Sub not working properly ?

[SoCal626]

How can you tell if you have a bad amp in a subwoofer?.
Will it still produce bass or it wouldn't work at all?.

I'm curious because my JBL ES250p is barley putting out any sound level, it's there but very quiet and not even reaching above 80 DB on the spl meter. But when i turn up master volume i keep hearing a popping noise. The sub is only about 1 year old and it's out of warranty. Any tips or suggestion or ideas to solve my issue would be great.. sighs

 

[TLS Guy]

How can you tell if you have a bad amp in a subwoofer?.
Will it still produce bass or it wouldn't work at all?.

I'm curious because my JBL ES250p is barley putting out any sound level, it's there but very quiet and not even reaching above 80 DB on the spl meter. But when i turn up master volume i keep hearing a popping noise. The sub is only about 1 year old and it's out of warranty. Any tips or suggestion or ideas to solve my issue would be great.. sighs

Well with that problem its hard to know if its the amp or the driver. The sub needs service.

If it is the driver it can be reconed. If it is the amp, it likely needs a new amp as these units are often not serviceable.

Do you have a power amps about you could power the driver with and see if the driver pops at high volume?

If it is the driver it probably has a cone voice coil separation of some degree.

Most likely it is the amp. Sub amps are notorious for failure.

 

[SoCal626]

Well with that problem its hard to know if its the amp or the driver. The sub needs service.

If it is the driver it can be reconed. If it is the amp, it likely needs a new amp as these units are often not serviceable.

Do you have a power amps about you could power the driver with and see if the driver pops at high volume?

If it is the driver it probably has a cone voice coil separation of some degree.

Most likely it is the amp. Sub amps are notorious for failure.

I heard from another forum that JBL is known to go out
with a bad board or possible auto on feature. But i'v emailed jbl two days ago and no response. Sorry to say i don't have any amp around to test it. would it just be easier to toss it out and buy another sub? Funny thing is i don't push it the sub hard at all.

 

[j_garcia]

Your amp is not dead or you would get no sound at all. It could still be an amp issue, but the "popping" noise would seem to indicate a damaged driver.

 

[TLS Guy]

Your amp is not dead or you would get no sound at all. It could still be an amp issue, but the "popping" noise would seem to indicate a damaged driver.

Plenty of those plate amps pop when the switching power supplies fail. I suspect it is the amp, as he has not pushed it hard.

 

[TLS Guy]

I heard from another forum that JBL is known to go out
with a bad board or possible auto on feature. But i'v emailed jbl two days ago and no response. Sorry to say i don't have any amp around to test it. would it just be easier to toss it out and buy another sub? Funny thing is i don't push it the sub hard at all.

You could connect the driver to one of your receiver channels, that would tell if the driver is OK.

I suspect it is the amp, as common things commonly happen. You have not pushed it hard, but that has little to do with whether the amp fails.

If you can be certain the driver is OK, you have two options.

You could buy a BASH plate amp and do a retro fit mod, but it must seal. Or you could by a pro amp, and put a set of terminals directly connected to the driver to connect the external amp.

If this sounds like too much trouble I recommend you recycle that unit. Those units are going for $200 on Amazon.

If you are going to replace it avoid cheap junk subs. We get lots of post about people considering purchase of those cheap subs of all types, and our advice is to avoid them. You need to give quite a bit more money for a decent sub. Yours is a pretty typical story of subs in that price range.

 

[theJman]

Those subs have acquired a reputation for spotty amps, so more then likely that's what it is. If so, it's probably not worth the $$ to get it fixed.

 

[TLS Guy]

Those subs have acquired a reputation for spotty amps, so more then likely that's what it is. If so, it's probably not worth the $$ to get it fixed.

All those cheap subs have spotty amps, and spotty everything else, but mainly the amps.

 

[j_garcia]

Plenty of those plate amps pop when the switching power supplies fail. I suspect it is the amp, as he has not pushed it hard.

Yes, I know this first hand. That's the issue I have with the Velodyne I have - amp powers up but the sub just clicks and doesn't do anything. You gave me the same suggestion and I tested the driver separately with an external amp. While it produces sound, it only does so at low volume. Since Velodyne sent me the amp's schematic, I presume they think it is the amp.

 

[SoCal626]

You could connect the driver to one of your receiver channels, that would tell if the driver is OK.

I suspect it is the amp, as common things commonly happen. You have not pushed it hard, but that has little to do with whether the amp fails.

If you can be certain the driver is OK, you have two options.

You could buy a BASH plate amp and do a retro fit mod, but it must seal. Or you could by a pro amp, and put a set of terminals directly connected to the driver to connect the external amp.

If this sounds like too much trouble I recommend you recycle that unit. Those units are going for $200 on Amazon.

If you are going to replace it avoid cheap junk subs. We get lots of post about people considering purchase of those cheap subs of all types, and our advice is to avoid them. You need to give quite a bit more money for a decent sub. Yours is a pretty typical story of subs in that price range.

Looks like i will toss the sub out. Sounds like it's to much trouble to buy a bash plate amp to get it working etc. any how i guess i'll toss it out as recommended.
I do have a backup sub in the closet but it's a 8" woofer from yamaha, i guess that'll have to do tell i get some cash flowing in .. Gr i hate it when technology or speakers just stop working