Speakers vibrating really hard, can they blow up?

[vanger1001]

I was testing and recording some different amp/cab combinations and one of them was Hartke 3500 head with MarkBass STD Series 4х10" + 1х15" cabinets, which sounded really huge and massive, but the speakers were vibrating really hard, with big amplitudes, so it looked like they are gonna blow up in an hour of such playing. On the record it looks like hartke gives more low frequencies than other heads i've tried and that is what i need. I also use a lot of fuzz

So is it okay to drive speakers so hard or i will kill them?

[Mr. Foxen]

If you can hear them sounding wrong, then its a blowing up risk. Also, you probably can't hear frequencies that make them jump around loads, so best eqing it out.

[1958Bassman]

Originally Posted by vanger1001

I was testing and recording some different amp/cab combinations and one of them was Hartke 3500 head with MarkBass STD Series 4х10" + 1х15" cabinets, which sounded really huge and massive, but the speakers were vibrating really hard, with big amplitudes, so it looked like they are gonna blow up in an hour of such playing. On the record it looks like hartke gives more low frequencies than other heads i've tried and that is what i need. I also use a lot of fuzz

So is it okay to drive speakers so hard or i will kill them?

How did you set the controls- list all of them. Bass players need to realize that some frequencies sent to their speakers aren't audible, but the amp still processes them. They're not only inaudible, but the speakers can't reproduce them, either. The combination is deadly to speakers, frustrating to bass players and can kill a gig or audition.

IMO, all bass amps should have a High Pass filter that's adjustable. This one thing would save a lot of replacement cost for players, stop many from going online to say that a manufacturer's products suck and end a lot of frustration, arguments and animosity.

I fully expect to receive a visit from a group who will be hired by bass amp/speaker manufacturers, as a way to rub out anyone who causes them to lose business.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by vanger1001

So is it okay to drive speakers so hard or i will kill them?

If you're stupid and don't use your head, yeah sure. You can kill them.

Does it sound like the speakers are in trouble? It probably means the speakers are in trouble.

Duh.

MM

[BassmanPaul]

First and foremost the 4x10 plus 1x15 is a very poor combination no matter how popular it is. The 15 is always a weak link as it cannot keep up with a 4x10 in any regard. If you do a search you'll find all sorts of information on the subject.

Some basses use piezo pickups and these send an awful lot of very low frequency mush into the amp. As posted, a high pass filter is a cure.

Bottom line is you have to listen and, if you hear sounds of distress, turn down! If you must use the 4x10 + 1x15, stack the 15 in the top position. That way any signs of distress will not be drowned out by the more powerful 4x10.

[craig.p]

A couple of comments here imply that your ears should be your primary tool to detect trouble. That's not quite right. It's a combination of ears and eyes. You should be using your eyes to check for what I call "cone hop," which is visible low-frequency pumping -- the result of running your cabs too hard below their cutoff frequencies. Most cabs' cutoff frequencies are way above most bass guitars' E strings, let alone their B strings. It's made worse by bass boost (whether directly or via contouring), slap playing, aggressive playing, and playing near the neck rather than near the bridge. Cone hop is something you absolutely can not hear; you have to look for it with your eyes.

[JimmyM]

Markbass speakers have a lot of cone travel, which is called "xmax." It's perfectly normal for the speakers to look like they're vibrating really hard. Some people think they're actually going to pop out of the cab but they're designed that way so don't be alarmed when you see it.