Sound popping/cracking at higher volumes

[hszazg]

The very first thing i would get is a calibrated measurement microphone (like the UMIK1), a laptop and REW. That should give you good insight in how your speakers interact with your room. Only then i would start thinking about upgrade.

Your stuff seems to be fine overall, i would like to listen to some tunes with it. However, i only know the Yamaha and Sennheiser HD650 myself.


Maybe you can lend an integrated amp from someone to verify that it is or is not the preamp/power amp combination? Before buying stuff

Yeah, I might need to go after this microphone calibration process. Will try to enlist some local help for that.

Thanks for the kind words, happy to see there's someone who'd like to listen to some music with my setup!

Yeah, better to test more and get some equipment before allowing the upgrade bug to take over.

 

[hszazg]

@hszazg The output and input parameters of the amp and preamp are OK. In that the Yamaha will be able to drive the amp to clipping.

Ah, I see! I also checked the "clipping" terminology and it really does make more sense here, I think now this is what's happening. Interesting to see that the Yamaha can drive the Pro-Ject to clipping, I wouldn't expect the cheaper between the two of them to be able to do it, both are nice little boxes!

I guess it's more a matter of me controlling the volume and not going wild with it, no? No way to get higher volumes without clipping is what I'm asking.

 

[Doodski]

Ah, I see! I also checked the "clipping" terminology and it really does make more sense here, I think now this is what's happening. Interesting to see that the Yamaha can drive the Pro-Ject to clipping, I wouldn't expect the cheaper between the two of them to be able to do it, both are nice little boxes!

I guess it's more a matter of me controlling the volume and not going wild with it, no? No way to get higher volumes without clipping is what I'm asking.

@ clipping the music should be very loud with your gear. Like make your floors and walls shake kind of loud.

 

[hszazg]

@ clipping the music should be very loud with your gear. Like make your floors and walls shake kind of loud.

Hmm, I don't think I've gone to that level, my neighbors would've surely taken extreme measures against that. I'll dig deeper into this issue. I appreciate all the help and the time put into this!

 

[antcollinet]

I had a (cheap) sub that did that at high levels. Basically the driver was hitting an end stop. So if this is the case here you are overdriving the speaker. Especially likely if you are using any EQ which increases low frequencies.

 

[freemansteve]

A long shot for your issue, I agree, but I had some crackling on my guitar amp - that was fixed by a re-seating and some ElectroLube spray.
I've since changed the valves for new ones (not Russian ones hahaha!) and had no repeat. Might be that I live in a drier environment nowadays....

 

[freemansteve]

Hmm, I don't think I've gone to that level, my neighbors would've surely taken extreme measures against that. I'll dig deeper into this issue. I appreciate all the help and the time put into this!

It depends if or where, there are gain/volumes knobs on each bit of kit - your main amp may have the volume turned right down (if it has such a control) but if your pre-amp is turned up too high, you can clip at the input of the main amp, but the speakers will be relatively quiet. You'll still hear the distortion on loud passages in music, but that will be be a consistent effect. You can prove this by turning down the output volume on the pre-amp or DAC.

IMHO, buying kit like calibrated mics to do tests is not worth it, until you have eliminated all the easy things that could be a problem first, for free!