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Pages: 1
Speakers
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Posted by: GoGoGo
A month or two ago I got new speakers. Well, accidently, a few times, a program turned up my wav volume and not knowing, I've turned my speaker volume up to what would be "normal." Except, because the computer's internal volume was turned up, it was ridiculously loud.
So I'd get scared when playing certain music/sound not knowing it was going to be so loud. Of course I'd turn it down in a matter of a second or two.
Well, this has happened maybe 5 times. Is this enough to do any damage to my speakers?
Basically I'm not quite sure what it means to "Blow out" the speakers and how this happens.
Although I do notice a slight rattling sound that comes from my right speaker when something is turned up. It doesn't sound as crisp. It sounds sort of like an electric toothbruth does, but very faint and only during voices and those type of less-smooth sounds.
Do you think this could have caused this or do you have to do more than that to harm the speakers? Maybe it's just me being too picky? Thanks.
Posted by: SKYHN
It can damage your speakers eventually. I had a subwoofer damaged because of this before. It was a cheap sub, but still.
It would be nice if some speakers came with safeguards where like if the sound goes up over a certain DB, it instantly mutes or keeps it from going over that. I think thats called AVRL or something.
Posted by: goranpaa
Hi Go go go!
A "Blowout", is when the amplifier, does'nt have power enough left to run the speakers with a clean signal anymore. (Distortion)
And you cant compare that to a Guitar speaker for instance. It has a different constuction. And is made to cope with the "dirty" signal.
If you take a speaker and dismount it, you will find a spool, that is covered in cupper tread.
This spool, moves in a magnetic field ,that varies with the signal from the Amp. It trasfer the signal to the cone and the membran of the speaker.
Just like a piston in a car engine
When you turn the volume up too high, this spool does'nt go in a straight line anymore and will get damaged in the end.
You can compare it to driving a car with the 5:th gear in, up a very steep hill.
Thats a Blow out in simple terms.
Posted by: GoGoGo
Thanks guys. 
Ok, well I've narrowed it down now by playing simple noises with no other music or sounds around.
Basically, as I said, my right speaker (only) is making a sound close to that of an electric toothbrush. My left speaker is fine. Do you know how to fix this or if I need to take them back or what? Thanks.
Posted by: goranpaa
I'm sorry to say, that you have to get a brand new speaker.
The only way to fix that, is to replace the speaker (s) in the cabinet.
And I belive, that you will find replacement speakers hard to get.
Posted by: GoGoGo
 Quote:
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Originally Posted by goranpaa
I'm sorry to say, that you have to get a brand new speaker.
The only way to fix that, is to replace the speaker (s) in the cabinet.
And I belive, that you will find replacement speakers hard to get.
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Do you know what caused/causes this weird problem? Thanks.
Posted by: goranpaa
I belive, that you got the spool in the speaker moving outside its working area.
The sudden very strong signal from your amp gave it the first "Kiss of death" to the spool. And after that it banged itself blue against the walls of the cylinder.
and you said this happened 5 times...well, bye, bye speaker.
The same thing happens , when you shut off or on a speaker with high volume on your amp, but in much smaller way. And it will take much longer, before you actually damage a speaker in that way.
You have heard the "THUMP" sound, when turning on or off a amplifier like that i belive?
When I whas working as a HI - Fi salesman, many years ago, a guy came to the shop. with the same problem you got.
But he had bought a pair of giant speakers and a Amp, that whas to weak for that speakers.
And what happend whas this: He had a party. And in the beginning before all guest had arrived, he didn't had to turn up his amp so mutch. But as it became more and more crowded and trying to keep the volume on his Hi-Fi up with the sound from the crowd.well, in the end he blowed the speakers!
That thing you experiensed with the internal volume I too have had.
It's strange really, that a software sets the volume to full or near full after installation?
The only way I guess is to check the internal volume every time you install a new soundcard driver or other software that may affect the settings.
Posted by: GoGoGo
Ok thanks for information. But I got a question.. What's an amp? My speakers are plugged into the subwoofer and my computer. Which part is the amp?
Also, I found a solution (at least for a while). I turned down the speakers a bit and it stopped doing it.
Posted by: goranpaa
Its an amplifier.
If you have a subwoofer system, it's often built in to the "sub".
Or if it's a 2 speaker system, it sits in the base of the speaker cabinet.
When they started to use stereospekers in PC:s, the engineers realised, that it would be useless to put the amp into the PC case, due to added heat, loss of space and electromagnetic fields from the different hardware that would affect the quality of the sound.
So they put in active filters into the speakers. (The filter divides the frequensy to tweeters and base)
(And this is also the best solution for HI-Fi sound. Because "Active filters" is more accurate and use the poweramps effect in a mutch better way
than normal passive ones. In active filters you also have ( Less "leakage" between treble, mid and base). And by putting the Poweramplifier into the speaker cabinet, you shorten the way the signal have to travel.)
But by doing that they as said, had to put the poweramplifier into the speakers cabinet.
And make the soundcard act as Pre amplifier, handling the signal from the media player and taking care of the sound settings you choose.
I have a Creative Soundblaster NX2 USB soundcard. and By using such an external card, you can eliminate even more electromagnetic disturbanses and It's one less thing occupying space in the PC case.
Posted by: Zendu
Before you buy anything i suggest you plug the speakers into something else (ie a cd player) and cranking the sound on that, as possible (probable even!) that you blew your speakers, you also could have the speakers configuered wrong or have dust on the jacks.
The easiest way to make sure you dont blow your speakers is to MAX all volume controls in windows, and have them physically turned down. This way your not turning up your speakers to listen to music, only to get blasted by a wav.
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