I was just at my in laws and noticed when listening to the THX intro "Amazing Life" from the Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Blu-ray disc that there was some static coming from the surround speakers...at least "static" is the best I can describe it as I've not experienced "distortion" or "clipping" personally to know what they sound like.

It first happens between the 15-20 sec mark (of the THX intro) when the tuning fork sound reaches a crescendo / peak. I initially thought the volume was too high but the static can still be heard even at fairly low volume levels. It seems to happen whenever the passage hits a peak, but only in the surrounds, not the mains.

To test, I disconnected the surround speakers (some old Polk bookshelf model) and connected the mains in their place (ie. to the surround channel outputs of the receiver) but get the same static during peaks, so I don't think it's the speakers themselves. Just to be sure though, I then disconnected the mains and hooked up the surround speakers to the main channel outputs and everything is fine.

I understand that the sound being sent to the main channels is different from the sound being sent to the surround channels, so is the static coming from the program material itself or could somethng be wrong with the surround channel outputs on their receiver? Is it possible that ALL of their speakers are bad or damaged?

Did you double check your wiring and connections for the surround channels?

Does this happen with other sources as well?

I didn't check the wire-to-speaker connection and the connection to the receiver uses bananna plugs. I actually tried every speaker one at a time, all by itself, and I hear the static on each one as long as it is connected to any surround or back channel output.

They've never noticed it before on any other DVD, Blu-ray, or CD. I didn't try any other disc when I was there but I'll get them to try another disc.

I did notice their speaker wire was very thin, possibly 20 or 22 awg...could this be the cause?

That is very thin, esp if it is a longer length to the surrounds, 12 or 14 gauge is preferable.

Not sure if the wire is causing the problem but I wouldn't use wire that thin for any speaker connection regardless of length.

The THX intro to Cave of the Crystal Skull is probably the most mind blowing acoustic event my system has ever produced.

I don't have the benefit of the blu-Ray version, but there should be no static. Perhaps you may want to try another Cave of the Crystal Skull disc, although I doubt the problem is with the source material. If you have any extra speakers, why don't you swap out the speakers producing the static and see if that cures and isolates the problem.

If the static persists, then you know the problem is not the speakers. If I had to guess, I'd say the problem is a frayed speaker wire, or a minor short (stray strands at the speaker terminals or output terminals, or bad banana)

BTW, I don't think the fact you're using thin speaker wire is the problem. My favorite speaker wire is from Mapleshade and they're really thin.

Good luck

I agree. I don't think thin speaker wire would cause static, unless it was poorly connected or spliced. Roll off the highs like crazy, yeah, it would do that.

Actually, the best speaker cable I use is the Mapleshade Clearview Golden Double Helix wires - very thin. My system has highs which I would describe as spectacular.

Wouldn't necessarily decrease the highs, Ken. Because of the voltage dividing effect of resistances in series, the sonic inaccuracies of too thin speaker wire would result from the voltage used by the speaker "following" the peaks and dips in its impedance. At points in the high frequencies where the speaker impedance was higher, the thin wire would cause an increase in the highs.

Agreed that the thinness wouldn't cause static or crackling.

That is a very cool intro!

Would it be possible the static could be induced into such a thin wire by some electrical compnents nearby the longer runs to the surrounds, such as lamp cords etc?

It certainly is possible the receiver is the culprit especially if it happens on other material.

Thanks everyone for your input. I don't think it's a problem anymore as it doesn't seem to matter what speaeker I connect.

The static isn't there through the entire intro, just when the tuning for peaks, meaning no static for the remaining 95% of the intro.

I doubt it is the disc or intro itself either if nobody else is experiencing it. Being on DVD or Blu-ray shouldn't matter since it is only Dolby Digital (I think).

Maybe I'll try a new speaker cable and hook it up without bananna plugs...

It would be interesting if you could find that intro on another disk and see if it does the same thing with it.

Either way I'm pretty sure I can tell you exactly what your problem is... greamlins! Most likely Spike.

Wait, wait. You guys are saying that you've actually paid money for that abomination of a movie?

I might pay 99 cents to download just this intro from I'Tunes. But only if I could get it it's actual 5.1 format.

Yup, gotta have the entire series


I wonder what the settings are for the system? It may be the static isn't static at all but speakers trying to play beyond there capabilities due to poor settings in the receiver and they are distorting the sound and it just happens to sound like static? It is a bit of a stretch isn't it.

I'm thinking it is more than likely some component not being able to keep up with the demands of the audio track. Either severe clipping due to driving all channels to max, or just the surround being driven harder than normal, and reaching their physical limit.

I've heard of some people who swear by Cat5 ethernet cable for speakers...

Yes, perhaps "static" is misleading, but I don't know how else to describe it. Maybe it actually was "distortion" that I heard?

It does sound like the speaker is trying to play beyond its capabilities, but why would that happen even at low volumes?

I did have a look at the settings in case the receiver was giving it a boost somewhere, but I did not notice anything unusual. Speaker level for the surrounds was only +2dB.

Thanks for your help

Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like...something not able to keep up during the peaks in the audio track.

If it is severe clipping then the speakers are permanently damaged now, because I hear the distortion even when a single speaker is hooked up at a time (and I tried all three fronts & both surrounds), and I hear it even at low volumes.

Do you only hear it with this particular disc? If it's there at low volumes, and only that disc. I'd say it's the decoder in the receiver which is misunderstanding something in the digital audio stream coming from the player.

I only hear the distortion when the tuning fork sound peaks in that particular THX intro. I don't have any other disc with that specific intro to try.

I don't recall hearing any distortion in any other music, movie, or THX content. Is it possible that the Amazing Life intro was demanding enough to clip the reciever (thus damaging the speakers) when it was first played (very loud, all speakers connected)?

Thanks again

to quote my doctor..

Him: "does it hurt when you do that?"
Me: "yes"
Him: "well then don't do it"

I would find a new doctor.

If it is only that disc, and you continue to hear it at low levels, but not with any other content, I'd say that nothing has been damaged. Just that something with the audio on that passage doesn't agree with the equipment.

I'd not worry about it. If it a decode error, I wouldn't play it too loud, as harsh digital noise could possible be damaging.

Thanks everyone, I will do some more testing with different discs and material just to be sure. Even if I don't hear it anywhere else, I'm pretty sure my curiosity alone will keep me obsessed with it until I find the answer

What are the model numbers for the Blu-ray player and receiver?

Will get you the exact models tonight...

Wow i've had the exact same problem too, only on the Crystal Skull blu ray. M22s for fronts and M2 surrounds and vp 150, Onkyo 605 and PS3 for bluray. It seems like it comes from the front right channel only. I have the Raiders of the Lost Ark on DVD and it has the same intro but I don't have a problem with it. I'm thinking its something with the disc. Sounds like a needle on a record player kind of static.

I'd say if it is only on 1 part of 1 disc just ignore it. If the problem pops up elsewhere then try and figure things out.

Geez i hate static during movies.
The solution is to tell the wife to go talk on the phone in another room.


{just kidding...i only tell her to quiet down}

You know, I knew I was going to get the thin wire thing wrong...

Which model PS3 do you have?

Yeah, don't ya just hate it when you come on here and very confidently state, "well I can tell you *yada, yada, yada* absolutely, 1000%"... and then someone else comes along and says, "ummm, no actually you're dead wrong".

It always makes me wish I were smarter when that sort of thing happens to me.

Samsung BD-P1500 player with Denon AVR-3808CI. I'm going to try this weekend to playback other discs & material, and maybe remove the bananna plugs.

Wow, that is weird. Have you tried another speaker and get the same problem?

I can only find sporadic reports of audio errors with that equipment. Mostly with the BD player. Have you ever done firmware updates on either the player or receiver?

Looks like as long as the player has version 2.0 firmware or later, and it connected by Ethernet it can auto notify, and update to newer versions. If it is before 2.0 or doesn't have eithernet, you can update by USB or CD-R. Samsung has the info on their site (click the "firmware" link): http://www.samsung.com/us/support/detail...l_name=BD-P1500

The receiver can only be updated over Ethernet, from what I can tell. You just have to access a hidden menu and tell it to update. It'll pull the newest version from Denon's site (look under downloads and manuals): http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3510.asp

The 3808 does indeed need an ethernet connection of some sort and it can check for its self if there are new updates just go into the menu and find the options section -> firmware update, IIRC, and let it do it's thing.

I never wish to be smarter, only smart enough to understand what I'm being told. Learning is what makes it interesting.