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Carvin BRX 10.2 Neo cabinet buzz

Tubehed

Tubehed

Oct 27, 2011
904
2,784
Westminister, CA
#1
I'm having an issue with my Carvin BRX 10.2 cab where I'm getting what sounds to me like cabinet buzz or rattle when I play the open E string. It also happens when I hit a few other notes. The buzzing does not occur with most of the notes I play, however.

This cab is rated at 600W. I'm using an Eden WT800 head with it. The buzzing starts when I turn up the volume to a moderate level (around 9 O'clock on the master volume). I have everything set flat on the EQ settings. Turning down the bass knob on the Eden doesn't seem to help with the buzz. My bass is a Gibson SG (EB3, pretty much).

I tightened every screw on the cab, including the speakers, grill, handles, etc.

This cab sounds really good, can handle a lot of power and has a good amount of low end for a 2X10. I'm just puzzled by the noise. I'm thinking it could be a resonant frequency of the cabinet. Any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
#4
It is common for only certain frequencies to cause offending vibrations. How to fix it? Take your grill off and make sure one of your speakers isn't blown. Also, mess with the EQ some more - even if it is set flat.

Granted, this seems to be buzzing from vibration and not distortion. On the Carvin BBS, there was a post about a similar problem with a BRX 10.4 cab. The user found the culprit to be speaker wires hanging over the back of the speaker in such a way that they rattled against it from the vibration.
 
#6
I had a similar experience with a 210 cab I bought from Carvin as well as their 212 Amp I bought. Certain notes (and their octaves) on my basses would cause a buzzing in the speaker/ cabinet. Unfortunatlely I couldn't handle the buzz so I sent both items back within the 10 day return period without replacing them.
 
#7
I'm stumped on this one. I pulled out both speakers and they test fine. There is no obvious physical damage to either speaker. The cones look perfect. The wires are well clear of the speakers. The cab looks fine internally.

After listening more carefully, I'm getting the buzzing sound from just about every loud note I hit, so I don't think it is a cabinet resonance issue.

I don't think I'm overpowering the cab, either. The Eden is rated at 400W into 4 ohms. The Carvin is a 4 ohm cab rated at 600W and I'm not pushing the Eden that hard (master vol is at 9 O' clock).

The neck humbucker on my SG bass puts out a lot of low end, so I'm wondering if that is a factor.
 
#9
After putting everything back together, I'm not hearing any buzzing or rattling sounds. :hyper: It's strange how that can happen sometimes when you take something apart and put it back together. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks to all who replied.
 
#10
My 10.2 did the same thing... and I did the same things.

I never found out what it was. In my case, it seemed to do certain notes at low volumes only.

I even used my audio frequency cd to subject it to certain frequencies and sweeps.

It was never really a problem in my case and slight enough that I was able to ignore it.
 
#11
I think it was the tweeter vibrating. The magnet picked up a couple small pieces of loose metal. After i pulled them off the magnet and remounted it, the buzzing stopped. Maybe it just needed to be remounted. Who knows? Hope it doesn't come back.

The cab does sound very good, though: Deep, articulate and loud for a 2X10. After opening it up, I was very impressed with the build quality. It is solid.
 
#12
Tubehed said:
I'm having an issue with my Carvin BRX 10.2 cab where I'm getting what sounds to me like cabinet buzz or rattle when I play the open E string. It also happens when I hit a few other notes. The buzzing does not occur with most of the notes I play, however.

This cab is rated at 600W. I'm using an Eden WT800 head with it. The buzzing starts when I turn up the volume to a moderate level (around 9 O'clock on the master volume). I have everything set flat on the EQ settings. Turning down the bass knob on the Eden doesn't seem to help with the buzz. My bass is a Gibson SG (EB3, pretty much).

I tightened every screw on the cab, including the speakers, grill, handles, etc.

This cab sounds really good, can handle a lot of power and has a good amount of low end for a 2X10. I'm just puzzled by the noise. I'm thinking it could be a resonant frequency of the cabinet. Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I had the same problem, turned out to be the control plate as Carvin said it was made overseas. They sent me a new one noise left but watch out for that attenuation knobs its not made well and will cut out your tweeter in not in position
 
#17
Last Carvin I bought (RL410) had a weird buzzing and wasn't sounding quite right. Opened it up and found one of the speaker magnets had just fallen off the basket and was stuck to another of the speakers. Had been attached by perhaps three or four drops of glue.

Done with Carvin.
 
#18
arbiterusa said:
Last Carvin I bought (RL410) had a weird buzzing and wasn't sounding quite right. Opened it up and found one of the speaker magnets had just fallen off the basket and was stuck to another of the speakers. Had been attached by perhaps three or four drops of glue.

Done with Carvin.
Click to expand...

I don't believe Carvin make their own drivers. IIRC They used Celestion at one time and I think Emminence at another. I've used a lot of Carvin drivers in various projects and none have ever let me down.

Did you call Carvin to see if they could rectify this problem?? It's what I would have done.
 
#19
BassmanPaul said:
I don't believe Carvin make their own drivers. IIRC They used Celestion at one time and I think Emminence at another. I've used a lot of Carvin drivers in various projects and none have ever let me down.

Did you call Carvin to see if they could rectify this problem?? It's what I would have done.
Click to expand...

Well, for starters, I bought the cab back in 2003 so I think we're a bit past warranty. But I grew up less than 10 miles from Carvin, and this sort of thing from them is not exactly unexpected. Quite the opposite. First music store I worked in here in SD had a blanket ban on taking anything Carvin as trade-ins, or for sale. It always ended in tears, or more frequently, fire. I bought the cab because it was cheap but didn't expect it to be...quite that cheap. Worked for largely at-home use for the last 12 years. But obviously not up to live gigs, which I'm doing a lot more of recently. Stripped the crossover and horn (they use great-sounding horns!) and casters and threw the rest of it in the dumpster at my office. It's little buddy is going to the same place next week after I get it out of the practice studio. Already replaced with a mint-condition Goliath II that was cheaper than the Carvin was new.

First Carvin, last Carvin.
 
#20
I bought my first piece of Carvin gear around 1996 - a six string bass. It was a delight to play and, still is. I have a lot of Carvin gear that has performed admirably across the years. I would not hesitate to recommend Carvin to anyone!

Had you called the company about the problem they might well have asked you to send the driver back so quality control could take a look at what went wrong. Way too late now of course.

Edit: It is not all that unusual for a used item to cost less that a new piece. That's the whole idea of buying used!

Edit2: All that being said you are the arbiter and free to decide which ever way you want to go. I would ask that instead of putting the stuff you're mad with in a dumpster you try to donate it to someone. One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that!! :D
 
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