Please help me with distortion problem!!!

[aliea]

I've recently got a new pair of Monitor Audio Silver 6 speakers, and a Harman Kardon AVR 135 receiver. The combination sounded fantastic until I bumped into this problem... I'm listening mostly to classical music and I've discovered in rich orchestral passages the sound is distorting in the MIDDLE frequencies. I can't figure out the source of the problem, the amp is a high current 50W and Monitor Audio recommends 40-100W amp for the speakers.
Please give me some advice!
Should I try bi-wiring?

[markw]

i.e.. what does the volume indicator say?

on all recordings or only some? ...not all CD's are created equally.

FWIW, your receiver is rated for 40, not 50 watts, the bare bones minimum recommended for these puppies.

[aliea]

The receiver is 50W in 2-channel stereo, and the volume indicator says -25dB. And it happens on most recordings with rich orchestration.
Thank you in advance for your help

[StanleyMuso]

I've recently got a new pair of Monitor Audio Silver 6 speakers, and a Harman Kardon AVR 135 receiver. The combination sounded fantastic until I bumped into this problem... I'm listening mostly to classical music and I've discovered in rich orchestral passages the sound is distorting in the MIDDLE frequencies. I can't figure out the source of the problem, the amp is a high current 50W and Monitor Audio recommends 40-100W amp for the speakers.
Please give me some advice!
Should I try bi-wiring?

in the past, but usually with vinyle and some CDs. I traced it to purely software problems - as mark said, not all CDs are recorded properly. Of course, it is just possible that your receiver is under powered, or you have a problem with your CD player.

May I suggest that you take a disk or 2 which have given you the problems, and ask your dealer to play it through their system to see if the problem is replicated? If it is, its a poor recording. If it isn't, you may need to investigate further.

[bjornb17]

I've realized that just about all audible static and distortion on CDs or DVDs is a result of poor recordings and not because of my speakers. I have often times wondered if my older speakers were really that bad because i'd hear distortion and artifacts, but after testing them out on tons of other systems, i've realized they have the same distortion and the same parts of the tracks and that it in fact is a recording issue.

Orchestra and classical music can be hard on speakers, but at -25db on the reciever, it should not be an issue. Chances are you're still in the single digit watts at that volume. I typically listen to stuff at -20db on my AVR130 and its not even close to peaking out, although it is quite loud.

[kexodusc]

I don't think power requirements are a problem here, I know more than a few that drive Monitor Audio's with small HT receivers and have no problems.

Distortion is a funny word, is it a static sound, a buzzing, some warbbley wooshing noise you hear?

My first gut feeling is that it could be the recording. A lot of orchestral music is recorded live, is very loud, and clips. Your amp has plenty of reserve power left at this point. I don't recall those speakers being a 4 ohm load either.

Does it only happen on a particular recording?

[aliea]

I don't think power requirements are a problem here, I know more than a few that drive Monitor Audio's with small HT receivers and have no problems.

Distortion is a funny word, is it a static sound, a buzzing, some warbbley wooshing noise you hear?

My first gut feeling is that it could be the recording. A lot of orchestral music is recorded live, is very loud, and clips. Your amp has plenty of reserve power left at this point. I don't recall those speakers being a 4 ohm load either.

Does it only happen on a particular recording?

Thanks for all the help, the distortion is actually some buzzing in the midrage during some particular recordings and the speakers are 8 ohm....

[markw]

Although, it's highly unlikely that all speakers would be defective. I could understand one speaker, but... Hmm.... did anyone ever "crank it waaaaay up" just to see how loud it would go?

Take a CD that causes this and try it on another system if similar quality. If the buzzing does not occur, then it's time to replace the bad speaker.