Brand new sub smells like electrical fire?

[Rockwelltbird]

I just installed a new head unit, sub and amp. I made sure everything is 100% wired correctly and the amp isnt able to overload the speaker from what i know because the amp is way less powerful and the max rms is lower than the sub. I built my own box based on the specifications that my pioneer sub provided. It sounds great and works really well, but once i push it past about half volume it starts to smell bad, if i turn it down a couple notches it goes away. I am a mechanic and i know wiring well but as for audio systems i only know the bare minimum. Anything someone knows to backup why they smell iffy? Ive heard new subs can have a breakin smell for the first week or so.

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[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I just installed a new head unit, sub and amp. I made sure everything is 100% wired correctly and the amp isnt able to overload the speaker from what i know because the amp is way less powerful and the max rms is lower than the sub. I built my own box based on the specifications that my pioneer sub provided. It sounds great and works really well, but once i push it past about half volume it starts to smell bad, if i turn it down a couple notches it goes away. I am a mechanic and i know wiring well but as for audio systems i only know the bare minimum. Anything someone knows to backup why they smell iffy? Ive heard new subs can have a breakin smell for the first week or so.

It could be the Glue warming up on the Voice coil.?. Its possible you are Clipping the sub as well pushing the sub to its mechanical Xmax limitations. Take it easy for a couple weeks, and the sub should loosen up and you may have to tune again in a couple weeks. Burning smell is usually a sign of going beyond a subs limitations, and could seize up/lock up and burn the sub. Take it easy for a couple weeks until the sub loosens up a bit more.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Are you using Bass Boost on the amplifier and Loud button on the HU?

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I do not use either and rarely a bass knob

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Which model of the Pioneer sub are you using and what amplifier?

 

[Rockwelltbird]

Which model of the Pioneer sub are you using and what amplifier?

Xda92rb jenson 600w amp and pioneer ts1200m 1400w.

 

[Rockwelltbird]

Are you using Bass Boost on the amplifier and Loud button on the HU?

Bass boost button on head unit.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Xda92rb jenson 600w amp and pioneer ts1200m 1400w.

This amplifier I take it?

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This sub? or a SVC4 ohm version?

Pioneer TS-1200M 12" - 1400w Max Power - Dual 4⦠Voice Coil IMPP Cone Subwoofer | eBay

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Or this sub???

Robot or human?

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Bass boost button on head unit.

Dont use that. What is the HU you are using? What size power and ground wire are you using? Is it OFC or CCA wiring?

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

What are your enclosure dimensions? Is it ported or sealed? If ported, what did you tune it to?

 

[Rockwelltbird]

Dont use that. What is the HU you are using? What size power and ground wire are you using? Is it OFC or CCA wiring?

The head unit is a Sony dsx-a415bt. The power and ground is 6 guage with a proper fuse. No clue if ofc or cca but it was in a wiring kit for subs. I dont remember the dimensions off the top of my head but it has a 2 inch circular hole on one side and a slit along the bottom. Nothing else interally, a wooden box with a couple holes in it. My neighbor said it should be good enough. The sub is the link you sent with the dual 4ohm vc. The box may not be up to spec now that i think about it but again i believe the wiring is just fine.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

The head unit is a Sony dsx-a415bt. The power and ground is 6 guage with a proper fuse. No clue if ofc or cca but it was in a wiring kit for subs. I dont remember the dimensions off the top of my head but it has a 2 inch circular hole on one side and a slit along the bottom. Nothing else interally, a wooden box with a couple holes in it. My neighbor said it should be good enough. The sub is the link you sent with the dual 4ohm vc. The box may not be up to spec now that i think about it but again i believe the wiring is just fine.

Well, to start with
#1- That amplifier is only 4ohm stable bridged so you cannot go below that ohm value Bridged mono.
#2- The sub is DVC4 ohm and can be wired with both coils at a final Ohm load of either 2 ohm(of which that amp is not capable of handling) or 8 ohm which it can be wired to to work fine.

Subwoofer Wiring Diagrams for One 4 Ohm Dual Voice Coil Speaker

www.the12volt.com

Its not a great combination. If you have wired @ a 2 ohm load, you will end up frying the sub and frying the amplifier at some point. To use that amp.. You can wire to the 8 ohm load for both coils on the sub and it will work just fine. There is another option with what you have, and Ive done this in more than several occasions.
you can wire one coil up as a single voice coil 4 ohm load and use that amplifier in 4 ohm bridged/mono, But... The sub will only be able to handle 1/2 of the RMS value running as an SVC4 ohm sub= if the sub is rated for 400 watts rms @2 ohms half of that would be= 200 watts rms @4oms and wired as a single 4 ohm sub

Subwoofer Wiring Diagram for One 4 Ohm Single Voice Coil Speaker

www.the12volt.com

Ive had to do this when I blew a coil on a sub when one coil read fine and the other did not and worked just fine to have some bass, and the sub still works today as a SVC sub @ 1/2 of the rms value. You will have the ability to run that sub @ a 4 ohm value in an SVC wiring configuration to use that amp you have. I would recommend at least a 1.8 sealed enclosure for that sub, or at a min. of 1.6 ported and tuned to approx 34-36 htz. Ported will take less power to get the sub moving. Sealed enclosure takes a bit more power.
Another way is to locate a 2 ohm stable Mono amplifier and wire the DVC4 ohm sub to a final load of 2 ohms as pictured above.
One of the most reliable amps even used is an Alpine MRP M-500, that can be found on ebay cheap if you look around that will do just fine off that 6ga of which I believe to be CCA wire and not OFC wire. Even this amplifier would work great for you, and you may be able to search for a cheaper one with a feedback on the seller of 100%

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[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

 

[SilverSquared 10+ year member]

2 ohm on 1 channel, NOT bridged. I ran mine on 2 ohms stereo with no issues. Or try 1 vc per channel.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

If you're smelling something burning you're giving that sub too much power regardless of what anything is "rated". Once you smell trouble turn it down a couple clicks and when the sub does fail consider buying something a bit more robust and of correct impedance to pair well with your amp.