Audio Dropouts in Lexicon 17 Speaker System

[kennyboy2]

I am a home theater enthusiast and I absolutely love the sound of this system especially with my legacy DVD audio disks. However, inexplicably, I periodically experience audio dropouts when playing CDs/DVD audio disks that last about 5 seconds or slightly longer. When I replay the selections, the dropouts do NOT occur. This, to me, suggests there may be some issue with the Lexicon unit vice the disks because I would expect dropouts at the same point in the disks if the disks were defective. Anyone else experiencing this issue? No point in trying to replicate at the dealer because there is no predictability as to when the dropout will occur. BTW, I have a 2009 Genesis Sedan with tech package build date May 2009.

Ken

 

[BacktoHyundaibychoice]

I am a home theater enthusiast and I absolutely love the sound of this system especially with my legacy DVD audio disks. However, inexplicably, I periodically experience audio dropouts when playing CDs/DVD audio disks that last about 5 seconds or slightly longer. When I replay the selections, the dropouts do NOT occur. This, to me, suggests there may be some issue with the Lexicon unit vice the disks because I would expect dropouts at the same point in the disks if the disks were defective. Anyone else experiencing this issue? No point in trying to replicate at the dealer because there is no predictability as to when the dropout will occur. BTW, I have a 2009 Genesis Sedan with tech package build date May 2009.

Ken

Haven't experienced this yet, 2 years now of extensive DVD-A playing. I have read that some discs do this at the "layering" point, but that would happen on your home system too I think.
Are these store-bought DVDs or home made?
And has this happened all along or just start?
(Rarely listen to CDs.)

 

[kennyboy2]

Has been occurring for months off and on. These are all pre-recorded DVD audios and CDs. Happened on two Talking Heads DVD audios (dual disks) and Fleetwood Mac Rumours (standard DVD Audio) in past couple of days. Definitely not a layer transfer issue. Happens on redbook CDs also. Not a motion induced issue as well as droputs can occur while vehilcle is at stop light. Never occurs at same point of disk twice so I don't think it's bad disks. Pretty bizarre, huh? BTW, I guess I'm not the only one with a DVD audio collection and a Hyundai? I wish the Lexicon played blu-rays and SACDs but you can't have everything.

 

[BacktoHyundaibychoice]

Has been occurring for months off and on. These are all pre-recorded DVD audios and CDs. Happened on two Talking Heads DVD audios (dual disks) and Fleetwood Mac Rumours (standard DVD Audio) in past couple of days. Definitely not a layer transfer issue. Happens on redbook CDs also. Not a motion induced issue as well as droputs can occur while vehilcle is at stop light. Never occurs at same point of disk twice so I don't think it's bad disks. Pretty bizarre, huh? BTW, I guess I'm not the only one with a DVD audio collection and a Hyundai? I wish the Lexicon played blu-rays and SACDs but you can't have everything.

I don't have any ideas to help your problem, but you're right: there are many of us enjoying DVD-A. Search for a thread called "Music for the Lexicon". I'm sure you can make some great contributions!

 

[DesertGen]

I have also experienced this. It is not a skip in the dvd. The sound simply cuts out momentarily and usually without rhyme or reason (not on a bumpy road, etc.). I have not taken it to the dealer because it is so random that they would likely not hear it happen.

 

[kennyboy2]

Perhaps we're onto something here. Have you contacted either Hyundai or Harmon Intl/Lexicon about the issue?

 

[DesertGen]

No. I believe this issue may have been mentioned in a post quite some time ago as well. The lexicon system is not without it's faults, as one recent poster noted just saying cancel with the voice command enhances the lower end significantly.

Hyundai will likely not address these 'problems' unless there are numerous reports of such problems. Still, for me it is the best sound system I have ever had in a car. Especially when playing a quality DVD-A.

 

[kennyboy2]

Mostly I am concerned with the problem getting worse especially when the warranty expires. I can live with the occasional dropout. I am considering an extended warranty in case my Lexicon fails after 3 years/36K miles. I heard it costs about 4K to replace the head unit. Do you experience dropouts with CDs as well as DVD As? BTW, I don't understand the issues with the low end--I think it has plenty of slam.

 

[DesertGen]

I can understand your concern about the warranty. When the DIS knob quit functioning for me after the first 6 months I gave it some thought too, but I am not a fan of extended warranties in general.

I usually don't play CD's in the unit. I have all of my normal cd's ripped to 320kbps and stored on a usb hard drive which I keep in the center console. This give me access to about 8k songs anytime I want. I have a pretty large collection of DVD-A, DTS-CD, DTS Videos which I play in the dvd player.

I have also found the low end to be fine. The following thread explains what one board member discovered about "cancel". I have had the same result.

http://www.genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showthread.php?t=6140&highlight=cancel

 

[ImInPA]

This is a common issue if you are using DTS decoding as opposed to Dolby Digital. I have found that on virtually every system I have tried, including some very high end equipment, DTS always drops out. No idea why.

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[nearwater]

By "audio dropouts", do you mean the sound totally cuts off for a few seconds?
If that's the case, it's a pretty common problem with the Lexicon amplifier.
I've had that happen on mine and had to have the amplifier replaced. 4 times!!
The latest revision of the hardware and software fixes this problem, I believe.

Dan

 

[kennyboy2]

Exactly. Sound cuts off completely at random for about 5 seconds. Is there a means for me to update the software as I do for many of my home components?

Not sure how I can get my dealer to replace the amplifier if I cannot prove the probelm--it is strictly random.

By "audio dropouts", do you mean the sound totally cuts off for a few seconds?
If that's the case, it's a pretty common problem with the Lexicon amplifier.
I've had that happen on mine and had to have the amplifier replaced. 4 times!!
The latest revision of the hardware and software fixes this problem, I believe.

Dan

 

[kennyboy2]

Of the three disks that misbehaved over the past week, none were DTS encoded. I have dropouts on my home equipment for DTS sources but only while the equipment is trying to execute a handshake.

This is a common issue if you are using DTS decoding as opposed to Dolby Digital. I have found that on virtually every system I have tried, including some very high end equipment, DTS always drops out. No idea why.

 

[nearwater]

Exactly. Sound cuts off completely at random for about 5 seconds. Is there a means for me to update the software as I do for many of my home components?

Not sure how I can get my dealer to replace the amplifier if I cannot prove the probelm--it is strictly random.

Mine was acting up almost every time I turned on the audio source.
After about 3~4 min or so, it'll start dropping out every few minutes.

I brought the car in to show them how the sound was cutting off, and as I walked in and described the problem, they didn't even bother to reproduce the issue.
They were already aware of the problem and swapped out the amplifier right away.

Try bringing yours in. Hopefully they don't give you a hard time.

Dan

 

[kennyboy2]

Dan,

I'm only experiencing dropouts on audio disks, suggesting the head unit. If it was the amp, wouldn't FM radio, for example, have drop outs? Were your dropouts on all sources or just disks? My dropouts do not occur nearly as frequently as you describe in your case.

Mine was acting up almost every time I turned on the audio source.
After about 3~4 min or so, it'll start dropping out every few minutes.

I brought the car in to show them how the sound was cutting off, and as I walked in and described the problem, they didn't even bother to reproduce the issue.
They were already aware of the problem and swapped out the amplifier right away.

Try bringing yours in. Hopefully they don't give you a hard time.

Dan

 

[nearwater]

Dan,

I'm only experiencing dropouts on audio disks, suggesting the head unit. If it was the amp, wouldn't FM radio, for example, have drop outs? Were your dropouts on all sources or just disks? My dropouts do not occur nearly as frequently as you describe in your case.

I was experiencing the dropouts on CD/DVDs and MP3(AUX) formats.(Haven't tried XM or FM)
Did you try using an external thumb drive to see if it happens?
If it only happens during CD/DVD playback, then I guess your theory might be right.
In my case, it was the amplifier.

Dan