Audio/Electronics Stereo System Installation Info, Amplifiers, Subwoofers, Radar Detectors, Police Scanners, and CB Radios for the Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Innova

Subwoofer diagnostic help.

Old Oct 8, 2007 | 02:09 PM
  #1  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default Subwoofer diagnostic help.

Just curious to see if any of guys can help me out.

I have a 12" ED sub in the hidden C5 box... the box fell apart (bottom part seperated from the top) when I first put in the sub and I had to take it out and put in new screws and I glued it together to make sure it is air tight...

My sub developed an odd buzzing sound... so I thought the box got another leak... so I took the sub out and made sure I had all the screws secure. I also took the box out and made sure it was air tight and it was...

Now the buzz is still there at moderately low to moderate levels... I contacted ED and they stated that I should take the sub out and see if the buzz is still there... and if it is I should send it back to them....

Is this a common way for the subs to fail by buzzing?!

Also what does an air leak sound like?!

Thanks,
Max
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 02:19 PM
  #2  
jc227's Avatar
jc227
Instructor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Default

I don't think an air leak would cause a buzzing sound. I'm assuming this is a constant buzzing right? If so, it sounds like an issue with the sub or possibly a bad ground.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 02:36 PM
  #3  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default

It starts buzzing at about 20% volume... and continues with certain bass frequencies.... so it is relatively constant.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 02:50 PM
  #4  
jc227's Avatar
jc227
Instructor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Default

You can test by hooking up another speaker. It can be a stock speaker or cheap speaker. Test not for sound quality, but if it makes the buzz. Make sure you turn down the gains and volume first!

Side note - are you getting "Database Errors" on the forum?
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 03:04 PM
  #5  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default

Originally Posted by jc227
You can test by hooking up another speaker. It can be a stock speaker or cheap speaker. Test not for sound quality, but if it makes the buzz. Make sure you turn down the gains and volume first!

Side note - are you getting "Database Errors" on the forum?
I'll do that tonight and or tomorrow... since it takes me 1+ hr to get the amp out the sub out and test the whole thing... I highly very highly doubt it is the amp... because it is not a constant thing and it comes and goes with certain frequencies... my AMP is capable of 1000watts RMS so I don't even want to mess with anything that can handle less than 250rms or so otherwise it will blow it up...

That database error thing has been popping up for everyone today btw .
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 03:04 PM
  #6  
Spkrboy's Avatar
Spkrboy
Pro
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
From: WayTooCloseToNY Northeast PA
Default

Assuming your box isn't an issue a second time, it sounds to me like a damaged voice-coil or spider, most likely from overdriving the sub.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 04:52 PM
  #7  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default

Originally Posted by Spkrboy
Assuming your box isn't an issue a second time, it sounds to me like a damaged voice-coil or spider, most likely from overdriving the sub.
Overdriving eh?!

Does a broken/leaking box sound like buzzing at all though? Also could not having the little felt layer between the woofer and the box be causing this?
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 05:06 PM
  #8  
jc227's Avatar
jc227
Instructor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Default

It's hard to say .... not sure what you mean by "buzzing". A leaking box wouldn't make the speaker produce a buzzing sound. Is it possible you could be mistaking the buzzing sound for rattling/vibration at certain frequencies?

Also, If you don't have felt/carpet on the box, you do need a gasket inbetween the sub and box for a proper seal. Not sure if the noise could be coming from there as I've never mounted a sub without either.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-8

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 05:09 PM
  #9  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default

Sounds like a loose plastic speaker grill... lol that is the best way I can describe it.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 05:41 PM
  #10  
jc227's Avatar
jc227
Instructor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Default

Didn't help much ... if you're confident in the install and the amp, like spkrboy said, depending on how loud you were playing it, you could've overdriven the sub. You won't really know until you swap in a sub and test your setup independant of the suspect woofer.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 06:50 PM
  #11  
Spkrboy's Avatar
Spkrboy
Pro
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
From: WayTooCloseToNY Northeast PA
Default

Originally Posted by max'svette
Overdriving eh?!

Does a broken/leaking box sound like buzzing at all though? Also could not having the little felt layer between the woofer and the box be causing this?
As soon as the box has substantial leakage, the sub becomes unloaded and easily damaged. Most subs need the air suspension the box provides in order to meet their power ratings. If you were playing at high volume at any time the box was damaged, it could have happened then.

The sound of an air leak is entirely dependent on the size of the leak. Leaks generally don't buzz, but damaged driver suspensions do.

Do as jc227 suggests and swap in another driver to be sure.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 06:53 PM
  #12  
max'svette's Avatar
max'svette
Thread Starter
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
Likes: 0
From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Default

Originally Posted by Spkrboy
As soon as the box has substantial leakage, the sub becomes unloaded and easily damaged. Most subs need the air suspension the box provides in order to meet their power ratings. If you were playing at high volume at any time the box was damaged, it could have happened then.

The sound of an air leak is entirely dependent on the size of the leak. Leaks generally don't buzz, but damaged driver suspensions do.

Do as jc227 suggests and swap in another driver to be sure.
Thanks you guys are just confirming what I was told so I will try to swap in something else ... That said the sub just started doing this fairly recently... this is 2 months after i fixed the broken box.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 11:36 PM
  #13  
TheRadioFlyer97's Avatar
0TheRadioFlyer97
Former Vendor
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Default

A raspy buzzing at a specific frequency range is generally a sign of internal motor damage. (the moving parts are out of alignment) In rare instances, this is cause by overdriving a small sub.
Reply
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 11:50 PM
  #14  
Sick Z06's Avatar
Sick Z06
Racer
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: San Jose Ca
Default

Usually a box air leak will whistle, or "fart".

A blown sub will "rattle" or buzz.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Subwoofer diagnostic help.



Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:40 PM.

story-0
2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Is the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 the best Silverado yet?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-16 08:01:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

Slideshow: 5 best and 5 worst Corvette daily drivers

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:32:13


VIEW MORE
story-2
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

Slideshow: The headlights of every Corvette generation explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:17:14


VIEW MORE
story-3
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-4
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-5
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE