AV40 with laptop problem

[redshoulder]

I have 2 external monitors (dell 2312hm) connected to my laptop as well as the av40's.
The monitors uses hdmi to dvi cable and the second a vga cable. I have noticed that if I turn the av40 on or off, the hdmi connected monitor turns off for a few seconds and then resumes as normal.
I have also noticed that the av40 produces a loud pop sound everytime they are turned off.
When I had just one external monitor the av40's would give of off an occasional popping sound but not everytime I turned them off.

 

[Bomo]

Apparently the amp section in the AV40's is absolute garbage in terms of longevity and design. I got a pair of AV40's recently and also noticed the pop. The pop in mine is worryingly loud, and while I would love to ship them back, shipping isn't exactly cheap, especially for heavy speakers. After bit of googling around, I found a thread on M-audio's own forum about turning them into passive speakers and using a T-amp if/when the internal amp dies. This is definitely my plan, possibly doing so in the next week or so. The fact that M-Audio has had this problem from the beginning of their AV40 production, and has had revisions in the product without fixing it, tells me that they're probably not the best company to buy things from.

They are good about replacing the set, but I'm not sure if you'd have to cover shipping there or not. Not every pair of AV40's dies or shows these problems either, but I've yet to find anyone that has the popping and doesn't eventually lose their right channel (amp section, the speaker doesn't break, making the passive mod a reasonable fix).

As far as the monitor flicker, it COULD be that your audio/display driver hiccuping by switching from sending audio over the HDMI and to whatever analog device you use for audio (or other digital out). But that would be more likely to happen when you plug in the speakers, not just switching them on.

It could also be power related if they're plugged in on the same outlet/surgeprotector/line. An amp needs quite a bit of power to turn on (the pop you hear, as far as I know, is some of that power making it through to the signal section of the amp, which many amp designs can account for and eliminate or at least anticipate and reduce), perhaps try plugging the speakers in to a different outlet if one is available.

Which component is the HDMI end plugged into (computer or monitor)? How are your speakers hooked up?

 

[NoxTek]

Apparently the amp section in the AV40's is absolute garbage in terms of longevity and design. I got a pair of AV40's recently and also noticed the pop. The pop in mine is worryingly loud, and while I would love to ship them back, shipping isn't exactly cheap, especially for heavy speakers. After bit of googling around, I found a thread on M-audio's own forum about turning them into passive speakers and using a T-amp if/when the internal amp dies. This is definitely my plan, possibly doing so in the next week or so. The fact that M-Audio has had this problem from the beginning of their AV40 production, and has had revisions in the product without fixing it, tells me that they're probably not the best company to buy things from.

That's a pretty good idea actually, and the bare T-Amp boards that Parts Express sells may even fit right in the shell of the AV40 somewhere.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-385

 

[redshoulder]

Bought these November 2011 off amazon.co.uk, there are mark 1's.
With other speakers I could leave them on all day but with av40's, for longer periods of time the backplate tends to heat up quite a bit. I have noticed a increase in loud pops when they are on for a long period of time, ( maybe due to the hot backplate).

I may be wrong but I thought that that the popping sound is normal for these type of speakers due to the capacitors discharging. Just that when using hdmi connection the pop is louder than normal.

I followed your recommendations, was not power related, plugged it into a different socket but same problem. But we use 220-240v here so maybe that could be part of it.
For audio connection use 1/4" trs to headphone socket on laptop.

I found out that the main problem was due to the hdmi connection. I changed the hdmi cable which helped with the popping sound. This also solved the monitor flicker. The hdmi connection is plugged into laptop with the dvi plugged into the monitor.

Plugging out the hdmi cable before switching off the speaker seems to lessen pop sound most of the time, but now what I usually do now is just use the toggle switch on the surge protector to turn them off which does not give any pop sound at all.

I dunno which is worse for the speakers, the popping sound when turning them off or using toggle switch but at least no pop sound.

 

[Bomo]

Bought these November 2011 off amazon.co.uk, there are mark 1's.
With other speakers I could leave them on all day but with av40's, for longer periods of time the backplate tends to heat up quite a bit. I have noticed a increase in loud pops when they are on for a long period of time, ( maybe due to the hot backplate).

I may be wrong but I thought that that the popping sound is normal for these type of speakers due to the capacitors discharging. Just that when using hdmi connection the pop is louder than normal.

I followed your recommendations, was not power related, plugged it into a different socket but same problem. But we use 220-240v here so maybe that could be part of it.
For audio connection use 1/4" trs to headphone socket on laptop.

I found out that the main problem was due to the hdmi connection. I changed the hdmi cable which helped with the popping sound. This also solved the monitor flicker. The hdmi connection is plugged into laptop with the dvi plugged into the monitor.

Plugging out the hdmi cable before switching off the speaker seems to lessen pop sound most of the time, but now what I usually do now is just use the toggle switch on the surge protector to turn them off which does not give any pop sound at all.

I dunno which is worse for the speakers, the popping sound when turning them off or using toggle switch but at least no pop sound.

Just to make sure I've got your setup right

AV40 -------- Computer

Computer -----[hdmi]-----Dell Display

The audio isn't going over the HDMI, to the display and then to the speaker, right?

It's strange that the HDMI cable has any affect at all on the popping. Even if you use it for sound, there's no power just a flat digital signal, so it's not like your sending in a really hot signal or anything.

Even on another power outlet, the monitor still flickers when the speakers are turned on? That's very strange.

I did find another solution to the popping. I'm going to try it when I get home (at work currently)：

3) popping sounds – appeared after 2 weeks of use and got louder and louder each day. worrisome issue. Figured the 2pin power cable is not efficient at grounding the speakers thus a large portion of charge stored in the built in amp immediately disperses upon turning off, making it pop' or explode in my case. While thinking of a way to safely disperse or ground the speakers i found a compromise! the built up charge can be dispersed off by turning the speakers off first! and not last, which was what i've been doing till now. if possible while your audio source is still on and there will be no pops! just a rapid gradual dissapearing of sound which eases my heart.

Apparently you could also plug in some crap headphones right before shut off. Both of these aren't ideal, but apparently work at avoiding damage to your speakers.

I've also decided that not this weekend, but next, I will be switching them to passive speakers. Definitely not buying another M-Audio product again if this is their idea of quality assurance.

 

[redshoulder]

With new hdmi cable, flicker and loud popping has stopped, also added a longer power lead as given lead has too short and seems to have helped for some reason.
Another thing a have noticed is that turning the speakers on or off stops the mouse cursor from moving for a couple of seconds.