Anyone have both speakers blow....

jjk2007 · #1 01-30-2011, 06:43 PM

simultaneously, in a 210 cab? You might ask how that happened and I'm still trying to figure it out myself. You see I had 2 identical 210 cabs, one stayed in the garage and was transported and played at least 3 times a week, while the other stayed in the music room and was used for practice, almost always at low volume. I hardly ever use this cab since I practice through a headphone system, but pulled it out to demo some gear I was selling. Needless to say, I fired it up only to hear some strange buzzing etc. and had to get the other cab out of the garage. I sent the manufacturer an audio clip of the cab and got a reply of "sounds like your drivers are blown." As miffed as this has me, I gotta ask if this has happened to anyone else. There's more to the story, but I'm trying to keep this short and sweet.

allexcosta · #2 01-30-2011, 06:47 PM

Severe clipping + too much lows and no doubt it happens...

jjk2007 · #3 01-30-2011, 07:06 PM

See that's the thing Allex, cab has never seen severe clipping or extreme low end. I never abuse my gear, but technically you could say the "garage" cab saw way more abuse than the "music room" cab ever did. Do drivers just "fail" like that? One day working fine, the next day "game over"?

billfitzmaurice · #4 01-30-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjk2007

Do drivers just "fail" like that? One day working fine, the next day "game over"?

Almost never. Something overpowered it causing the drivers to fail. A very high power transient pulse can toast drivers in less than a second.

allexcosta · #5 01-30-2011, 07:18 PM

Are the speakers original to the cabs?

Are the cabs handmade?

Over-excursion can kill speakers too...

jjk2007 · #6 01-30-2011, 07:31 PM

The cab is an EA NL-210. Everything original. Bill, what could cause a spike like that??

MONOLITHLOUD · #7 01-30-2011, 07:36 PM

What type of amp did you use to power the speakers?

jjk2007 · #8 01-30-2011, 07:38 PM

An EA micro 550.

Interceptor · #9 01-30-2011, 07:40 PM

Two thoughts.

Temecula is a harsh environment. Hot as blazes. Your garage gets to what, 120 Degrees? (I used to live in Palm Desert.)

Direct current has killed lots of drivers. So has lack of LF filtering.

billfitzmaurice · #10 01-30-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjk2007

The cab is an EA NL-210. Everything original. Bill, what could cause a spike like that??

Conceivably a turn-on spike. Rare, but it happens.

MONOLITHLOUD · #11 01-30-2011, 07:47 PM

Yeah, DC certainly got through to the output. That would do it and quick.

jjk2007 · #12 01-30-2011, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Two thoughts.

Temecula is a harsh environment. Hot as blazes. Your garage gets to what, 120 Degrees? (I used to live in Palm Desert.)

Direct current has killed lots of drivers. So has lack of LF filtering.

Yes, we do see heat. The cab that lived in the garage actually was the one that was in perfect working condition. The one I kept in the music room is the one that failed. Don't know if this is significant, but the diaphragm in the horn went out about 4 months ago.

billfitzmaurice · #13 01-30-2011, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MONOLITHLOUD

Ok...Yeah, DC certainly got through to the output. That would do it and quick.

That would mean the amp was blown, and if so it would have toasted his second cab as well. That didn't happen, so the amp isn't blown and DC was not the cause.

MONOLITHLOUD · #14 01-30-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

That would mean the amp was blown, and if so it would have toasted his second cab as well. That didn't happen, so the amp isn't blown and DC was not the cause.

in most cases, yes.

Interceptor · #15 01-30-2011, 08:13 PM

Dang it.

So the cab that had the easy life croaked?

That's really odd. All the stuff I've managed to damage I knew what stupid thing I did. Or was able to find the DC shift that smacked the driver into a date with oblivion.

One of the clever guys I used to work milked this line to death; something causes everything.

I'd get that amp to the Doctor.

jjk2007 · #16 01-30-2011, 08:28 PM

Well, the amp has been sold, and I haven't heard anything from the new owner and that was several weeks ago. Would any kind of spike fry the drivers, but not the amp? This is So Cal, and I'll admit we have some strange power issues out here like brown outs, black outs and everything in between.

MONOLITHLOUD · #17 01-30-2011, 08:41 PM

well, in any case sorry to hear about your cab.

whatever caused it, it hasn't turned up with the new owner, so be it. strange things can happen, whether it be a turn on spike or dc to the output...rare as any of this may be.

Interceptor · #18 01-30-2011, 08:49 PM

So Cal power. Oh, what a joy.

I used a generator on numerous sets rather than risk Con Ed.

That could easily the the something.