I have a 102/NAPSC/180 kit.

From time to time I have a "crackle" sound coming from the right channel.

It sounds like a "blown woofer" because it only happens on certain low frequencies. BUT the sound seems as though it originates in the tweeter. The crackle is intermittent and when it does occur, it is ALWAYS with low frequencies.

Thinking it was the DAC or Chord I/C, i swapped the left and right outputs on my DAC and the crackle stayed in the right channel.

So i then I switched the speakers on the back of the 180. Crackle is now in left channel. Right channel, all is well.

So that weeded out the DAC, Arivas, and Crimson Chord. The problem must be further down the line.

So it could be the 102, the 180 or the SNAIC.

Any thoughts?

What have i done in trying to isolate the issue?

1) I have cleaned, by repeated removal/insertion, the SNAIC on both ends.

2) I have tried other inputs on the 102.

3) I have "wiggled" the SNAIC while the crackling was occurring.


I have thought about just buying a new SNAIC, but at the price i would rather demo a new one first to see if that fixes anything.

I will see if my local dealer has one to lend me.

It is curious that the crackling is frequency dependent, yet is not due to the speaker's driver or cross-over.

What inside the 102, 180 or SNAIC could be wrong to make certain frequencies crackle through the speaker?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be wonderful.

Many thanks,
Patrick

Hi,

Have you tried a different source?

I had a similar problem with my Allaes being driven by a 250, thought I'd blown a tweeter. I had my 250 serviced and that cleared everything up. Do a search on tweeter crackle, I found lots of posts on this problem, there could be a few reasons, but get you 180 checked out it could be that.
Steve

Stephen,

It is not the source. I tried an Arcam CDP with the same results. Although I had to wait for the problem to rear it's head. (it is an intermittent issue)


Steve,

Thanks. I did a fairly comprehensive search but did not specify "tweeter". I will do so and see what i find.


Thanks for the help so far fellas!
-Patrick

Pat. Borrow a friends old Sony or pioneer integrated amp ($199 standard 5.1 surround version) and slap some old speaker cable on it. See if you can replicate the noise? Use it as a power amp with your CDP source and your pre. Take your power amp right out of the equation.

just a thought.

rega1

Rega,

Thanks,

Ill think of something along those lines...
unfortunately I dont think I can use my 102 with a different amp. I neither have a PSU to power the 102, nor do I have the requisite DIN-to-RCA cable.

Possibly I could use the preamp output on my Yamaha receiver into the 180. But I still need a cord to do so. In this case i could eliminate the SNAIC and the 102 if the "crackle" remained.

One more thought....
This happened before and after the addition of the NAPSC.

-Patrick

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Rega,

Thanks,

Ill think of something along those lines...
unfortunately I dont think I can use my 102 with a different amp. I neither have a PSU to power the 102, nor do I have the requisite DIN-to-RCA cable.

Possibly I could use the preamp output on my Yamaha receiver into the 180. But I still need a cord to do so. In this case i could eliminate the SNAIC and the 102 if the "crackle" remained.

One more thought....
This happened before and after the addition of the NAPSC.

-Patrick

correct, understood. Is the dealer close? Borrow a cable if possible. I have a feeling this will drive you nuts if you don't sort it out soon, I know I would go bonkers.

rega1

Hi

It might be worth a phone call to Dave at D K Loudspeakers, he rebuilt a Castle driver for me recently ( really does know his stuff ) no web site but a quick search of the web will find his number ( he is based in Hornchurch Essex )

Kev

thanks kev...

but my speakers are a-ok... problem is upstream.
Yet downstream from the source.

It is 102, 180 or SNAIC

I had exactly this problem with an old 250 - crackle and noise. Turned out that the 250 needed to be serviced and re-capped; problem sorted and sounded a lot better too

This is classic sound of the caps going in the power amp -- one of my 250s had exactly that noise (on both channels actually). A factory service cured it.

I'm inclined to agree with Jon here. Ask your dealer to lend you a 150x and a SNAIC, or take in your SNAIC and 180. If replacing the power amp stops the problem from happening it's most likely output capacitors. If the problem remains, replace the SNAIC. If the problem goes away it was the SNAIC. If not, it's your 102.

Frank, Jon, Darke,

Thanks for the diagnosis.

I will email NANA today for a RMA#.

And getting a loaner black box is a strong idea. Im on it.

-Patrick

In an ideal world, you'd borrow a NAC and a NAP from you nearest dealer, even old stuff like a 62 or a 90 just to see where the issue lies.

I would hate to see your NAP go to NANA and comeback after a re-cap (sounding better I'm sure) but the problem were to persist as the NAC was at fault ....

It could be the volume pot or output capacitor...