Kanto YU4 rattling noise when playing sub bass

[Phoney]

I just recieved my second pair of YU4s after the first one suffered from some bad QC. There is some rattling noise coming equally as loud from both of them in segments of tracks that contains low bass. I tried using a high pass filter to check if it helped, which it did, but I needed to put the high pass filter all the way up to 100hz+ (Q of 1.18) until the rattling started to become completely inaudible. I also cannot just use a high pass filter as a solution because this will also remove sound from the subwoofer. I tried a tone generator on low volume, and both speakers produce equally as much rattling below 50hz. With most songs it is not an issue, but I would like to be able to listen to bass heavy songs aswell without getting annoyed by this noise.

Is this a normal feature with small speakers that are bass light, or does it only happen with a few of them? I don't know if they are defect, but considering it is happening with both speakers equally, it might just be that the speakers don't do well with low bass in general. Has anyone experienced something similar with smaller speakers, or have any ideas as to why this is happening? I might return them, which is a shame, because my room is not optimal at all and I don't want to start doing room correction, and these were really room friendly. Any suggestions on active room friendly speakers in this price range that will not produce this problem is welcome. Optical input is a plus considering I already bought Topping D10s, and can't return it anymore. I'll use speakers as desktop near-field, and the left one has to be pretty close to a corner.

 

[Doodski]

I just recieved my second pair of YU4s after the first one suffered from some bad QC. There is some rattling noise coming equally as loud from both of them in segments of tracks that contains low bass.

I needed to put the high pass filter all the way up to 100hz+ (Q of 1.18) until the rattling started to become completely inaudible.

I tried a tone generator on low volume, and both speakers produce equally as much rattling below 50hz.

Is the rattling coming from the cabinet or from the woofer or both?

 

[DWPress]

I looked them up and spec says they only go down to 60Hz, if you try to boost content below that it will most likely complain.

A couple things you can try - a steep HP filter at 55 or 60Hz with a LR4 to eliminate most signal going into the speaker or back to the tone generator finding the problem frequency and a notch filter with high Q.

Otherwise get a sub, small speakers just can't go that low.

 

[Phoney]

Is the rattling coming from the cabinet or from the woofer or both?

I testet more now, it seems like the cones are touching something while vibrating. When I slightly push the cone while playing deep bass, the rattling stops. Actually I had this issue with my first pair aswell, but in that case the cone was misplaced so that the ring would touch the edge. In that case there would be a lot of this noise in 100-200hz notes especially. But in this case it only happens on the lowest notes. Here is a picture of the first pair, where the cone was not centered properly and the ring was touching the edge on the top right:

 

[restorer-john]

If it were me, I'd be playing a low/medium level tone and vary the frequency to zoom in on the problem. Is it the cabinet, a joint, something in the cabinet, the voicecoil, mounting screws, terminal plates etc. Then when you isolate the issue, either fix it, claim warranty or return them, depending on what it is.

 

[Phoney]

I looked them up and spec says they only go down to 60Hz, if you try to boost content below that it will most likely complain.

A couple things you can try - a steep HP filter at 55 or 60Hz with a LR4 to eliminate most signal going into the speaker or back to the tone generator finding the problem frequency and a notch filter with high Q.

Otherwise get a sub, small speakers just can't go that low.

I already have a sub. I can't use a high pass filter, because it would also cancel out my subwoofer.

 

[Phoney]

If it were me, I'd be playing a low/medium level tone and vary the frequency to zoom in on the problem. Is it the cabinet, a joint, something in the cabinet, the voicecoil, mounting screws, terminal plates etc. Then when you isolate the issue, either fix it, claim warranty or return them, depending on what it is.

See the message above this yours. It seems like the cones are touching something while vibrating, in the lowest notes only. When I slightly push the cone while playing deep bass, the rattling stops. I'm just not sure if getting another YU4 might fix it, because I don't know if they are all like this. I actually liked the sound outside of this, and got stands for them. So returning and getting something else that might not work as well in my specific setup and room also doesn't feel great. That's why I kind of want another of these, but if they are all rattling in the bass due to the cone touching something, then that's not an option.

 

[DWPress]

I already have a sub. I can't use a high pass filter, because it would also cancel out my subwoofer.

Your sub doesn't have XO capabilities? It should be playing up to 80-100Hz before the small speakers take over. Not sure what the rest of your chain is and how flexible you are to make adjustments with it. Not enough info.

 

[Phoney]

Your sub doesn't have XO capabilities? It should be playing up to 80-100Hz before the small speakers take over. Not sure what the rest of your chain is and how flexible you are to make adjustments with it. Not enough info.

It has XO, but it will only function as a low pass filter. The speakers will still try to play deeper notes, despite the fact that they roll off at 90hz. They will barely play them, but it's enough for the rattling to happen. It says that the speaker doesn't go below 60hz, but they don't have a high pass filter in them and still play low notes. Just not really audible outside of the rattling.

 

[Peluvius]

I just recieved my second pair of YU4s after the first one suffered from some bad QC. There is some rattling noise coming equally as loud from both of them in segments of tracks that contains low bass. I tried using a high pass filter to check if it helped, which it did, but I needed to put the high pass filter all the way up to 100hz+ (Q of 1.18) until the rattling started to become completely inaudible. I also cannot just use a high pass filter as a solution because this will also remove sound from the subwoofer. I tried a tone generator on low volume, and both speakers produce equally as much rattling below 50hz. With most songs it is not an issue, but I would like to be able to listen to bass heavy songs aswell without getting annoyed by this noise.

Is this a normal feature with small speakers that are bass light, or does it only happen with a few of them? I don't know if they are defect, but considering it is happening with both speakers equally, it might just be that the speakers don't do well with low bass in general. Has anyone experienced something similar with smaller speakers, or have any ideas as to why this is happening? I might return them, which is a shame, because my room is not optimal at all and I don't want to start doing room correction, and these were really room friendly. Any suggestions on active room friendly speakers in this price range that will not produce this problem is welcome. Optical input is a plus considering I already bought Topping D10s, and can't return it anymore. I'll use speakers as desktop near-field, and the left one has to be pretty close to a corner.

How loud are you running your tests? If the speaker is at the limits of it's design and you are feeding it loud signal below its capability that can cause a problem.

I have a small set of Paradigm Atoms and if I send a 20Hz tone into them at high volume the cones will bottom out (or make a rattling noise). At normal listening levels to music (80dB or so), they sound fine.

The fact that they are both doing it suggests it is more likely a design limitation. They are little speakers, not generally designed to reproduce low bass.

 

[Phoney]

How loud are you running your tests? If the speaker is at the limits of it's design and you are feeding it loud signal below its capability that can cause a problem.

I have a small set of Paradigm Atoms and if I send a 20Hz tone into them at high volume the cones will bottom out (or make a rattling noise). At normal listening levels to music (80dB or so), they sound fine.

The fact that they are both doing it suggests it is more likely a design limitation.

The music was at comfortable listening levels, and the test tone was ran at low volumes. In both cases if was pretty audible, especially while running the test tone at low volume. I don't think the drivers are the problem after all, because if I just slightly push the ring around the cone, the rattling goes away. There has to be some friction somewhere, which was also the problem with the first pair. But on the first pair it was obvious because of the misplaced cone. I don't know where the friction is happening this time around.

 

[Phoney]

I believe the friction may be happening somewhere under the plastic screen.. Because this time around the ring doesn't actually touch the screen.

 

[Peluvius]

The music was at comfortable listening levels, and the test tone was ran at low volumes. In both cases if was pretty audible, especially while running the test tone at low volume. I don't think the drivers are the problem after all, because if I just slightly push the ring around the cone, the rattling goes away. There has to be some friction somewhere, which was also the problem with the first pair. But on the first pair it was obvious because of the misplaced cone. I don't know where the friction is happening this time around.

What you are describing sounds like it could be a coil centering/alignment issue. I would send them back, does not sound not normal.

 

[Phoney]

What you are describing sounds like it could be a coil centering/alignment issue. I would send them back, does not sound not normal.

Maybe. I don't really know much about speakers, all I know is that when I push the ring near the arrows on the picture a little, then the rattling stops. And that it happens mainly below 50hz, but that the drivers struggling to play these notes even at low volume is probably not the issue. I will try to contact the seller.

 

[TOR]

Sounds like the problem is installation issue, either the speaker mounting surface or the cone portion is not flat enough, Sandwiching some thin gasket ring like cork, neoprene etc in between should eliminate the problem, Also, vibration that can be stopped like u mentioned may also indicate some gap somewhere between the two, hence air leakage. Opening up the speaker however I believe will void the warranty.....I have the YU6 in bamboo and fortunately I don't have any issue so far,,,touch wood.

 

[Phoney]

Sounds like the problem is installation issue, either the speaker mounting surface or the cone portion is not flat enough, Sandwiching some thin gasket ring like cork, neoprene etc in between should eliminate the problem, Also, vibration that can be stopped like u mentioned may also indicate some gap somewhere between the two, hence air leakage. Opening up the speaker however I believe will void the warranty.....I have the YU6 in bamboo and fortunately I don't have any issue so far,,,touch wood.

I've decided to return it and get a different speaker for my desktop setup. Kanto YU6 seems like a good option, but obviously I'm a bit reluctant after having problems with 2 different pairs of YU4s.