why subwoofers die?

[tonymontana1984]

my sub just died a few days ago i never pushed it too hard and it just stopped working. if subs are so fragile then why are they so expensive if you have to buy one every two years or so?

 

[AzN_plyR]

What sub was it?

and it must be crappy since it doesn't have a 2 year warranty so yuo have to buy one everyone one or two years lol.

 

[3x10^8]

i second that one.. what kind of sub was it? and more importantly, what part of the sub died? the woofer? the amp? usually, these two components have different warranty periods, so you may be in luck.

 

[Mike Dzurko]

my sub just died a few days ago i never pushed it too hard and it just stopped working. if subs are so fragile then why are they so expensive if you have to buy one every two years or so?

They don't have to be fragile. Our powered subs have a full Five year warranty . . . and it rarely comes into play

 

[3db]

My PSB Subsonic 5

my sub just died a few days ago i never pushed it too hard and it just stopped working. if subs are so fragile then why are they so expensive if you have to buy one every two years or so?

Is going on 5 years now and its has never been babied or abused. Its still going strong. I think you just had a run with bad luck is all.

 

[Haywood Jablomi]

I've had an Energy sub since 1998 and it still works fine. I also bought a Paradigm sub in 2001 that is still going strong. Heck, the crappy Cambridge Soundworks sub I bought in 2002 still works. I have yet to have a sub die.

 

[Nick250]

Five old HSU VTF2, so far so good.

 

[Sheep]

Logitech Z2200 subwoofer playing a 10Hz sinewave at full volume for the better part of a minute with no issues.

SheepStar

 

[BostonMark]

your sub

was clearly depressed that it wasn't allowed to be pushed to its full potential. It got depressed and committed suicide.

 

[Johnd]

They don't have to be fragile. Our powered subs have a full Five year warranty . . . and it rarely comes into play

I've never heard aci, but before you make a plug for your company in a thread about blown subs, perhaps you should offer a servo in your lineup. Servos rock!

 

[Mike Dzurko]

I've never heard aci, but before you make a plug for your company in a thread about blown subs, perhaps you should offer a servo in your lineup. Servos rock!

Servos certainly can rock . . . but there are plenty of great performing subs that aren't servos. Having built and sold subs for well over 25 years, we and our customers feel our subs do more than well "as is". More than one way to skin a cat

The point I was making was about reliability . . . any other subs out there with a full 5 year warranty?

 

[Johnd]

Servos certainly can rock . . . but there are plenty of great performing subs that aren't servos. Having built and sold subs for well over 25 years, we and our customers feel our subs do more than well "as is". More than one way to skin a cat

The point I was making was about reliability . . . any other subs out there with a full 5 year warranty?

Agreed. But the issue in this thread was why "subs die", and to remain on point, it is virtually impossible to blow a servo. Not to mention the accuracy of them (minimal distortion).

 

[Sheep]

Agreed. But the issue in this thread was why "subs die", and to remain on point, it is virtually impossible to blow a servo. Not to mention the accuracy of them (minimal distortion).

Not entierly true.

A servo is useless in a subwoofer with lots of linear travel. It will correct very little and hog up alot of power.

SheepStar

 

[Johnd]

Not entierly true.

A servo is useless in a subwoofer with lots of linear travel. It will correct very little and hog up alot of power.

SheepStar

Well, I thought it clear that I was referring to a well made/designed sub, but perhaps not.

 

[tonymontana1984]

the sub was a sony sw250 i know it's cheap and all but still it shouldn't die due to regular use. i think it's the speaker that died because it doesn't make any sound when i turn it on. i'm not sure if i'm under warranty but i'm so pissed that i just want to go with a different brand.any suggestions for under $200 shipped.

 

[Mike Dzurko]

Agreed. But the issue in this thread was why "subs die", and to remain on point, it is virtually impossible to blow a servo. Not to mention the accuracy of them (minimal distortion).

Not true . . . servo sub amps can blow just as easily as any other amp.

 

[Sheep]

the sub was a sony sw250 i know it's cheap and all but still it shouldn't die due to regular use. i think it's the speaker that died because it doesn't make any sound when i turn it on. i'm not sure if i'm under warranty but i'm so pissed that i just want to go with a different brand.any suggestions for under $200 shipped.

I think the amp died. If the speaker blew, you would know it (push the cone, and see if its stiff[unevenly stiff] or makes awkward sounds).

SheepStar

 

[Johnd]

Not true . . . servo sub amps can blow just as easily as any other amp.

Well, again, clarification. I was referring to blowing the speaker, not the amp. Let's not lose sight of the benefits of servo vs. non (accuracy, less distortion, linearity, etc., etc., etc.). Albeit with perhaps some lesser performance below 30 Hz...but realistically, how much of a movie is below that response..and music is a whole other discussion (a piano can only play down to roughly 28Hz)!

 

[3x10^8]

I'm also going to have to go with the amp dying on this one.

Personally, for under $200, I would go with a Mirage S8 sub. I've had some great experiences with them and currently own an Energy S8.3 (virtually identical to the S8) Very sweet sounding. I'm sure some of the other forum posters have their recommendations and preferences as well.

 

[Mike Dzurko]

Well, again, clarification. I was referring to blowing the speaker, not the amp. Let's not lose sight of the benefits of servo vs. non (accuracy, less distortion, linearity, etc., etc., etc.). Albeit with perhaps some lesser performance below 30 Hz...but realistically, how much of a movie is below that response..and music is a whole other discussion (a piano can only play down to roughly 28Hz)!

John:

Most powered subs do a pretty good job protecting the driver. The amp is far more likely to fail. If you doubt this, look into why most companies only warranty the amps for two or three years in their subs.

Sure the servo can offer the benefits you mention, but so can other well implemented subwoofer technology. As to 30Hz, well there is no inherent reason a servo sub should have lesser performance below 30Hz. I happen to agree with you that performance from 30 and up is more important musically than 30 and down. But today's recordings have more and more ultra low frequency content . . . much of it sound effects but some musical as well. And then of course there are always great pipe organ recordings