Speaker pop pop and stridency

Hi-Fi Corner
1

I have now the new 250, connected to my Ear 912.
The sound is sublime but there’s a pop pop noise in one speaker, with some radio frequency noise, a bit strident.
I rearranged my cables, so that they don’t touch the burndys and the power cables.

These noises can be heard only I my ear is at maybe 2/3 cm from the speaker. Only on one speaker.

I tried a Rega XLR to RCA cable. No noise. But the drop in sound quality is important, from my Chord signature tuned array XLR to XLR.

Is there a problem with such noise in one speaker ? Can it affect the sound quality ?

2

Have you tried reversing the L and R cables to see if the noise then comes from the other speaker? That would help to narrow down the cause.

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3

Yes, it goes to the other speaker.

4

So that eliminates the power amp, speaker cables and speakers. Did you reverse the XLR cable at the preamp end or the power amp?

5

Yes, the same.
An XLR to RCA gave no noise. But the one I got , a Rega one, doesn’t sound even near the Chord signature XLR to XLR.
When there’s music, I don’t hear anything, even at quiet levels. Only if my ear is very close to the speaker.
I will try to get a good XLR to RCA cable, or modify mine.
However my dealer thinks it’s not a problem, it often occurs.

6

Hi FR!

Do you find the upgrade to the new 250 over 250DR worthwhile? In what ways is it preferable?

7

I’m not sure I follow. Did you move the cables fully around or did you leave one end attached? And if so, which end did you leave hooked up correctly?

8

Don’t really understand your question. There’s only two ways to connect the XLR cables from my pre to 250. Tried the two ways. Reconnected them several times and was assured they didn’t touch burndys or power cables.
The XLR to RCA gave no noise, but was not sounding at the same level.

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9

Yes, absolutely. Better in all areas, really.

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10

I assume there’s two cables, L & R ?

If so, changing them around could mean:

  • You did this at the pre amp end
  • You did this at the power amp end
  • You did this at both ends
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11

Yes. The noise goes to the other speaker if I inverse.

12

Inverse what though? Which of the three options I listed, the third?

13

the two
I didn’t tried to inverse both on pre and on amp. I don’t see why that third option may change the things. Do you think i should try also that third option?

14

If this is, as seems likely, a new NC250, what does the dealer who sold it say…?

15

So that excludes the power amp.

I would indeed try 3, or 1, to exclude the preamp. Then we can be certain it’s indeed the cable.

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16

It sometimes happens…not prejudicial to sound quality….my ribbon tweeter may be sensitive….the quality of the mains.
I hear it only when my ear is very near the speaker ( < 3cm).
Some relate also hiss with Naim amps…

17

With an XLR to RCA cable, I have no noise. It was a Rega one. Tried yesterday another more expensive XLR to RCA and there was a big noise.
Tried another XLR to XLR , also from Chord, and the little noise remains.

18

Question is whether one of the preamp channels somehow interacts with this cable, or whether it’s the cable in isolation.

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19

Is that what your Dealer said…?

20

Do you think that this speaker noise, you hear only when your ear is touching the speaker, can be detrimental to the sound quality?

As for the reason, I didn’t find the cause, but it’s, like you said, a sort of electrical interaction between my pre, my amp and the mains.
I will receive a Chord M6 powerblock soon, maybe it will solve that.