To quickly check to make certain that they are defective, take two balances from another window of the same size and see if the sash will open without the noise. If it does, let us know and we can work from there.
The issue appears to be that there is no knot relief hole in the jamb, so there is undue strain on the string. You will have to drill a new hole directly in the jamb where the knot is located to relieve it of the stress.
I did notice there was a knot in the back of your balances as opposed to the old ones. I will try to drill a hole to compensate. Thanks and I will keep you updated.