Just blown the bass driver in one of our PA speakers

[PaulWarning]

after about 15 years of use, and well over 500 gigs, we've just managed to blow one of the bass drivers in the Titans, just wondering on the likelihood of the other one going, it's a bit tricky deciding whether we're putting too much power through them as they're rated at 400 watts RMS and the Yamaha is rated at 350 watts at 8ohms and 500 at 4 ohms but doesn't give any info on whether these are RMS figures.

We daisy chain the front of house speakers so the amp is giving out potentially 500 watts (4 ohms) but with 2 speakers I'm assuming that they get 250 watts each so we shouldn't be overloading them, correct?

If we're not overloading them what else causes bass drivers to go?

The PA is used for Vocals and bit of bass drum

Edited April 22, 2023 by PaulWarning

[Phil Starr]

If these are Wharfedale Titans you can probably get spares from them. I had to replace a driver in my EVP subs and they provided a reasonably priced replacement within 48 hours.

 

Over 15 years all sorts of events may have affected your speakers and failure after that time could be down to all sorts of things. That they lasted this long suggests you weren't doin much wrong.

 

Having said that speakers at this price point won't be long throw so it is possible that over excursion may be a problem if you are mic'ing the kick especially if you are using any bass boost. Again after years of safe usage this is not that likely.

 

Double check your speaker though, it's possibly working and the fault could be a cable, the internal wiring inside the cab or something wrong in the crossover, there may even be a fuse on the crossover board

[Downunderwonder]

15 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

If we're not overloading them what else causes bass drivers to go?

Under rating combined with not listening carefully enough.

 

A heavy drop can shift magnets on older style drivers.

 

Most likely you need a HPF to take away LF transients from kick drum and mic drops or just stupid bassy guitar.

 

Usually there's a low shelving button on each mixing channel of a mixing desk these days. Make sure they are always on. Guitards like to turn them off.

[PaulWarning]

39 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

If these are Wharfedale Titans you can probably get spares from them. I had to replace a driver in my EVP subs and they provided a reasonably priced replacement within 48 hours.

 

Over 15 years all sorts of events may have affected your speakers and failure after that time could be down to all sorts of things. That they lasted this long suggests you weren't doin much wrong.

 

Having said that speakers at this price point won't be long throw so it is possible that over excursion may be a problem if you are mic'ing the kick especially if you are using any bass boost. Again after years of safe usage this is not that likely.

 

Double check your speaker though, it's possibly working and the fault could be a cable, the internal wiring inside the cab or something wrong in the crossover, there may even be a fuse on the crossover board

I've already got a new speaker from IAG, ordered yesterday, arrived today £106 all in, so not too bad and it has solved the problem, I certainly don't use bass boost on the kick, tbh it's not very loud, but it keeps the drummer happy.

I was just wondering what are the chances we'll be shelling out for another one in the near future

[Downunderwonder]

3 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

I was just wondering what are the chances we'll be shelling out for another one in the near future

I wouldn't be overly concerned. If another failure is going to lose you a gig then at 106 slappers a pop you could just replace the 2nd one and call it money well spent.

 

Definitely look into the high passing situation. Doof doof kick doesn't have to be loud to give vocal speakers the heebie jeebies.

[Phil Starr]

12 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

I've already got a new speaker from IAG, ordered yesterday, arrived today £106 all in, so not too bad and it has solved the problem, I certainly don't use bass boost on the kick, tbh it's not very loud, but it keeps the drummer happy.

I was just wondering what are the chances we'll be shelling out for another one in the near future

Well done IAG who are a huge group selling reasonably priced gear like Music Tribe/Behringer but provide professional level after sales, showing it can be done. I too got my spares return of post.

 

Based on the data I have you should be good for 500 gigs and twenty years

 

Seriously I'd put the failure down to age, accidents happen over that sort of usage and paper cones can deteriorate over that sort of time period. I've seen coils become unsoldered where the flexible tails join them and all sorts. The probability would be that the other one will go before this one but you might get ten years before that happens. I'd keep an eye and ear open over the next couple of gigs and I'd have had a close look at the crossover board and internal wiring when I replaced the speaker but I wouldn't actually anticipate problems.

 

Good luck

[BassmanPaul]

If you kick your speakers it's only natural for them to fail! LOL

 

I'm glad you got it sorted.

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by BassmanPaul

[Chienmortbb]

When I was a lad, we didn't have speakers..... sorry, wrong thread.

Seriously though, when I studied reliability, the bathtub curve explained it. The diagram below show the likelihood of failure and the longer you use it the more likely a failure BUT. The start of the End of Life failures to the peak can be several years and assuming your blown speaker is at that start, you may get several years from the other one. You might find it blows next gig. However, a new driver could fail in its infant mortality phase at the start.