Getting a rattle/buzz on one KRK Rokit 5 G3

[abacab]

The 5" driver on my left monitor has started buzzing with certain waveforms and frequencies, mostly with deep sine wave heavy sounds, such as bass guitar and some other instruments such as an organ or VA synth. Particularly noticeable while playing a low D note. Higher octaves do not seem to produce this effect.

It seems to be resonating with certain sounds. If I gently press my finger on the edge of the driver (speaker cone), it will dampen the buzzing sound, so I assume that this is mechanical, and not electrical.

Is this fixable?

I'm not a speaker guru... have been using them for 3 years, and this issue started recently. Have always used them at a reasonably low level, with all types of music. Balanced audio cables connected to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Swapped L&R channels and problem stayed on left monitor.

If it's broken, I'm going to blame it on Tone2 Saurus 3, LOL!!!

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by abacab

[Tezza]

You could take the back panel off to make sure it's not something loose rattling around. Also, if the speakers are not isolated with foam or stands, whatever, you might be getting resonance build up. You can try swapping over just the speakers themselves, see if the buzzing follows the speaker or the other speaker in the buzzing place takes on the buzzing.

The thing with the rokits is that when one dies, you can just get another one to take its place.

[abacab]

12 hours ago, Tezza said:

You could take the back panel off to make sure it's not something loose rattling around. Also, if the speakers are not isolated with foam or stands, whatever, you might be getting resonance build up. You can try swapping over just the speakers themselves, see if the buzzing follows the speaker or the other speaker in the buzzing place takes on the buzzing.

The thing with the rokits is that when one dies, you can just get another one to take its place.

Thanks for the input! I swapped them, and the issue stayed with the speaker. Nothing appears loose. Ironically, the 3 year factory warranty on these just expired in February.

So now I assume that it's a blown woofer. I found a pair of new KRK Rokit 5 G3 replacement woofers online, and ordered them for $39 each. Much cheaper than replacing one monitor, and if it buys me another 3 years, so be it. The newer G4 drivers are made of kevlar, while these G3's are made from glass-aramid composite. Must be a reason that KRK changed up that product spec in the new version! I stayed with replacement G3 woofers since that is what these speakers were designed for.

I like the sound of these Rokits, and they are perfect for me at this price point, even though they are apparently not perfectly flat. I don't do professional audio production, it's just a hobby and the music reproduction on these is very nice.

 

Edited September 20, 2021 by abacab

[Tezza]

Well done on getting the woofer replacement, I don't usually think along those lines here in Oz because such components can be hard to source here. I still use the G3 Rokit 5's. I have tried replacing them with other speakers but come straight back to them. I have a smaller area that is not really acoustically well set up in which to do music/video production. The Rokits are great because you can at least get a good balance of bass and treble at low or high volumes even with the 3 foot triangle I have set up.   They don't aggravate tinnitus, you have control over high and low frequencies anyway so you can set up a pleasant balanced sound at low volumes.  You can also turn them up if you want to stand back a bit. No other speaker I have tried comes even close to providing that sound in my space, in fact many were just unusable.

It might be different if I was able to set up a 5 foot triangle in a dedicated room. I don't kid myself that I have the ultimate mixing setup but the Rokits allow me to do whatever editing I want with video or music all day long if I want without broken ears and with the best balanced sound I can get in the space I have and the results are fine for my uses.

Yes, I would love to have 8 inch speakers in a dedicated sound dampened and insulated area with a tuned system but truthfully, even in that environment I would probably use the Rokits at low volume for most of the time in sorting out sounds etc and then use the biggies for final mixing.

[abacab]

32 minutes ago, Tezza said:

Yes, I would love to have 8 inch speakers in a dedicated sound dampened and insulated area with a tuned system but truthfully, even in that environment I would probably use the Rokits at low volume for most of the time in sorting out sounds etc and then use the biggies for final mixing.

The Rokit 8 or 10's would be quite nice! But the 5's were the only thing that would fit on my existing speaker stands! I was originally replacing a pair of M-Audio monitors that had reached end of life.  And the Rokits are great at low volume, as you say...

The corner of the room I am using now is not set up acoustically, so the 3 foot space is good. I had to downsize 10 years ago from a dedicated spare bedroom/studio.

[Tezza]

3 ft editing, the new way forward!

I also thought I would add that another reason I preference changing speakers rather than components in active speakers is because the buzzing may not be caused by the speaker itself but by some component on the board servicing that speaker. If your in a situation where you can try a different woofer at a cheaper cost then it might be worth it but there is a risk that you may find the problem is still there after replacing the woofer, so you want to be able to return the woofer if it doesn't work.

In passive speakers, it's a bit more clear cut if the speaker is at fault, you can change them over and if the buzzing continues in the speaker then it must be the speaker but in active speakers if you change them over, the amp goes with them, you can't separate the amp from the speaker to rule it out as a cause of the buzzing. But you can determine if the fault is in the monitor by swapping them over.

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by Tezza

[Tezza]

I suppose, to be absolutely sure, depending on how easy it is to swap out woofers, you could just swap the woofers between the speakers and see if the buzzing carries to the other speaker. I did take the back off one of my Rokits but cannot remember what it looked like inside.

[abacab]

I agree! But I took the gamble with the internal electronics. It is what is is! I have one woofer in stock shipping this week, and the other is back ordered.

I watched a YouTube video on swapping woofers, and I'm sure that I can handle that. Hopefully, it's not in the amp. If it is, I'm S.O.L. G4's up next! 

[Tezza]

I measured mine and the center cone of the speakers is just 2ft 8inches or about 80cm apart.   What I found in this small space is that it is better to not turn the Rokits to face you but rather have them like HiFi speakers coming almost straight out. I have mine turned in about 1 inch. With this, I am very happy with the stereo field but if I turn them in fully to face my ears, that evaporates because they are just to close together.

[abacab]

You are correct!

I have mine placed about the same distance apart. I am using floor stands with adjustable height, that swivel easily. Turning mine just slightly inward from parallel seems to provide the sweet spot for the stereo image.

If I want headphones, I'll just plug in my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro...