# Subwoofer making strange noise when woofing.



## pjBSOD

Haha, bumpin' some Lady Gaga!

And I can't tell too much from that video what you're specifically speaking of. Do you mean that sound that sounds (from what I can describe) like there's plastic in front of the woofer and the air is blowing onto the plastic and making the "tfft tfft tfft" sound?

Haha, that's the best way I can describe it.


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## davidelliott-

The best way to describe it is something woofing really hard and something is vibrating of your desk. But yeah the noise sounds like 'tfft'. I've opened the sub and the sub is fine, no rips:


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## trailer park boy

that sub is distorting a little,you cant expect that little sub to pound real hard.keep playing it like that and you'll kill it quick that noise is the coil bottoming. those setups dont last long if you abuse them


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## Wildcard36qs

Either you are just overpowering that small (to me) looking sub and it is hitting its max extension, or the grill is vibrating. My SVS sub would make a funny noise and it sounded great with my grill off. Turns out the SVS emblem on my grill was making the noise so I removed it. That foam touching the speaker? Make sure nothing is touching it and that it has room to move.


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## trailer park boy

for bass you need power and that little amp might produce 1000watts for about 30 secounds but as it gets hot it will produce less and less power


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs;14199676*
> Either you are just overpowering that small (to me) looking sub and it is hitting its max extension, or the grill is vibrating. My SVS sub would make a funny noise and it sounded great with my grill off. Turns out the SVS emblem on my grill was making the noise so I removed it. That foam touching the speaker? Make sure nothing is touching it and that it has room to move.


I'm not abusing the system, i turn it up to nineteen and it starts to make this noise.


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trailer park boy;14199697*
> for bass you need power and that little amp might produce 1000watts for about 30 secounds but as it gets hot it will produce less and less power


Only two speakers and the sub are operating.


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## Remix65

there's too much air in the box. stuff it with old cloth. it'll vibrate less and take more volume. and the quality of the bass will be better/lower.
just make sure the stuff you fill it with doesnt touch the cone.


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65;14199781*
> there's too much air in the box. stuff it with old cloth. it'll vibrate less and take more volume. and the quality of the bass will be better/lower.
> just make sure the stuff you fill it with doesnt touch the cone.


Any examples on the forums of this? Had a search couldn't find any.


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## Wildcard36qs

I mean honestly, it is just a cheap all in one HT setup. I am not knocking you, but just don't expect to be banging it hard and actually doing well. 1000w is most likely the peak and it probably is closer to like 250w rms or something. Also judging by that sub, is it powered? Or does it get power from the unit?


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs;14199847*
> I mean honestly, it is just a cheap all in one HT setup. I am not knocking you, but just don't expect to be banging it hard and actually doing well. 1000w is most likely the peak and it probably is closer to like 250w rms or something. Also judging by that sub, is it powered? Or does it get power from the unit?


Not really cheap home cinema. Comes in at around £250 new, not exactly cheap but if you compare it to a blueray home cinema then maybe it is cheap. The sub is getting power from the receiver and not from AC.


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## Wildcard36qs

I am just trying to tell you that that sub, being driven by that receiver, is going to die if you keep banging it hard like that. It is just not good enough for what you want. Turn the bass down until it goes away, otherwise you will be out of a sub. And there is no way of really replacing it since you cannot really buy unpowered subs.


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## levontraut

you asked for advice on filling the box upturn the box in its face rip the rear off (remove nicely)

then mark the place there the magnet gets to on the side of the box.

get a piece of think highe dens foam that will fit in there and cut it to shape to fit.

once that is done take a piece of thin ply wood or that hard board stuff that bends and glue it to the foam

then glue it to the back of the of the speaker box's back section

then fit

remember the filling must only go to the magnet and not more and more than that it will deaden the sound. and make the sub pretty much worthless and usless. and then once you have done that play around t=with the trumpet to get the best sound you want.

watch out for the sub wires in the box as well


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs;14199936*
> I am just trying to tell you that that sub, being driven by that receiver, is going to die if you keep banging it hard like that. It is just not good enough for what you want. Turn the bass down until it goes away, otherwise you will be out of a sub. And there is no way of really replacing it since you cannot really buy unpowered subs.


Should it really be making that noise at 19 though...?


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## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *davidelliott-;14199801*
> Any examples on the forums of this? Had a search couldn't find any.


thats just what i do with all my cheap speakers. no pics. with yours the woofer's vibrating and probably touched the cloth on the front causing the vibration.

so i'd get rid of the cloth on the front and fill the inside with anything cotton. i'd cut out an old sheet or something around the back of the speaker for protection to go btwn the speaker and the stuff you fill the box with.

it'll sound good.

if your box has a port/hole, block it out. you'll instantly notice the distortion going away.


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65;14200149*
> thats just what i do with all my cheap speakers. no pics. with yours the woofer's vibrating and probably touched the cloth on the front causing the vibration.
> 
> so i'd get rid of the cloth on the front and fill the inside with anything cotton. i'd cut out an old sheet or something around the back of the speaker for protection to go btwn the speaker and the stuff you fill the box with.
> 
> it'll sound good.
> 
> if your box has a port/hole, block it out. you'll instantly notice the distortion going away.


Cloth on the front? There is no cloth in it already?


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## LiNERROR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *davidelliott-;14199952*
> Should it really be making that noise at 19 though...?


depends... what are the make and model of your speakers and receiver?

that model number on the back of the sub tells me a lot...










you're expecting moderate performance from honestly... a rather poor sub... -- turn it down or deal with it sounding cheap and weak...


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LiNERROR;14200273*
> depends... what are the make and model of your speakers and receiver?


Samsung HT-C555.

http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/tv-av/home-theater/51-home-theatre-set/HT-C555/XSH/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail


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## 100PARIK

Could be the amp clipping, but I havent seen the vid, so can't really tell what's up.


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## corky dorkelson

Sounds like either a coil rub or the tinsel leads hitting the back of the cone.

To check for a coil rub: Press down in the exact center of the woofer and press down firmly in a up and down manner. If you feel anything rubbing, the voice coil is hitting the field plate or pole piece. If that is the case, return or RMA.

To check/fix tinsel leads hitting cone: Look at the back of the woofer. See the terminal where the speaker wire attaches? From the terminal there is two coppery-colored wires that go into the speaker itself. These MIGHT be hitting the back of the cone if they were not trimmed to the right length. Push in the cone as far as it will go and see if the leads can touch the back of the cone. If they can, get a set of pliers. The terminal should be attached via a metal tab. Bend the tab AWAY from the cone of the speaker. Don't bend it more than 15-20 degrees. That should give enough room for the leads to stop hitting the cone.

If it isn't either of these things, then maybe the others are correct and you are driving it too hard. Or maybe there is some sort of other defect in the amplifier/crossover somewhere.


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *corky dorkelson;14200464*
> Sounds like either a coil rub or the tinsel leads hitting the back of the cone.
> 
> To check for a coil rub: Press down in the exact center of the woofer and press down firmly in a up and down manner. If you feel anything rubbing, the voice coil is hitting the field plate or pole piece. If that is the case, return or RMA.
> 
> To check/fix tinsel leads hitting cone: Look at the back of the woofer. See the terminal where the speaker wire attaches? From the terminal there is two coppery-colored wires that go into the speaker itself. These MIGHT be hitting the back of the cone if they were not trimmed to the right length. Push in the cone as far as it will go and see if the leads can touch the back of the cone. If they can, get a set of pliers. The terminal should be attached via a metal tab. Bend the tab AWAY from the cone of the speaker. Don't bend it more than 15-20 degrees. That should give enough room for the leads to stop hitting the cone.
> 
> If it isn't either of these things, then maybe the others are correct and you are driving it too hard. Or maybe there is some sort of other defect in the amplifier/crossover somewhere.


Just gave the woofer a push and nothing is rubbing.

As for the other part of your paragraph, do you mean the silver round thing at the bottom of it?


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## LiNERROR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *davidelliott-;14200307*
> Samsung HT-C555.
> 
> http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/tv-av/home-theater/51-home-theatre-set/HT-C555/XSH/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail


50w passive sub-woofer... 1000w is ~total Peak for the entire system... samsung somehow reports 340w max for a 100w max speaker...

so your 1000w system is really ~150W

also, what is your Source? mp3 player? or do it connected to a PC?

amp'ing an already over-driven analog audio input with horrible balance isn't going to make things any better...


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LiNERROR;14201094*
> 50w passive sub-woofer... 1000w is ~total Peak for the entire system... samsung somehow reports 340w max for a 100w max speaker...
> 
> so your 1000w system is really ~150W
> 
> also, what is your Source? mp3 player? or do it connected to a PC?
> 
> amp'ing an already over-driven analog audio input with horrible balance isn't going to make things any better...


It goes to my PC via an optical cable.


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## davidelliott-

This actually wasn't distortion at all. If i put a little bit of pressure on inside part of the subwoofer, the noise dissappears and i get a really nice rich sounding bass.


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## fistandantilist

Hello, I have a git of practical knowledge of speaker systems, I was an audio installer and trained at Mobile Dynamics.

Is the sub ported or sealed? Is it powered by the amp or is it powered by separately? Do you have the bass turned up, or the sub level turned up, or any equalization that would effect this noise.

I want to dismiss the "old cloth" method. You should not use any old cloth to accomplish the increase in "fake" box volume. You need to instead use an old pillow and rip all the poly fill out of it and use that. The reason is that poly fill will uniformly fill the box and won't cause any noise if it touches the speaker. In any case you can only increase the apparent box volume by about 10-15%, and it should only be used if the speaker is NOT producing good low field response.

The fact that if you restrict the Xmax of the sub physically means that the box is too free, and the power is in excess of what the speaker can actually withstand. There is a trick that you can do that will help if that is the case. If you place the sub on the floor or flat surface, with the magnet down, you have to find the center of the dust cap and then start with a nickel and tape(just to test it) it to the center of the cap. Place everything back in the box and play it at normal levels. If it stopped the rattle then you done, if not then you have to go to plan B.


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## davidelliott-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fistandantilist;14763195*
> Hello, I have a git of practical knowledge of speaker systems, I was an audio installer and trained at Mobile Dynamics.
> 
> Is the sub ported or sealed? Is it powered by the amp or is it powered by separately? Do you have the bass turned up, or the sub level turned up, or any equalization that would effect this noise.
> 
> I want to dismiss the "old cloth" method. You should not use any old cloth to accomplish the increase in "fake" box volume. You need to instead use an old pillow and rip all the poly fill out of it and use that. The reason is that poly fill will uniformly fill the box and won't cause any noise if it touches the speaker. In any case you can only increase the apparent box volume by about 10-15%, and it should only be used if the speaker is NOT producing good low field response.
> 
> The fact that if you restrict the Xmax of the sub physically means that the box is too free, and the power is in excess of what the speaker can actually withstand. There is a trick that you can do that will help if that is the case. If you place the sub on the floor or flat surface, with the magnet down, you have to find the center of the dust cap and then start with a nickel and tape(just to test it) it to the center of the cap. Place everything back in the box and play it at normal levels. If it stopped the rattle then you done, if not then you have to go to plan B.


I don't know what you mean by ported or sealed. It powered by the amp. I dont know, I dont have the remote for the system and when I squeeze the inside of the sub, all is good.

I can confirm that squeezing the air hole stops this noise so I'm going to look into it.


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