Burning Smell Coming from Sub.. Don't know what to do

[spbk84 10+ year member]

Last night I was driving home from the mall I had my system turned up. Then when i stopped at a light i smelled this burning smell coming from my trunk.. So I go home. Take the box out bring it into my house.

I took the sub out and couldnt pin point where it was coming from. Should I look for anything specific. I had a installer do my system. But I am not sure if they even wired the sub right.... Its a RE 12" XXX. I am not goign to put it in till I found out whats wrong.

My biggest thing is that it only a JBL 1200.1 powering it .How could i tell if I burnt a coil out? Shouldnt this sub be able to handle that all day?

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[jacko 10+ year member]

check the gain on your amp... you might have sent a clipped signal to the sub for too long.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

A burning smell from a sub is never good. Yeah i agree kinda sounds like clipping.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

turn your bassboost\gain\volume down //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

sounds like your sub cant take the clipping of the amp - and the installer fails to understand the concept of the gain knob.

if its all the way up - you found your problem. also - bassboost\loud\whatever is not good to use - use it to turn the bass DOWN, but never to get it louder than with the correct gain setting. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

look in the amplifiers forum for a gain setting tutorial. then you will understand - its right at the top.

 

[spbk84 10+ year member]

What exactly is clipping. Should i lower the gain?

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Lower the gain if it is all the way up, Look at the gain setting tutorial on the forum.

 

[spbk84 10+ year member]

Cool thanks Will do so.

 

[AzGrower 10+ year member]

Normally if you sub is played for long periods of time at higher volumes or with large amounts of power, you will heat up the magnets, this is also known as "SPL Smoke". No real need to worry, just turn your gains down.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Also if that amp has any kind of Bass Boost or any thing like that, turn it down if it is all the way up too.

Sounds like the installer kinda got to happy/ignorant and turned everything up to max.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

Normally if you sub is played for long periods of time at higher volumes or with large amounts of power, you will heat up the magnets, this is also known as "SPL Smoke". No real need to worry, just turn your gains down.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

na dude, its the glue on the voic coils melting off. and when that happens, the copper\aluminum strands fuse and the resistance changes, and if it goes lower - the power increases even more, and stuff starts to smoke.

the whole motor will heat up - but its NOT from the magnets... and magic smoke is bad... mmmkkkaay.

there is need to worry if you dont turn that gain down. cuz if you dont - your sub will be broked. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

sry i didn't read the posts in the trhead, BUT, how old is it? usually when u get a new sub you'll have the VC glue start to burn a lil bit. a LITTLE bit isn't bad, but 2 much or if its happening for 2 long after you've had it is a bad sign. i'd set the eq to flat as well.

 

[spbk84 10+ year member]

ive had teh sub for little over 2 years.. But I never installed it till recently. And i hardly ever have it on.. I dont even think i have it broken in yet,lol. The same smell came when I first had it installed but then it went away.

This is the first time that ive had it up high in a while. I kind of went overboard with the sub. Dont really like to much bass all the time.

 

[AzGrower 10+ year member]

Didnt realize these were not new subs. As I stated earlier, most subs will have this smell when being broken in. This smell is always in the air at SPL comps.

 

[AVSTANG02]

I remember I had an installer doing work on my car and he seemed like such a smart guy.

Then he touches my amp.

Turns the Gain to 100%

I'm like did you just touch my gains(penis)?

his response "uhm Yah I just turned the bass up"

I will never trust anyone ever again.

 

[T9X 10+ year member]

Maybe the voice coil just heated up and burned some excess glue?