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Continually tripping protection circuit(s) at volume


Emjay

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- he tends to like punk and metal and other music where there's a constant wall of sound

 

If one of you has a Radio Shack (or other) SPL meter, put that "constant wall of sound" on and measure the SPL at the Main Listening Position.  Then Google OSHA standards for hearing safety.  With music with variation -- like you like -- occasional, brief big peaks, even as high as 115 dB are probably O.K. (with meter at "C" "Fast").  See what OSHA says about constant loud sound ... I think that even 80 dB may be pushing it

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Use a DVOM set to AC voltage and see what it reads.

He's going to get an electrician in to test the mains power supply

 

 

- he tends to like punk and metal and other music where there's a constant wall of sound

 

If one of you has a Radio Shack (or other) SPL meter, put that "constant wall of sound" on and measure the SPL at the Main Listening Position.  Then Google OSHA standards for hearing safety.  With music with variation -- like you like -- occasional, brief big peaks, even as high as 115 dB are probably O.K. (with meter at "C" "Fast").  See what OSHA says about constant loud sound ... I think that even 80 dB may be pushing it

 

Yeah, I've got one, we'll test this over the weekend

 

Have you removed the crossovers and checked them?

I had a xover that had a loose cap on the board that occasionally touched the ground wire

3 different pairs of speakers, so I doubt this is it

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The small speaker are lower sensitivity and he does not have enough amp power.  Also check for stray wires.

I'm pretty sure we can rule out wiring, now

 

Do you really think the answer is more power?

 

 

I have a hard time accepting that Denon's top mid-tier receiver, rated at 125wpc, can't drive these bookshelf speakers to ear bleeding levels. Do you guys even check model specs before making statements?

 

No I did not check the specs.  It was late and I thur out a quick thought, lol.

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  • 5 years later...
On 10/20/2014 at 2:45 PM, Emjay said:

This issue has been apparent across 3 different pairs of speakers in stereo mode (2x pair of RB-41s and 1x pair of RB-61s)

 

Speaker wire has been fully replaced

 

1 x Marantz slim-line AVR, 1 x Denon AVR, 1 x NAD dedicated power amp all trip protection

 

Initially, he was using PS3 as CD player. We read some forums that the PS3 outputs 5.1 via HDMI at all times (3.1 of silence when playing CD) so, thinking this might be putting unnecessary load on the AVR, he purchased a used Cambridge Audio 650BD.

 

HDMI lead has been replaced

 

None of this has resolved the issue

If the input signal isn't mismatched for the amp and the speakers aren't distorting, an amp should run indefinitely without going into overload protection. I'm guessing he's over-driving the speakers.

Edited by MechEngVic
Nevermind, old thread
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4 hours ago, Basee said:

i'm having a somewhat similar problem. 2 identical speakers, one plays great regardless of volume the other chips out the amp. I've looked at the wiring and can't see an issue.

You might have a failed crossover component or the voicecoil of a driver going bad. If you can take the speakers apart, you can switch drivers between the two speakers. If the problem moves with the drivers (woofers, tweeters, etc), then your problem is with them. If the problem stays with the speaker cabinet, then it is most likely a crossover.

 

What kind of speakers and amp do you have?

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Should've been a new thread.  The initial one remains unresolved after all these years, and I HATE that.

 

For the current dilemma, the solution can be more easily found if the speakers are switched side-to-side and see if the problem follows the speaker or stays with the amp.

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On 10/25/2014 at 2:05 AM, cradeldorf said:

Has anybody suggested that the impedance is dropping to dangerous levels? that always puts an amp into protection mode.

 

 

Bingo.  Wow, this is an old thread, didn't realize that.  

 

I'd say the OP's problem was related to this:  RB-41 Specs

 

Lower cutoff on those is at 85hz, I wouldn't send them high-level signal below 100Hz.  Crossing them over below even 80hz, which I think was mentioned, would unload the drivers and suck down massive current levels.  

 

I had this happen to me with a bass guitar cabinet, an old Kustom 4x12 with a pair of ports.  (well, it was just a shell, we made a new back panel and my guitarist/patron put some cheap 12" subs in it).  First few gigs as it stood, I was getting no bottom end and flashing the 'protect' lights on a 1,000w bass amp (700w into 8 ohms).  Then I kludged some homebrew ports out of construction paper and duct tape.  8 1/2" ports lowered the cabinet frequency enough to keep the drivers loaded, suddenly I had bottom and never flashed the protect lights again.

So, even if it's an anecdote, Word to the Wise:  

 

NEVER FEED PORTED CABINETS FREQUENCIES BELOW THEIR TUNING!! (Unless you like to smoke voice coils and/or hear them smacking into the stops)

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Your friend is just listening so stupidly loud that no entry-level receiver is able to provide enough power for it.

There's no cure for that; actually listening with only 2 channels might give the amp a tiny bit more headroom.

In any case, the RB41 has a 4inch "woofer". Cannot expect miracles.

Doesn't matter if there's a "Klipsch" brand on the speakers, they are still small bookshelves unable to provide the kind of SPL your friend seems to ask for.

Small speakers driven by a clipping amplifier >> recipe for disaster. I can smell burned voice coils coming next.

Instead of a 5 small speakers package, your friend would be happier with a stereo pair of bigger, second hand Klipsch - anything from KG4 to LaScalas depending on budget. Anything with decent woofer size and REAL sensitivity ratings, which go loud with little power, is what you need if you really like to crank it up.

 

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