Well I am sure that it is the Harman and not the DVD player or cables or anything else.
I switched the input cables going to the center and front left speaker to see if the crackling would come out of the front speaker instead of the center. . . . .NOPE. The crackling still came out of the center which would mean that the problem is farther downstream in the receiver. Just to be doubley sure I rehooked up the Onkyo receiver and sure enough there was no crackling whatsoever.
I rehooked up the harman and at first it seemed to be ok.. . . but then I let it sit for a while and it heated up to its normal boiling temperature. WOW then it was REALLY bad crackling through the center and left surround. So it seems to have something to do with the heat level inside the receiver.
I then immediately switched the mode from 5.1 DVD audio to a regular dvd with surround sound. Absolutely no crackling. So it is just with the 6.1/8.1 inputs.
I am in the process of trying to get a hold of h/k to have them ship a replacement.
Will update more as it comes.
