A device such as a subwoofer is a special speaker that is designed to generate the lowest frequencies when reproducing sound. However, there are times when a subwoofer fails as a result of an explosion. Let’s look at all the symptoms of a blown sub.
Types of subwoofers
Today there are two types of these devices – active and passive. The active subwoofer design includes a built-in power amplifier and crossover. Thanks to the power amplifier, a low-frequency load is formed, the crossover ensures that the acoustics are matched with the speaker and makes it possible to adapt to the particularity of the room. In a passive subwoofer, there is no power amplifier at all, so you need to connect it.
How to test if a subwoofer is blown?
If you suspect that your subwoofer has a burnt coil, there are some signs of a blown subwoofer:
What causes subwoofers to blow?
If, on the surface, the speaker appears to be intact, but there is no sound, this is a classic symptom of a broken voice coil.
There may be several reasons for the breakdown, but everything is associated with the improper handling of the device.
The coil will burn out due to excess heat accumulated in the speaker after operating at high sound levels for a long time.
Another reason is the use of an insufficiently powerful amplifier. A low power amplifier pushed to its limit will cause distortion that is unpleasant to the ears and fatal to the speakers. It is believed that the power of the amplifier should be 1–1.5 times the real power of the speaker, measured in watts RMS.
What to do if your sub is blown?
The most difficult process is the elimination of malfunctions of the electronic components of the device, its electrical circuits, and power supplies. The cause of such troubles, as a rule, are power surges, overheating of the subwoofer, or improper operation.
Opening the speakers yourself and trying to figure out the circuits, the intricacies of wires and parts, will undoubtedly lead to the fact that the contacts will be broken, and the settings are knocked down. Therefore, without any doubt, the repair of subwoofers must be entrusted to professionals. This is especially true for repairs of control units, as well as sound balancing and power amplifiers.
It is recommended to repair subwoofers only in a specialized service center, where qualified craftsmen work, and there is special equipment. It is necessary to understand that independent intervention in the device can only aggravate the problem that has arisen.
