When I play my Icon moderately loud I get a smell that almost smells like paint and when I touch the Icon it's very warm. I like the way my sounds alot however I just find that it heats up too easily. I'm beginning to think the Icon isn't what I'm looking for in a sub if it can't take much abuse. I'm not knocking it in any way, it's a great sounding sub and can get decently loud. I just find the voicecoils get stressed too easily. Everything in my car is set up properly so I know it's not the install. Could it be just be because it's hot outside? I mean I had a pair of JL Audio W3D4 12s sealed and a pair of Orion P12s sealed and would play it as loud as I wanted and never had this problem before. Could it be maybe I just didn't smell it because most of my other setups were sealed and my Icon 15 is ported? Is this normal with ported setups? If so, I'm rethinking either trying a sealed setup with my Icon 15 or a Fi BL 15 in my current box being I hear they can take some abuse. However I'm not sure if the BL is what I'm looking for either because I hear they don't sound that good and I got the Icon because I wanted something loud that sounds good as well. Does anyone have experience with the BL? Does it have ok to good SQ?

Edited July 25, 200817 yr by Jysoe

no sub should smell or feel hot because it's hot outside.

IT REALLY sounds like you are exceeding it's thermal limits because your JBL amp is probably clipping.

As i stated before, you NEED to have your amp setup properly instead of visually guessing where to set the gain.

IF you don't eventually get this amp set right, in the long run, you will start to have damaged speakers and end up buying new ones all the time. I know because i went through that numerous times until i finally bought the tools i needed to prevent that from happening ever again. Now, i've never damaged a single speaker because my equipment is set the way it's supposed to be.

And no company will warrant burnt spiders or leads because that's considered neglect due to exceeding the thermal limits and that's exactly what's gonna happen if it keeps emitting that smell.

no sub should smell or feel hot because it's hot outside.

IT REALLY sounds like you are exceeding it's thermal limits because your JBL amp is probably clipping.

As i stated before, you NEED to have your amp setup properly instead of visually guessing where to set the gain.

IF you don't eventually get this amp set right, in the long run, you will start to have damaged speakers and end up buying new ones all the time. I know because i went through that numerous times until i finally bought the tools i needed to prevent that from happening ever again. Now, i've never damaged a single speaker because my equipment is set the way it's supposed to be.

And no company will warrant burnt spiders or leads because that's considered neglect due to exceeding the thermal limits and that's exactly what's gonna happen if it keeps emitting that smell.

One of my friends is going to set up my amp with his O Scope this weekend. I hope it helps because I don't really want to part with my Icon. I am however kinda interested in maybe a BL 15.

Is your 15 a D1 or D2? If it's a D1 I may be interested in taking it off your hands if the price is right!

no sub should smell or feel hot because it's hot outside.

IT REALLY sounds like you are exceeding it's thermal limits because your JBL amp is probably clipping.

As i stated before, you NEED to have your amp setup properly instead of visually guessing where to set the gain.

IF you don't eventually get this amp set right, in the long run, you will start to have damaged speakers and end up buying new ones all the time. I know because i went through that numerous times until i finally bought the tools i needed to prevent that from happening ever again. Now, i've never damaged a single speaker because my equipment is set the way it's supposed to be.

And no company will warrant burnt spiders or leads because that's considered neglect due to exceeding the thermal limits and that's exactly what's gonna happen if it keeps emitting that smell.

This is correct on all accounts. The Icon can take some serious abuse (I believe in testing a 15" saw 4000 watts for a few moments), but regardless of the sub woofer, if it is powered by an amp that is clipping, they will heat up and could suffer some damage. Get the amp set up right and you should be in better shape without the glue smell.

Ya I kinda fell the same way about my Icon. I was powering 2 off a zx2500. I felt that after about every 2-3 songs I would have to turn it down cause they would smell. Eventually I blew one. Ive owned about 4 different subs and this is the first time ive blown one. I know own a pair of BL's running them each off there own Sundown 1500d and ive never smelt the coils burning at all. SQ wise The icons kill the BL's. I have problems hitting the lows will the BL's

Ya I kinda fell the same way about my Icon. I was powering 2 off a zx2500. I felt that after about every 2-3 songs I would have to turn it down cause they would smell. Eventually I blew one. Ive owned about 4 different subs and this is the first time ive blown one. I know own a pair of BL's running them each off there own Sundown 1500d and ive never smelt the coils burning at all. SQ wise The icons kill the BL's. I have problems hitting the lows will the BL's

So you had the same problem with the smell huh? Did it kinda almost smell like paint? I do like the way my Icon sounds alot but if the problem with the smell continues after my friend sets up my amp with his O Scope I'm either going to get a Fi BL 15 or maybe try a SS RL-p 15. Either way I want to use the same box because the box was custom built and a lil pricey.

if it still smells after he scopes it, then either he didnt set it right or you changed settings on the head unit after he set it up.

That amp you have isn't too powerful for that sub.

Ya I kinda fell the same way about my Icon. I was powering 2 off a zx2500. I felt that after about every 2-3 songs I would have to turn it down cause they would smell. Eventually I blew one. Ive owned about 4 different subs and this is the first time ive blown one. I know own a pair of BL's running them each off there own Sundown 1500d and ive never smelt the coils burning at all. SQ wise The icons kill the BL's. I have problems hitting the lows will the BL's

So you had the same problem with the smell huh? Did it kinda almost smell like paint? I do like the way my Icon sounds alot but if the problem with the smell continues after my friend sets up my amp with his O Scope I'm either going to get a Fi BL 15 or maybe try a SS RL-p 15. Either way I want to use the same box because the box was custom built and a lil pricey.

Im pretty sure what your smelling is the coils burning. What amp are you running yours off of?

the icon and rl-p are very similiar in power handling. i given both 1100wrms plus with no issues. and some coil/glue smell is normal early on, but should go away, if everything is set up properly.

and remeber folks, just because they can handle more power then rated, doesn't mean they need it. at some point everything has a point of diminishing returns, and excess power is wasted as heat. and eventually damage.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I have given an Icon 12 that was made for IB use(less power handling) more than 1500 watts while breaking it in....free air to boot.

Ya I kinda fell the same way about my Icon. I was powering 2 off a zx2500. I felt that after about every 2-3 songs I would have to turn it down cause they would smell. Eventually I blew one. Ive owned about 4 different subs and this is the first time ive blown one. I know own a pair of BL's running them each off there own Sundown 1500d and ive never smelt the coils burning at all. SQ wise The icons kill the BL's. I have problems hitting the lows will the BL's

So you had the same problem with the smell huh? Did it kinda almost smell like paint? I do like the way my Icon sounds alot but if the problem with the smell continues after my friend sets up my amp with his O Scope I'm either going to get a Fi BL 15 or maybe try a SS RL-p 15. Either way I want to use the same box because the box was custom built and a lil pricey.

Im pretty sure what your smelling is the coils burning. What amp are you running yours off of?

JBL GTO 1200.1 II amp that puts out 1100 watts at 2 ohms

you have to be over driving the sub. i fed my ICON 1100wrms for a long, long time and i've never had any smell, after breakin. and i like my music loud.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

you have to be over driving the sub. i fed my ICON 1100wrms for a long, long time and i've never had any smell, after breakin. and i like my music loud.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Same here, my ICON 15 has been seeing 1100wrms everyday for 3 months now and I havn't smelt anything.

you have to be over driving the sub. i fed my ICON 1100wrms for a long, long time and i've never had any smell, after breakin. and i like my music loud.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Same here, my ICON 15 has been seeing 1100wrms everyday for 3 months now and I havn't smelt anything.

Hmmmm, maybe it's just excess glue then.

Yes, but if the amp is clipping, there is a point where it is no longer excess glue, it is the thermal limits of the sub being passed.