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Double Bass Crazy 88 "Popping" Sound

neddyrow

neddyrow

www.simmerinstew.com
Apr 21, 2011
2,309
3,136
Cortland, NY
#1
I just got a second Crazy 88 to stack on the one I just got a couple months back. Let me first say, I love the Crazy 88! Such a nice thump! Obvious for me why I wanted another.

The problem is, that when I play through the one I just picked up, it makes a "popping" sound. I first thought it was a blown speaker but when I took it apart, all seems fine. I have been playing an AI Focus I series iii or an iamp 800.

Am I just overdriving the driver? It only happens on F# and Low E at higher volumes. It's just weird because the newer cab doesn't do it. Could they be older/weaker drivers in the old cab where the new cab doesn't? so many questions.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
#2
Loose wiring/bad solder connection that moves under just he right frequency? I'd go through the entire thing, check every connection. If that doesn't resolve it, feed some low volume music into it and start wiggling wires, there could be an internal break.
 
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#5
Found out my fDeck is shot. So weird. It’s an old Series I that I bought for emergencies. Good to know it doesn’t work. Anyway, I’m going to try the connections and get a new fDeck. I’ll be checking the website if those don’t work.
 
#8
I had some time to work with the cabinet. I tried all of my different hpfs and had no luck in dialing out the pop sound. I tried my BG and didn’t get the same sound. I think my DB gets lower on the E strong and causes “overdrive”.

I think the problem is in the wiring or connections. I tried to pull the speakers out or the handle on top to have access. I think all the parts were glued in. I couldn’t get anything out to get inside.

Any tips o. How to proceed before I break something?
 
#9
Dial out all the low end and see what happens.

IME when you drive woofers too hard with not enough power, transient frequencies cause excessive speaker incursion and the cone bounces off the basket. This causes the voice coil to generate excessive heat. Zap. Goodbye voice coil.
 
#10
Does the popping crazy88 have a tweeter? Actually what I’m wondering is if it has a crossover and if maybe a capacitor has gone bad in it? For example that the cap charges and then all of a sudden lets loose its charge producing the pop. I’m not an expert on electronics or crossovers but there are some helpful folks in the greenboy forum that are knowledgeable. That’s why I think it’s a good idea posting there. If you don’t have an account you create one and wait a couple of days for greenboy himself to ok it and then you can post.

There’s also a thread here on TB about the fearful cabs and you may get a response there too
 
#13
Yes. I’ve been gigging with the new and no problems. I have been testing the other one at home by itself and the pop is very prominent.

Dialing out all the bass did quiet it down but if I bear down on the strings, it still happens. KungFuSherriff- if the voice coil is zapped, is the driver toast? Can I replace it?

It seems to be coming from the top driver but not positive. And yes, it does have a 1” tweeter. Might be that. Or something internal. Like I said, everything seems to be glued in and I can get into it without possibly breaking stuff.

I emailed mark, the guy who built my newer one, and he has been helpful as well. I plan to update him and see what he thinks after the holiday.
 
#14
Mark Robertson? He’s on here as dukeofrock.

If the voice coil was fried, the affected speaker would probably be distorting like crazy.

I can’t imagine that the grille is not either screwed or Velcroed in. If you can remove it, the speakers should be screwed to the baffle and easy to remove.
 
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#15
I took the grille off and unscrewed the speakers but they won’t come out. I am assuming they are glued in. Maybe they put them in before the paint dried. Not sure. I was just about to bear down and pull hard but I thought better. Should I just go for it? Is there a safe way to pry them loose without damaging stuff?
 
#17
I had some time last night to get the speakers out. Boy was that nerve-racking!

What’s the best way to test them? I was going to plug each one into my stereo receiver and see if I can tell which one is bad.

Thoughts?
 
#20
Update:

I got the speakers out and tested them individually. They both made the pop when tested. I then removed both and just had the tweeter by itself and it still made the squelch pop sound.

That leaves the tweeter or the crossover. How do I test them individually? The tweeter is soldered to its connecting wires.
 

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