Crackeling monitors...

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:41 am

I have a pair of passive Alesis Monitor One MK2's that are about 3-4 years old. Recently they started crackeling and cutting out. Sometimes it was the left speaker sometimes it was the right. It sounded like bad speakers cables so I got some brand new speaker cables and still the crackeling and cutting out persists. It just seems to happen randomly too. Sometimes I'll mix something for hours then it will just start crackeling and cutting out. What the hell is going on?

Milkmansound · Post by **Milkmansound** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:31 am

what are you using to power them?

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:14 am

I am using an Alesis RS150 reference amplifier.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:34 am

Fuck, one thing I didn't think about until now is the patch cables going from the Digi 001 monitor outs to the power amps ins. Maybe those are going bad....

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:46 pm

Well I got some new cables today, and it still did it..... wtf.......

oobedoob · Post by **oobedoob** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:39 am

you're using TRS connections everywhere? Do the cables pass the wiggle test everywhere in the signal change? (grab the body of the plug and wiggle and listen for crackles).

Have you cleaned every contact in the signal chain with some kind of De-oxit?

My experience with TRS to the power amp (combo jacks on mine) was so frustrating that I only use XLR now. No more audible corrosion issues, perfect fit every time, no more crackles.

stevedood · Post by **stevedood** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:26 pm

My cellphone loves to fucking spew garbage-noise-RF into everything in the studio and sometimes the monitors pick that up. Just a thought....

philbo · Post by **philbo** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:50 pm

Have a tech open them up and inspect the soldering work - -

I've seen some fairly respected name brands with horrendously bad soldering work. It's generally good enough to last 4 or 5 years, then everything starts getting flakey and tempermental about working reliably. Over time, the solder joints crack and become intermittent. Often the quickest way to solve it is to resolder every connection in the unit.

Be sure to ask that the tech remove the flux when he's finished, since that stuff can be mildly corrosive over long time periods.
________
FIX PS3

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:34 am

Thanks for the tip. Yeah I think I might do that. What is the flux?

philbo · Post by **philbo** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:40 pm

InvalidInk wrote:Thanks for the tip. Yeah I think I might do that. What is the flux?

It's a compound that helps remove oxidation from the metal and allows the solder to 'wet' the metal better, making it easier to make a good connection. It is usually within the solder itself. It was once made of pine rosin, but now there are all kinds of goofy stuffs being used. Some of these advertise themselves as 'no clean' fluxes, but I don't buy into it.

Flux requires a solvent to remove, like toulene, or a commercial flux remover like ProClean.

BTW, it's not the same as that used in the Flux Capacitor on Back to the Future....
________
Medical Marijuana

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:41 am

philbo wrote: BTW, it's not the same as that used in the Flux Capacitor on Back to the Future....

Dammit! I am so disapointed now....

Message Board

Crackeling monitors...

Crackeling monitors...

Who is online