Popping noise CLS II

[Stefano]

I have a low frequency "popp noise" (single or sequency rapid ticking) sound that emanates from panels on my CLS II. The noise will continue even when the amp has been disconnected and not played for hours.
I've tried vacuuming 3 times the panel and it not fixed the problem.
I have changed the high-voltage boards and ...noting.

Any input or experience that people have with this problem would be appreciated.

thanks
Stefano

 

[zaphod]

I have a low frequency "popp noise" (single or sequency rapid ticking) sound that emanates from panels on my CLS II. The noise will continue even when the amp has been disconnected and not played for hours.
I've tried vacuuming 3 times the panel and it not fixed the problem.
I have changed the high-voltage boards and ...noting.

Have you tried getting the panels discharged, it can be over a day to dissipate the charge on them? You have to unplug these speakers, Merely dissconnecting the amps won't discharge them.

Let's isolate the problem.

You've disconnected the amps, so it's nothing upstream, it's the speakers.

You said that you tried swapping the high voltage boards - do you mean the internal boards or the big black box of electronics that attatches to the frames? Try swapping the black boxes, there is more inside them than just the High-voltage boards. that will narrow the problem to either the electronics or the frames/panels.

let's dismiss the wooden frames as a possible source of the problem

Once the problem is isolated to either the electronics or the panels, you can attack it better.

And as always, Jim Powers at Martin Logan is a very helpful guy, even with these older model speakers.

Let us know what you find out.

 

[roberto]

all electrostatic makes funny noises once and then...

I have a low frequency "popp noise" (single or sequency rapid ticking) sound that emanates from panels on my CLS II. The noise will continue even when the amp has been disconnected and not played for hours.
I've tried vacuuming 3 times the panel and it not fixed the problem.
I have changed the high-voltage boards and ...noting.

Any input or experience that people have with this problem would be appreciated.

thanks
Stefano

Hola Stefano. The popping noise is due to dirt or dust particle. If you try to locate from where it is this popping noise, vacuum it and I think that this will solve the problem. Also, this noise is not part of the music, and will not harm your CLS. I'm going to paste here what your CLS owners manual says regarding this: "...this occasional noises are harmless and will not hurt your audio system or your speakers. All electrostatic speakers are guilty of making odd noises at one time or another. These noises may be caused by dirt or dust particles collecting on the speaker, by high humidity or by A.C. line fluctuations that may occur in your area. Dirt and dust may be vacuumed with a brush attachment connected to your vacuum cleaner or you may blow them off by with compressed air"...
Hope this can help!
Happy listening,
Roberto.

 

[Stefano]

Thanks for the suggestions...unfortunately the not resolved problem.
I have tried to replace the 2 electronic board but nothing. I have cleaned up various times the panel (unplugged) with the vacuum cleaner but nothing.
I have noticed that with high volumes of listen to the problem it increases and it generates one blue spark (electric arc) low to right, under the level of the holes of the frontal side from the panel.
Someone has a idea on like resolving this problem? ...Or it does not remain to me that to replace the panel?

Cheers,
Stefano

Sorry for my bad english!!!

 

[roberto]

I think it is a bad panel...

Thanks for the suggestions...unfortunately the not resolved problem.
I have tried to replace the 2 electronic board but nothing. I have cleaned up various times the panel (unplugged) with the vacuum cleaner but nothing.
I have noticed that with high volumes of listen to the problem it increases and it generates one blue spark (electric arc) low to right, under the level of the holes of the frontal side from the panel.
Someone has a idea on like resolving this problem? ...Or it does not remain to me that to replace the panel?

Cheers,
Stefano

Sorry for my bad english!!!

Hola Stefano. Yes you are right. It looks that you have a bad panel. When you have a spark like that, it is better to replace the whole panel. Write to Mr. Jim Power at ML, his address is [email protected] and explain him your problem and what you had tryed to solve it. Hope this can help you!
Happy listening,
Roberto.

 

[Rouvin]

Blue Light Special

Stefano,
THe popping without input from the amp makes it soound like something in the elecrtonics box because there are large charges held in there, but try what I've written below, as I had gone through soemthing similar, though not when the amp wasn't on.

Procedure 1:
1. Determine if it happens with a particular part of particular CD’s.
2. See if it can be replicated – same time in the same cut(s) every time, or if it’s random, can’t be reliably replicated.
3. If replicable, probably the panel

Procedure 2:
1. Disconnect speakers from amp and unplug speakers from wall for 24 hrs.
2. Disconnect black boxes.
3. Check for carbon deposits from the arcing, particularly at or near the connectors to the small wiring bundle and white plastic connector between the boxes.
4. Make sure that one of the wires or screws is not shorting out against the metal of the box or something else.
5. Check the tightness of the screws on the wiring bundle.
6. Swap boxes between speakers.
7. Shower the panels and let air dry thoroughly.
8. Reconnect, making sure all connections are tight, etc.
9. If the problem is still in the original speaker, it’s the panel.
10. If the problem has moved to the other speaker, it’s the electronics in the box.
11. If the problem is gone, it was probably the connections or gremlins.

I have a matched set of CLS 2Z panels with less than one month of play time on them in ML boxes if you’d be interested.

Good luck
Rouvin

 

[Shuddha]

Continuos crackiling noise from one of the CLS II Updated Panels

Stefano,
THe popping without input from the amp makes it soound like something in the elecrtonics box because there are large charges held in there, but try what I've written below, as I had gone through soemthing similar, though not when the amp wasn't on.

Procedure 1:
1. Determine if it happens with a particular part of particular CD’s.
2. See if it can be replicated – same time in the same cut(s) every time, or if it’s random, can’t be reliably replicated.
3. If replicable, probably the panel

Procedure 2:
1. Disconnect speakers from amp and unplug speakers from wall for 24 hrs.
2. Disconnect black boxes.
3. Check for carbon deposits from the arcing, particularly at or near the connectors to the small wiring bundle and white plastic connector between the boxes.
4. Make sure that one of the wires or screws is not shorting out against the metal of the box or something else.
5. Check the tightness of the screws on the wiring bundle.
6. Swap boxes between speakers.
7. Shower the panels and let air dry thoroughly.
8. Reconnect, making sure all connections are tight, etc.
9. If the problem is still in the original speaker, it’s the panel.
10. If the problem has moved to the other speaker, it’s the electronics in the box.
11. If the problem is gone, it was probably the connections or gremlins.

I have a matched set of CLS 2Z panels with less than one month of play time on them in ML boxes if you’d be interested.

Good luck
Rouvin

Hi Rouvin:
Ihank you for the detailed help here.
I moved my CLS2 updated versions from Kansas to Florida and they had been sitting in my living room for nearly a year, because I was trying to sort out the associated electronics of this system.
Twice I have turned them on. One is absolutely silent, the other one immediately makes motorbike on like sounds continuously at low volume, without any electronics connected , except for the power to the speaker. It did not abate despite leaving it on for an hour. I have connected an disconnected it, use a warm blow dryer to blow on the panel. No improvement.

Before I switch the panels to make sure that it is not the electronics box problem, I have a question:

7. Shower the panels and let air dry thoroughly.

What do you mean by this? And how do I do that?

Also on the problem panel/speaker , I notice a slightsmall egg size dent in the black panel ( must have happened in transport) steel black grill. It is barely palpable, and the black steel -alluminium panel id fine on the other side. This dent is only visible if I look carefully.

The filament that is transparent within is fine. It has no dents or scratches.

Could this be the problem?

Thirdly, I do not see any dirt on the filament in the panel. Should I be using a blower or a suction?

Thank you.

I have had great pleasure with these pairs, since purchase from Gayle Sanders in Lawrence in the early eighties, and once the new panels were replaced by him a few years later.

shuddha

 

[roberto]

Hola. Usually the popping is located in a certain area of the stat panel. Try to locate the exact place where the popping happens. If you have a bump or so, with the aid of a nylon fishing line, you can, where the popping is happening, try to pull out that section of the stat panel. Sometimes its very difficult to find the exact point where this is happening, its where the louder popping is. Sometimes its a bended section of the stat panel during transport.


Ask a friend to help you out with this. I hope you can resolve this very soon.

Happy listening!

 

[sdolen]

Hola. Usually the popping is located in a certain area of the stat panel. Try to locate the exact place where the popping happens. If you have a bump or so, with the aid of a nylon fishing line, you can, where the popping is happening, try to pull out that section of the stat panel. Sometimes its very difficult to find the exact point where this is happening, its where the louder popping is. Sometimes its a bended section of the stat panel during transport.


Ask a friend to help you out with this. I hope you can resolve this very soon.

Happy listening!

Also, a butterfly paperclip can help with pulling a dented panel. Just don't puncture the mylar.

 

[Peter Hogan]

I pulled a dent out of my CLS with a small finishing nail that I bent the last 1/8 inch or so of the tip over at a 90 degree angle, so I could fish the bent tip of the nail through one of the perf holes in the stator panel, and hook it behind it, then clamp the nail in a pair of vise grips to give it a 'handle' to pull with. The dent in mine was severe enough that the perforated metal stator was nearly touching the diaphragm film, and it shorted and arced at that spot when any sort of volume was used with music. With the home made tool, I was able to pull the dent out nearly perfectly, and even if you knew where to look, you couldn't really see where it was, it also fixed the arcing problem entirely.

 

[roberto]

Hola. Good news! Making a special tool to fix the problem is a clever decision. You are a smart person! I am glad that you could fix it! Now, enjoy! Happy listening!

 

[Brad225]

Shuddha, I had the same issue with an earlier pair of CLS's I owned. I was able to thread a piece of heavy nylon sewing thread through the center of the dent and pull it out with tweezers. Then used that to pull it out.
You are also in Florida. If you are not to far away I may be able to help you.