Smelly Subs?

frugmonkey · 07-17-2006, 10:22 AM

spent the last few weeks running in a pair of orion h2 12" subs on a directed 2400d amp (yes thats the old one that cracks 2400WRMS @ 2 ohms!) but over the past few days there's been a burning smell coming from them after about 10 mins hard use

is it that its just the **** burning off the voice coils or should i be worried, they're in the correct size of sealed box and the amp shouldn't be able to overdrive them, also the cones feel warm to the touch. nonetheless though they seem to have made me slightly deaf!

turbocad6 · 07-17-2006, 10:48 AM

amp shouldn't be able to overdrive them?

this isn't true... even if they don't put out raw power above what the subs can handle, distrortion can kill a speaker easier than overpowering...

that being said, it is not uncommon to be able to smell the voice coils when they heat up & are pushed hard, even more so in a ported enclosure... especially when there new....

it's kinda hard for anyone to say weather it's ok or damage is being done really though......

RedGTiVR6 · 07-17-2006, 11:06 AM

have you properly tuned your amps?
http://www.350z-tech.com/zwiki/Tutor...plifier_Tuning

if so you shouldn't run into distortion and thus blowing a sub, no matter how much or how little power you have going to them.

With that said, all electronics will smell when pushed. Just the other day I had some coworkers who wanted to hear just how hard my single 15 on only 900 watts (if I'm lucky and stand just right aligned with the stars) sounds. After a few seconds I could smell it....that's after almost a year of being in the car already....I just never push it that hard.

They may smell, but as long as you tune it right, you shouldn't have any problems.

To be sure, you can pull the sub and test the voice coils to see what kind of impedance you're getting across them and see if it's blown.

turbocad6 · 07-17-2006, 11:21 AM

yeah, but we all tune for max before distortion, but that doesn't mean that we never push it past that, creating distortion... most head units will start to clip between 50-70% output..

I love my mcintosh amps for this very reason... they internally modify the signal if it starts to clip & never allow the distortion on the output.... i forgot what they call it, but I don't think I've ever seen any other amps with this...

turbocad6 · 07-17-2006, 11:22 AM

when i push my system hard, I smell the voice coils of my door speakers sometimes...

RedGTiVR6 · 07-17-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by turbocad6

yeah, but we all tune for max before distortion, but that doesn't mean that we never push it past that, creating distortion... most head units will start to clip between 50-70% output..

and that's why you tune to that. Tuned correctly, you won't run into distortion hardly at all.

The various forms of media and recordings could cause it to happen, sure.

frugmonkey · 07-17-2006, 12:32 PM

they definately aren't distorting, i'm only giving them about 50 percent as i'm running in, checked the voltage across them with an oscilloscope and its a pure unclipped 6v signal goin to em, i'll just have to wait and see what happens, they're out of the car now anyway as i'm fitting all my stuff this week. i'll try and get some pics up in the fabrication forum of the boot build i'm doin, and the custom centre console i glassed together, its pretty hot for a first timer!

frugmonkey · 07-17-2006, 12:36 PM

sealed box keeping the heat in probably doesn't help either, but there just isn't enough space in my boot for the larger ported box!

RedGTiVR6 · 07-17-2006, 02:32 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by frugmonkey

they definately aren't distorting, i'm only giving them about 50 percent as i'm running in, checked the voltage across them with an oscilloscope and its a pure unclipped 6v signal goin to em, i'll just have to wait and see what happens, they're out of the car now anyway as i'm fitting all my stuff this week. i'll try and get some pics up in the fabrication forum of the boot build i'm doin, and the custom centre console i glassed together, its pretty hot for a first timer!

do you have access to a multimeter?

check the resistance across the coils.

btw - just because it's only at 50% doesn't mean it's not a clipped signal at that level...

be sure to post the links to your work! I wanna see it!

RedGTiVR6 · 07-17-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by frugmonkey

sealed box keeping the heat in probably doesn't help either, but there just isn't enough space in my boot for the larger ported box!

that really should have no play on it at all

frugmonkey · 07-17-2006, 06:29 PM

only got a crappy camera phone but i'll try and get some pics as i'm worling through

Shadow · 07-17-2006, 07:01 PM

Umm, your subs shouldn't have a 6V signal going to them. You mean your amps had a 6V signal input voltage?

scottsenia · 07-18-2006, 02:24 AM

sometimes if you don't take your subs slow for the first few weeks after install they mess up. i bought some new and pumped them out the roof and haha they had no chance