K1000 and RATTLE!

[DavidMahler]

So I have purchased my second pair of K1000 and I have run into the same problem as the first: Rattle of some kind.  This happens to both sides, but very occassionally.  I have tried it with 2 amps, 2 sources.  I have had the grills professionally reglued.  I have even taped the frames of the grills with electric tape which seems to have made the rattle less.  Even still I don't know what causes this rattle.  It happens mostly from very attack-oriented piano tranisents.  It's not the drivers malfunctioning because both pairs I have did the same thing.  I think it may be the grills rattling but I can't be sure, but I seem to be the only person in the history of purchasing the K1000 to notice this or to voice this.  If anyone else can confirm that this sometimes happens and knows why, then your advice would be very appreciated.  I don't think I "lucked out" twice with two defective pairs.  I think this is just the model design having some sort of flaw. 
 
The main amp I use it with is the Millett 307a TTVJ but I also checked it with the Pinnacle and experienced this rattle at times on both.  With the tape on, it only happens like maybe once every 20 minutes, but it's enough to annoy me.  And I don't think I'm listening very loud, in fact the rattle can happen when it's not even loud at all.
 
-Dave

 

[progo]

I have also rattle, from right speaker and it mostly occurs from soft natural bass riffs. Very irritating. Opening & closing the grilles usually helps... Nothing certain seems to cause the issues

 

[aRRR]

Have you tried listening with both the back and forward grills off?

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Have you tried listening with both the back and forward grills off?

I was advized not to do this, but I want to.

 

[nikongod]

Do you access to something to indicate digital clipping in your system?
 
Rattle can sometimes be caused by digital clipping, and even (allegedly

) well recorded music can suffer from this.
 
The digital indicator wont always tell when something clips - for example if something clipped before the final mix was made you may still hear it even though the meter dosnt register... but in other cases it removes all doubt. 

 

[DavidMahler]

I don't believe it is clipping of any kind, sounds like actual metal rattling.....it is either the driver or the grill, but being that I've heard it on two different pairs, I have to believe its the grill design.

 

[aRRR]

Quote:

I was advized not to do this, but I want to.

Do you also know why you were advised not to? I know Foo_me listens to his K1000 with the forward grills gone without a problem so I dont see any reason not to.

 

[Don Quichotte]

I have also had some rattling on mine. It turned out to be a loose screw, one of those 2 on each side that are securing the headband in place (keeping the headphones in closed position masks them, so you have to spread your wings, so to speak, to see them). Tightened the screw. Problem solved.
Oh, and I have also had another reason to worry when I got them: I was surprised to discover that they are incredibly adept at throwing in your face the tinniest glitch, pop etc. in the recording, magnifying it to the point that I kept wondering for about a month or so whether the phones are not defective (apparently there are a few pops on several of my CDs).
Apart from that, I haven't heard any rattling in mine.

 

[NoPants]

I have this problem in one of my pairs, on the left driver. Has bothered me to no end...

 

[moodmoody]

Never happened in my three pair K1000.

 

[Ferbose]

When there is really strong low bass, maybe <30-40 Hz, I can hear a rattle in 3 out of 4 pairs that I have right now, on one channel only (left or right depends on the pair). Three are in mint condition.
Because the ear is not as sensitive to really low bass, it may not sound loud but in fact there is a lot of energy there. If you put the finger on the grille you can feel it vibrating a lot.
This is normal. When my first pair was bought brand new, it had this rattle since the first day. Seven years later it is still functioning and the rattle has not gotten better or worse.

 

[csmx123]

The rattle is created by the thin wires that connect to the drivers.