how can i tell if my sub is running hot?

[yepimonfire]

how can i tell if my sub is running hot without using an spl meter, just my ears?

 

[GO-NAD!]

I don't think you can, unless it is running very hot and the bass is quite obviously exagerated. If we're talking just a few dB's, maybe 3 - 5, depending on the sensitivity of your ears, it may be more difficult to tell. If you're listening to a recording where the bass has been already boosted, it might leave you thinking that the sub is running hot. Of course, the inverse would be true as well. If you're interested in accuracy, the only way to know for sure is with a SPL meter and test tones. Or, you could just leave it where it sounds good to you. In the end, that's what matters.

If there is a method you can use, which doesn't involve a SPL meter and test tones, I'm unaware of it.

 

[MatthewB.]

If your teeth are rattling and your bowels are loose, then it's too hot, otherwise just use your ears and make sure the bass isn"t drowning out the upper frequencies.

 

[GO-NAD!]

If your teeth are rattling and your bowels are loose, then .....

You're very, very old.

 

[highfigh]

Actually, if a woofer or other voice coil is running hot, it will go into 'thermal compression', due to the voltage drop because the resistance of a conductor increases with temperature.

 

[Warpdrv]

do you seriously not own an spl meter... and you have been on this site for how long?

I think this is honestly a required piece of equipment just for getting a grasp on things when running a subwoofer period, or even to test the output of each speaker channel to make sure everything is balanced.

I personally would never run any of my systems just trusting the AVR or PreAmp has got all speaker/sub levels right.... as well as when you do decide to up the boost of the sub channel, knowing exactly where and how hot it is.

 

[yepimonfire]

i dont own one because i have yet to find a place to purchase one without terrible reviews, and i found the perfect solution, watching house, hugh lauries voice goes down below 100hz so i calibrated it that way so it sounded natural, sounds perfect to me now. i was 6dB hot.

 

[dkane360]

i dont own one because i have yet to find a place to purchase one without terrible reviews, and i found the perfect solution, watching house, hugh lauries voice goes down below 100hz so i calibrated it that way so it sounded natural, sounds perfect to me now. i was 6dB hot.

sounds like a very scientific and precise method

 

[yepimonfire]

haha it works nonetheless.

 

[GO-NAD!]

haha it works nonetheless.

If you say so.

The Rat Shack SPL meter may not be the most precise instrument ever produced, but I'll take it over Hugh Laurie's voice......

I am curious though. How did you determine the frequency of his voice?

 

[MatthewB.]

I recall reading in an old issue of Home Theater to use Harrison Fords voice, till you could just make out his voice on the sub, then dial it back a few notches. This article was about 8 years ago though.

Go-Nad, my father told me, "Your only as old as the woman you feel" so in my case I'm friggin ancient.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I recall reading in an old issue of Home Theater to use Harrison Fords voice, till you could just make out his voice on the sub, then dial it back a few notches. This article was about 8 years ago though.

Go-Nad, my father told me, "Your only as old as the woman you feel" so in my case I'm friggin ancient.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.....

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66395

Man, I'm getting as bad as that frikkin' monkey....