[MuffinLad]

Christmas 2011 I purchased a pair of AKG K702's, I'm not sure if I've never really noticed or if it happened recently, but there seems to be a rattling noise in the right ear. I took the ear cup and pad off and inspected them to make sure there were no hairs/dirt/debris, and they seem clean. The rattling noise only happens with lower frequencies.. But it doesn't always rattle; At lower volumes, it's fine but higher volumes is when it starts, yet it still produces a good sound and clear bass (other than the rattling noise). Also at louder volumes it doesn't always rattle.. it seems to come and go. Could the driver be blown or is something loose causing it to rattle? I don't have a very good setup as money is tight, and I plug them into my stereo receiver connected to the on board sound card in my computer... but I've never had them super loud or tried to push them in fear of clipping or something breaking with this poor setup. They've never been dropped or anything, I try to take as good care of them as possible since it took me awhile to save up for them. Recently I started learning how to produce music and that's when I really started to notice (with a kick drum) I know it's not clipping in the program, I just cannot figure out what it is. I tried listening without the ear cup and pad and it still rattles. Sorry if I seem vague, I don't know a lot about this kind of stuff. I'd just really hate to be out $275 Any help is appreciated, Thanks!

 

[Hoagie]

I'm not an expert, but I would think that if the driver was blown, it would rattle all the time at the given frequency.  I would guess that you are hearing clipping or some foreign object in the driver.  The fact that you cannot see anything foreign in the driver does not mean there is nothing there.  gentle air to blow anything out is something I have done on occasion.

 

[MuffinLad]

I'll try blowing air through it and see if that helps. Is there anything I could try, to determine if its something loose, or a test I could do to tell if it's blown?

 

[MuffinLad]

Sorry for the slow response.. I blew air through the little silver grill thing and the rattle stopped. After awhile it came back randomly. I blew air through it again right after it started rattling and it stopped again for awhile. I'm guessing there's something in it? Is there a way to take that off and dust it out further, or.. ??