How hard is it to damage a subwoofer?

[55katest55]

To start off my gain is @ the 12 O'clock position and the receiver was on -8 db. I was watching the movie at about 55 (on my Onkyo receiver). Audyssey Dynamic EQ was on (unbeknownst to me). It sounded really loud but not bad. Maybe a bit muddy because of the Audyssey.

I guess I'm just worried that it could have damaged the subwoofer because dynamic EQ turns on automatically with audyssey calibration and boosts the **** out of the subwoofer (especially the low low end). It sounds great today with some fine tuning, but since i really have no experience with subwoofers I was wondering how difficult it is to damage one.

Thanks!

 

[bikdav]

It's very hard to say truthfully. But, chances are that you have a subwoofer overload guard. So, damage would not be imminent. That said, if you hear distortion you should readjust the level a little just in case.

 

[FirstReflection]

It depends on the design of the subwoofer's amplifier. Pretty much all modern, well-designed subwoofer amps have limiters in place to prevent you from outright destroying your sub. Most use "soft clipping" for when the signal calls for more power than the amplifier can deliver. And more and more, we're seeing companies use DSP processing or servo feedback to keep distortion well under control and over-excursion (aka. bottoming out the driver) a total impossibility.

But not all subwoofers have these features. Your Outlaw LFM-1 EX sub uses a BASH amp, which just has soft clipping and a regular old limiter. It's still possible to bottom out a driver with that design, but it's pretty much impossible to actually destroy the amp or the sub. It's technically still possible to cause some damage if the driver bottoms out. But if that had happened, you definitely would have known it! It's a very distinct sound when a driver bottoms out and you would know it if you heard it. The bass being "a little muddy" is absolutely nothing to worry about so far as damage goes. It indicates that you probably had a fair bit of distortion, but nothing that would damage your new sub

To be frank, in your room and with that sub, your ears are going to give out before the subwoofer does. So if you make yourself deaf by blowing out your eardrums, then you might have to worry that if you turn up the volume another 20dB or so, you might bottom out your sub

 

[55katest55]

It depends on the design of the subwoofer's amplifier. Pretty much all modern, well-designed subwoofer amps have limiters in place to prevent you from outright destroying your sub. Most use "soft clipping" for when the signal calls for more power than the amplifier can deliver. And more and more, we're seeing companies use DSP processing or servo feedback to keep distortion well under control and over-excursion (aka. bottoming out the driver) a total impossibility.

But not all subwoofers have these features. Your Outlaw LFM-1 EX sub uses a BASH amp, which just has soft clipping and a regular old limiter. It's still possible to bottom out a driver with that design, but it's pretty much impossible to actually destroy the amp or the sub. It's technically still possible to cause some damage if the driver bottoms out. But if that had happened, you definitely would have known it! It's a very distinct sound when a driver bottoms out and you would know it if you heard it. The bass being "a little muddy" is absolutely nothing to worry about so far as damage goes. It indicates that you probably had a fair bit of distortion, but nothing that would damage your new sub

To be frank, in your room and with that sub, your ears are going to give out before the subwoofer does. So if you make yourself deaf by blowing out your eardrums, then you might have to worry that if you turn up the volume another 20dB or so, you might bottom out your sub

Haha, thanks! I figure since it was already at -8db in the receiver and only at half gain, and that all the Dynamic EQ does is basically boosts it to levels it would be if it was louder (near reference), it should be ok.

Its weird that in a small room, it sounds loud as hell, but in a large room, this wouldn't be loud at all.

Thanks for the peace of mind!

btw, the subwoofer is a big hit with everyone! Thor and The Hulk (and X-men First Class a tiny bit less) are incredible!

 

[Jman9999]

it isnt very hard

 

[Pyrrho]

As others have said, how hard it is to destroy a subwoofer depends greatly on the design. If it is an older design, odds are good that it would be easy to destroy it by simply turning the volume higher. If it is a new one with good limiters, then it may be impossible to destroy it that way, but, of course, if the design isn't quite right or if the protection circuits malfunction, then one will be able to destroy it the same way as usual.

I recommend always turning it down if it sounds distorted, and to carefully try higher volumes gradually rather than jumping quickly to something louder than you have ever done before.

I recommend turning off "dynamic EQ" for the subwoofer, and to use the same sorts of precautions one would use with ordinary speakers.