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What's that buzz, tell me what's a happening...

Playing Radio Head's "Pyramid Song" (a little loud but not even 10 watts) where Thom Yorke's eerie hum begins and one of my speakers starts to make a vibrating sound like a cheap old phonograph! I figure its inside the box, maybe behind the woofer. Almost sounds like a screw is loose and matching frequencies are causing it to vibrate and sing. This has never happened before!

"S**t" says I, and I start putting pressure on every screw head, binding post, sides of the cabinet etc to no avail. "S**t" says I again. I want to rip apart the woofer, get in there and hot glue everything. Probably not a good idea.

Ya think I can take the screws off the woofer or the binding post plastic housing thingee (or both) to take a peek? Is this a typical DIY thing to do? We're talking Totem Sttafs. What do you think could be loose in there? Or is it something more ominous...:-(
djh
rwwear
2,846 posts
 
Rotted surrounds probably. Remove the grill and look. How old are they?
jax2
3,031 posts
 
That's funny, I was playing a cut from Radiohead's OK Computer and it arc'd one of my KT88's in my amp. This was years ago, but I'll not forget the cut of music, though I don't remember the title. I'd been noticing how far the meters (Mesa Baron) were spiking with this particular cut. I'm going to have to look it up now! I think it might have been Paranoid Android.
djh OP
10 posts
 
The speakers are supposedly 3 years old. I've only had them for a month. There is no noticable flaw from the outside, and the buzzing seems to come from the inside. Very resounding in there I might add.

So far it has only buzzed twice (both times on this Radio Head CD) and only when the music plays at a lowly frequency for a period of time and at a loudish volume. Jeez Louis, it didn't do this for Leonard Cohen or Stan Getz! I just don't feel like hauling these down to a repair shop (first I'd have to find one). I could possibly ignore the buzz or just never play Radio Head (NOT!). I'm getting brave. Could it hurt to go in and take a lookee?
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,279 posts
 
Call or Email Totem...they'd be the best to tell you whether you should and can open things up.
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
If you are handy with tools taking the woofer out shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully it's as simple as a wire slightly out of place and is vibrating against something. Knowing exactly where it's supposed to be is difficult.
Be sure to note the correct orientation of the driver before removal.
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