are always pointed at first, because it's also the most obvious, but in most cases it's up-stream in the system. We'll see about James' system here soon,

Klaus

bikes and beats · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Nov 2005, 09:38 pm »

James,
I have a new Stratos with the same symptom coming from the left channel. What did you ever find out about yours? Do I need to send mine back to Klaus?

FYI, Mine is fairly infrequent but still frighteningly loud. I'm concerned about damaging the speaker.
-Mike

bunky · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Nov 2005, 10:07 pm »

Quote from: bikes and beats

James,
I have a new Stratos with the same symptom coming from the left channel. What did you ever find out about yours? Do I need to send mine back to Klaus?

FYI, Mine is fairly infrequent but still frighteningly loud. I'm concerned about damaging the speaker.
-Mike

Dont worry,call Klaus ASAP and tell him what it is doing and he will know what course of action you will need to take, be it something simple or repairs at Indy.good luck....WCW III

jkm · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Nov 2005, 04:04 pm »

Quote from: bikes and beats

James,
I have a new Stratos with the same symptom coming from the left channel. What did you ever find out about yours? Do I need to send mine back to Klaus?

FYI, Mine is fairly infrequent but still frighteningly loud. I'm concerned about damaging the speaker.
-Mike

I called Klaus and he said it was "a needle in a haystack". I tried my Tempest Extreme plugged into a line conditioner at first and it seemed to help but the pops are still there. At this point I don't know if it's a capacitor leak or if maybe I'm getting RF interference through my ICs? I ordered new Premium ICs with extra casings which means I am now throwing money at the problem (though I hope for an improvement with the Premiums anyway.) It's very frustrating!!! Since Mike is now having a similar problem I'm thinking that the problem may not be environmental as Klaus suggests but that there is something wrong internally. Thing is, I was getting the same pops with my previous Tempest/Stratos. Now that I have new everything (mono&Tempest Extremes) why would the pops still be there? The only thing that hasn't changed are my Groneberg ICs/Power/Speaker cables. Klaus seems at a loss to know what to do.

bunky · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Nov 2005, 04:48 pm »

Quote from: James K-M

I called Klaus and he said it was "a needle in a haystack". I tried my Tempest Extreme plugged into a line conditioner at first and it seemed to help but the pops are still there. At this point I don't know if it's a capacitor leak or if maybe I'm getting RF interference through my ICs? I ordered new Premium ICs with extra casings which means I am now throwing money at the problem (though I hope for an improvement with the Premiums anyway.) It's very frustrating!!! Since Mike is now having a similar problem ...

Hey James, i would call Klaus and tell him that you have tried everything and the problem still exists. the only time i ever encountered a problem with clicks and pops i traced it back to a bad pair of ic cables. and it was when i was using a different amplifier. have you tried different ic,s ?....WCW III

jkm · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Nov 2005, 06:27 pm »

Bunky,

That sounds promising. Did the pops you heard sound like a needle dropping loudly on a record?

James

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Nov 2005, 11:31 pm »

Dissconnect all video playing sources from your AC, I had a situation long ago that if a DVD signal go to TV and from TV audio out to Tempest I had some noises, aso a strange behavior with some antena RF lines going to the surge supressor.

jkm · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Nov 2005, 12:34 am »

Quote from: Eduardo AAVM

Dissconnect all video playing sources from your AC, I had a situation long ago that if a DVD signal go to TV and from TV audio out to Tempest I had some noises, aso a strange behavior with some antena RF lines going to the surge supressor.

Eduardo,

By AC, you mean the power outlet on the wall? I do have my DVD player plugged into aux on the Tempest and its power is on the same circuit in another part of the room. Can you provide more details? I believe you said in another post recently that you were also getting pops. Did you resolve that?

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Nov 2005, 12:40 am »

Well my posps were because of another situation but I got some noise when antena was connectad to teh samesurge protector and in other situationif a DVD player;s video out was connected to TV and it's audio out lines to Tempest I got some noises too.

klaus@odyssey · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Nov 2005, 09:24 am »

Taken care of. Just a small cap,

Klaus

jkm · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Nov 2005, 07:10 pm »

Quote from: klaus@odyssey

Taken care of. Just a small cap,

Klaus

Hi Klaus and Eduardo,

Was it a small cap on the amp or pre-amp? I'm still not sure if I have one or two issues. My right amp has a loud buzzing/hum from the speaker but the left amp is dead silent. Both are plugged into the same wall outlet. My wife will not stop bitching about the buzzing. Reversing ICs had no effect but reversing speaker cables did. Replacement amp is in process. I just hope it solves the pops/clicks as well, also coming from the right channel.

Sonny · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Nov 2005, 07:44 pm »

Quote from: James K-M

Quote from: klaus@odyssey
Taken care of. Just a small cap,

Klaus

Hi Klaus and Eduardo,

Was it a small cap on the amp or pre-amp? I'm still not sure if I have one or two issues. My right amp has a loud buzzing/hum from the speaker but the left amp is dead silent. Both are plugged into the same wall outlet. My wife will not stop bitching about the buzzing. Reversing ICs had no effect but reversing speaker cables did. Replacement amp is in process. I just hope it solves the pops/clicks as well, also coming from the right channel.

What do you mean by reversing the speaker cables?

jkm · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Nov 2005, 08:18 pm »

Quote from: Sonny

Quote from: James K-M
Quote from: klaus@odyssey
Taken care of. Just a small cap,

Klaus

Hi Klaus and Eduardo,

Was it a small cap on the amp or pre-amp? I'm still not sure if I have one or two issues. My right amp has a loud buzzing/hum from the speaker but the left amp is dead silent. Both are plugged into the same wall outlet. My wife will not stop bitching about the buzzing. Reversing ICs had no effect but reversing speaker cables did. Replacement amp is in process. I just hope it solves the po ...

I see. Yes, I just unplugged the cables from one speaker and plugged them into the other one, switching channels.

Sonny · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Nov 2005, 08:22 pm »

Quote from: James K-M

I see. Yes, I just unplugged the cables from one speaker and plugged them into the other one, switching channels.

So, you're saying that you pretty much switch the "right" (bad) channe with the left speaker cables and its fine? does that happen then to the "Left" (good) channel, meaning when you do the switch, does the left now go bad? What speaker cables are you using and if you switch the i/c, meaning taking the right out of the right amp and plugging it to the left amp and vice versa, what does that do? Could be a phase problem in the speaker cables....hard to say, but if switching the speaker cables solves the problem, then its not the amp...or I don't think i is, anyways.
Sonny