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Sub cuts out at low volumes

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by adaptedtheory, Mar 22, 2013.

  1. Mar 22, 2013 at 2:43 PM
    #1
    adaptedtheory

    adaptedtheory [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Window Tint, 8" Sundown SA-8, Kicker ZX500.1
    Started experiencing this problem a LONG time ago, then blew my last Sundown, so when I got a new Sundown, I re-located my ground (which I thought was the cause of the problem).

    Now, I replaced the Sundown SA-8 (w the same Kicker 500 powering it). At low volumes, the sub often won't play at all (the amp appears to be running as normal). This often happens right when starting my truck up. If I turn the volume up loud enough, it's like the sub will 'catch' and then I can even turn it down and it'll hit normally. But you can even hear a slight variation in how hard it's hitting sometimes; and if i take a sharp turn or hit a bump in the road, it'll cut out again. I really don't think it's the ground (it's definitely bolted down) but is there anyway to know for sure really? To me, the fact that bumps and turns effect whether or not the sub is hitting at all sounds like a ground issue; but i really don't think the ground is the problem.

    Other things I considered include: voice coil (but if I press in on the sub it doesn't start hitting, so I figured that eliminated that idea), and also I have a STOCK battery from 2004 (but I figured if it wasn't putting out enough power then my amp wouldn't operate as normal?). I thought it was the battery on my last Sundown but we put a Multimeter to it and it was putting out adequate power. HELP!

    Another note: there will also be times where it'll about "half-way hit", and you can tell it's trying to knock like usual but just doesn't have the power? Sounds like a blown sub almost but like I said, pushing on the cone doesn't effectively cause the sub to start functioning again.

    Thanks
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2013
  2. Mar 22, 2013 at 2:52 PM
    #2
    MJonaGS32

    MJonaGS32 MJ on a GS

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    I'm starting to have this very same problem!

    sub'd to hear what the pros say
     
  3. Mar 23, 2013 at 12:22 AM
    #3
    hacklerjason

    hacklerjason hACKman's Customs

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    BajaKits UCA King 2.5 Extended Travel Remote Reservoir, Compression Adjustable (Front) King 2.5 Piggyback Reservoir, Compression Adjustable (Rear) American Racing AR910, Gloss Black PC
    take a multimeter across the terminals of the sub, you can even do this at the amp where the wires connect the sub to the amp... i believe the coil windings should be pretty close to the spec of the sub... a 4 ohm coil may be anywhere from 3.3-4.7... ohm out your voice coil... if you get amything like "-1" "open" "-inf" they all mean open circuit or blown coils... if you get a reading that is outside the range, push your cone SOFTLY while measuring... if the numbers change in motion, likely to be bad tinsel leads behind the cone, bad connection at the wire screws, or bad coils... lmk what you find
     
  4. Mar 24, 2013 at 3:33 PM
    #4
    adaptedtheory

    adaptedtheory [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Window Tint, 8" Sundown SA-8, Kicker ZX500.1
    I'll give it a try when I get my hands at a multimeter at work, but does it seem particularly likely that this same problem would happen to the same sub twice?
     
  5. Mar 24, 2013 at 9:02 PM
    #5
    Solid808

    Solid808 Active Member

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    Sounds like your RCA signal is bad
     
  6. Mar 25, 2013 at 9:03 PM
    #6
    hacklerjason

    hacklerjason hACKman's Customs

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    BajaKits UCA King 2.5 Extended Travel Remote Reservoir, Compression Adjustable (Front) King 2.5 Piggyback Reservoir, Compression Adjustable (Rear) American Racing AR910, Gloss Black PC
    easy test for the rcas... get an adapter that has a 1/8 headphone jack on one end, and 2 rcas, left and right, and connect to your laptop... make a recording of the output from the rcas of your deck by connecting the 1/8 jack to your laptops line or headphone in... noise will present itself very distinctly... cutouts wont show a wave at all...
     
  7. Mar 25, 2013 at 9:05 PM
    #7
    hacklerjason

    hacklerjason hACKman's Customs

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    is it hard to believe that the same exact sub would mechanically fail in the same manner as those before and after it? my opinion would be that it is not manufacturing defects, but you having found the limits of that particular sub

     

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