Sub Crackling!! HELP!

So recently my sub woofer has been crackling and popping when music is on and when music is off. It is driving me insane and I am about to shoot it. I will have the volume all the way down and all I hear is that damn thing cracking and popping. I have checked the connections and it is all tight. What do I do? Keep in mind it is a cheap Sony Explode 12" and I think it is about to explode!

 

Blown.

 

Crackling while no music is playing means that its still getting some kind of signal from your amp. That means either the amp is bad and sending false signals or the radio is bad and and sending a bad signal. Or could even be pinched or defective RCAs. Or it could be noise interference. Or it could be dirty power going to your amp. Or heck it could even be as simple as a blown sub. That's the easiest to check though. Disconnect sub and use a multi meter on the voice coil to check the ohm load. If the ohms are correct then sub isn't blown. Next step would be to measure voltage at the RCAs

 

Really? it still plays bass and sounds decent besides the fact that is makes that noise.

 

I have already disconnected the audio from the stereo to the amp and it still does it.

 

it also doesn't happen all the time just every now and again

 

With that said I'm gonna guess its the amp going bad. Or a pinched/grounded speaker line between the amp and sub. Easiest way to eliminate one or the other is to disconnect the sub and measure ohms at the voice coil. If it doesnt match up then its a blown sub. If the sub tests fine, then its and amp or cable.

 

Sounds like you pinched a RCA. Check all your wiring if your sub is still reading correct impedance. Unplug RCAs from amp.....does it still make the noise? Smell the back of sub and smell the amp if you lack a voltmeter. If either smells like burnt electrical then you found your problem. Could also be bad connection internally in the amps RCAs .

 

Yep

 

When you checked the wiring, did you pull the speaker out and check the wiring inside the box? Most forget to and I've found that to be the problem before

 

So I got rid of the whole setup. Getting a pioneer slim fit 10".