Hey guys, driving home tonight listening to my music normally @ around volume 22/60

The song "on my level" my wiz Khalifa played and it's probably one of my hardest hitting songs on my CD. I turned it up to 25/60 about a minute and a half into the song I'm at the red light and my sub was making a terrible noise! Like it was bottoming out. So I immediately turned my music down. When I got home I checked it out, everything seemed fine.. So I tried a little demo this time playing "Late Night Tip" by three 6 mafia and when the bass hit the sub was overflexing and "bottoming out" this time volume was only @ 21. I checked amps gains wires and batteries and everything was fine.. I know I can reach volume 25-26 safely so idk why this happened. Ive never abused the sub ive only had it for a couple of months. Sub is a 10" sundown sa10. I dis buy it used but it was in excellent condition when I bought it. Is it possible it was already bad and I just made it worse? What happened? I don't overpower the sub at all I've never even gone to volume 25 to listen since today. Could amps be sending clipped signals even though amps are ok? My mids and highs are fine. .

Thanks! I really want this solved so I know what not to do in the future.

What are your box specs?

Playing notes below tuning may make the sub bottom out pretty easily.

Both of those songs get down to around low 30's which means alot of cone movement..

Dude....... jeez.

Yep ur just playin it below tuning my sa12 was doing the same thing I just adjusted my ssf and it didn't do it again

Yep ur just playin it below tuning my sa12 was doing the same thing I just adjusted my ssf and it didn't do it again

I take that back they are mounted on top of the amp.

dude. for someone that spends sooo much time on this site YOU PLAINLY DONT READ.....

let me ask you ..... DO YOU ONLY LOOK AT PICTURES?

I'm going to guess he had the SSF set properly in the first place. He said he's had it for a couple of months, so to me it would have done it long before now if the SSF wasn't set, or so it seems. There's a possibility that maybe a spider has torn, or the box is leaking. Both of which could greatly reduce mechanical power handling. And, if a spider is torn, there's still the chance the SSF wasn't quite set right.

It's obviously been near it's mechanical limit for quite some time. You've possibly pushed it over the edge. The simple fix is to keep it under control.

It's obviously been near it's mechanical limit for quite some time. You've possibly pushed it over the edge. The simple fix is to keep it under control.

I dont think he knows how to set the gain or ssf.

I wonder what kind of amp he has? I mean...he said:

"Driving home at night" = headlights on.

"Stopped at a red light" = alt not spinning

"Turned it up to 25" then later he says "never turned it up that high" = amp asking for more power than it usually does.

So I'm thinking he was dropping below tuning without correctly setting the ssf before now, but add in more power (or a little clipping/distortion action, whatever) and you get this.

It's obviously been near it's mechanical limit for quite some time. You've possibly pushed it over the edge. The simple fix is to keep it under control.

I dont think he knows how to set the gain or ssf.

and there is no excuses for that.. he spends ALOT of time here.

I wonder what kind of amp he has? I mean...he said:

"Driving home at night" = headlights on.

"Stopped at a red light" = alt not spinning

"Turned it up to 25" then later he says "never turned it up that high" = amp asking for more power than it usually does.

So I'm thinking he was dropping below tuning without correctly setting the ssf before now, but add in more power (or a little clipping/distortion action, whatever) and you get this.

We don't know if he's even running a vented enclosure nor the enclosure specs if he is. Just going on the little information he posted. I will concur with Jon though.

You're right. I was just playing detective though.

As easy as it is to set your ssf, I mean...there's really no reason to have it set wrong

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

You're right. I was just playing detective though.

As easy as it is to set your ssf, I mean...there's really no reason to have it set wrong

That kicker amp he it running says cross over not ssf are they the same?

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Your ssf is NOT at 70hz....at least i hope it isn't

EDIT: Dammit you mean the lpf is at 70hz. We need to know what your Sub-Sonic Filter is set to? Please tell me you have one?

Edited December 22, 201113 yr by An-i-no

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Your ssf is NOT at 70hz....at least i hope it isn't

The amp has a cross over setting no ssf.

I mean, I do learn alot here, some things slip I guess. But I have a feeling the sub was already messed up some way before I bought it. I can't tell if a woofer is blown or not.. But the guy I bought it from was a little shady. Not trying to blame others but just showcasing possibilities. Because I know @ volume 25 the sub would be ok, I tested it when I first had it installed.

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Try lowering the ssf, 70hz is a bit high.

What's your lpf set to? 80hz?

I mean, I do learn alot here, some things slip I guess. But I have a feeling the sub was already messed up some way before I bought it. I can't tell if a woofer is blown or not.. But the guy I bought it from was a little shady. Not trying to blame others but just showcasing possibilities. Because I know @ volume 25 the sub would be ok, I tested it when I first had it installed.

How did you set the gain?

He certainly means LPF

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Your ssf is NOT at 70hz....at least i hope it isn't

The amp has a cross over setting no ssf.

If that's true then that's the problem. It's been over its mechanical limits and its broken now.

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Your ssf is NOT at 70hz....at least i hope it isn't

EDIT: Dammit you mean the lpf is at 70hz. We need to know what your Sub-Sonic Filter is set to? Please tell me you have one?

Umm.. I meant the x-over freq. The subsonic filter is on but there's nowhere to set it at?

Sorry guys. Box is 1.25 cubic feet ported tuned 30-31hz. The ssf is around 70hz. Gain is half up. So today I turned the gain all the way down and the sub sounds bad even @ volume 20.

Your ssf is NOT at 70hz....at least i hope it isn't

EDIT: Dammit you mean the lpf is at 70hz. We need to know what your Sub-Sonic Filter is set to? Please tell me you have one?

Umm.. I meant the x-over freq. The subsonic filter is on but there's nowhere to set it at?

Its pre set at 25hz.

I mean, I do learn alot here, some things slip I guess. But I have a feeling the sub was already messed up some way before I bought it. I can't tell if a woofer is blown or not.. But the guy I bought it from was a little shady. Not trying to blame others but just showcasing possibilities. Because I know @ volume 25 the sub would be ok, I tested it when I first had it installed.

How did you set the gain?

By ear