Is the Subwoofer or Amp the problem???

[djmikeintellect]

Wondering if you guys can help diagnose this problem. ]

My 2 subwoofers shut off after a few minutes of play. After observing them with the trunk open, before they cut out, they make a crackling noise for a few notes, then cut out totally. If I turn the car off for a few minutes.... turn it back on.... they play beautifully again for a few minutes... then same thing happens.

The amp never goes to protect.... and it is always on (making me think it's the subs).

I've checked all connections to the amp, and the speakers... I've even hooked up 1 sub at a time... and same thing happens to both subs independently.

Is this an amp problem? or a sub problem (coincidentally with both subs). Do both subs usually crap out at the same time?

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[r1banshee 10+ year member]

amp problem..

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

What amp and what subs?

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

What amp/subs? How much power are you pushing through it? What kind of electrical upgrades (if any) do you have? What gauge wiring is going to the amplifier for power & grounds?

 

[djmikeintellect]

Excuse me... for I don't have much car audio knowledge. The system was hooked up by an installer about 6-7 years ago now... Never changed anything except swapping out the woofers once. I have an Arc Audio KAR 900.1D, and 2 Image Dynamics ID V.3 12" woofers. They're both dual 4ohm woofers, wired to present the amp with a 1 ohm load.

2 DVC drivers with Voice Coils in Parallel / Parallel

Dual-4 Ohm Subwoofers: 1 Ohm

I talked to someone at ARC audio, and it turns out these speakers were known to have Tinsel lead problems (not sure what that means) where there is a joint, and the adhesive heats up and fractures the tinsels over time... making an arc-ing noise (like a cell phone breaking up). I guess a sure fire way would be to test my speakers with a different amp. Just wondering what to try... before I go spending any money on new gear. Thanks.

 

[djmikeintellect]

Also, to add, I did try hooking up the woofers this way

1 DVC driver with Voice Coils in Parallel

Dual-4 Ohm Subwoofer: 2 Ohms

and it did the exact same thing... stop playing after a few minutes.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Sound like the amp is giving up..

 

[djmikeintellect]

Thanks. It's the amp. Dont know why I didnt think of this earlier. I hooked the subs up to my 4 channel amp.... they played perfectly, and didnt shut off after a few minutes. Maybe it's time for a new amp.