Chris, your experience sounds similar to mine, and I think your description of "buzzing" may be a better term for what I'm talking about when I say "crackling". Maybe it's a questionable wire connection, I'll check that when I get home.
BTW, I don't want to paint too negative a picture about this speaker, because it is better than my previous center. The occasional boxiness/boominess I mentioned is somewhat subtle, and I have a feeling that it is related to the source material, because it only seems that way occasionally. It's the distortion/crackling/buzzing that concerns me most.
PS - What's this Diana Krall DVD you mention, I've heard her name come up several times when people discuss reference/test material. Searching amazon.com I see "Live in Paris" - is this the DVD you're referring to?
