[HELP] Subwoofer issues

[amanc]

Hi guys, first off, if this is a the wrong sections then please could the mod's move it. Secondly, I'm amanc, im 20 and I love bass!

My cousin recently gave me a subwoofer as a well done present for getting good grades, it was his old one and it's about 3-4 years old and he custom built the enclosure for it especially suited for my car. He installed the whole thing for me. I've got VIBE Audio fast plugs (The ones that let you pull out your sub by disconnecting one big plug)

I've got it hooked up to a Pioneer DEH30MP headunit and a Kenwood KAC-6203amp and they had been going strong for a month (i blew the previous kenwood amp but that was an old one and my cousin warned me about it). Recently, while listening to the music not too loud (soft rumble) the sub fizzled out and then came back to life and then completely died out. Thinking the amp went into power protect I left it and turned off the stereo. I turned it back on half an hour later and the sub wasn't working. So I pulled up and checked the amp and to my surprise the amp was on but the sub wasn't working. I went to pick up the sub and it started working..for a few minutes then died again, i switched the source on the stereo by accident and what do you know the sub started working for a few seconds and died out again. I thought great I've blown my sub. Today (about 2 days later since it stopped working) The sub suddenly came back to life! admitadly it on some songs it faded out a bit but when i changed track to a more bass heavy track (came on by chance) the sub sounded amazing again. Unfortunately I had parked up at work and was already running late so I couldn't test it. However I'm worried the sub will not work again. Has anyone ever experienced this? Could it be loose cabling? Have I blown the RCA on my head unit?

Really appreciate any advice. This was a gift and I didn't blast the unit that much, maybe once or twice for a few songs but never loud enough to distort.

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[garychoffmann 10+ year member]

That sounds like a bad connection. Check all your connection plus take the sub out of the box and check the connections from sub to terminal. Terminals can cause issues now and again

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Sounds pretty close to my issue a couple months back, check your grounds and fuse connections. If you've ever driven in the rain it's possible water got on your fuse and corroded it, that's what happened to me on top of a bad ground.

 

[amanc]

So I've checked the connections. Checked the ground, however I'm a bit worried about it as it's sharing the same ground as the rear passenger side lights however it is touching bare metal so I suppose it's ok. I've checked both fuses and they are fine. The only connections I can't test are the RCA connections because I don't have the keys for my stereo yet, they are in the mail. I can't check the terminals because I don't want to undo the sub without my cousin as he built the thing I'll ask him if he can check that. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[amanc]

Hey guys! So i've done checks on the system, I ran the RCA's through the secondary RCA ports on the back of my stereo, I switched the RCA Cables with new cables, I used a RCA to 3.5mm jack to plug directly into the amp and still...NOTHING! It's been brought to my attention that it may be the stereo but i don't understand why the RCA's to the amp and playing music through my phone wasn't producing anything either. Could I have blown the sub too? Someone also mentioned to me that it could be the remote cable however that would stop the Amp powering on right?

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Hey guys! So i've done checks on the system, I ran the RCA's through the secondary RCA ports on the back of my stereo, I switched the RCA Cables with new cables, I used a RCA to 3.5mm jack to plug directly into the amp and still...NOTHING! It's been brought to my attention that it may be the stereo but i don't understand why the RCA's to the amp and playing music through my phone wasn't producing anything either. Could I have blown the sub too? Someone also mentioned to me that it could be the remote cable however that would stop the Amp powering on right?

If it were the remote the amp would either be turning on and off intermittently or not turning on at all. It probably doesn't play anything out of the phone because the phone probably isn't producing a strong enough signal/voltage. Check connections on the woofer itself? Test to see if it's blown by either pushing directly on the center of the cone with music off, it shouldn't feel like it's scratching or scraping at all. You can also use a DMM to test the impedance of the coils.

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Typically when a sub is blown it just outright doesn't work. I'd replace your remote wire if the sub isn't blown.

 

[Side Show 10+ year member]

have you checked/smelt the sub? also does the amp get hot?

 

[amanc]

Ok guys I tested the system with a new stereo (borrowed a friends) so it has to be the amp or sub. my guess is the sub has caved in so i'm thinking of probably getting a new one. I've been wanting to get a new one for a while. Could anyone reccomend a decent sub with good lows as i listen to a fair bit of dubstep and hip hop. I think my amp either puts out 300w or 600w, it says 300w bridged which is how i have the current sub hooked up