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Klispch Sub 12 rattling


Mage

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My Klipsch Sub 12 started rattling today. Been using it for years with no problems. During a TV show so no intensive bass or anything like that. I have not changed any settings. I unplugged and plugged it back (you never know), did not solve the problem. Turned it upside down (so woofer facing up), still rattles. The speaker/driver looks fine, still supple, no tears or anything. Also shook the cabinet a bit, nothing sounds loose. Any ideas what could be causing this? Maybe need a new driver but don't want to invest without checking first. Sub 12, the long cabinet, with BASH amp. I also hooked up another sub, no problems. I have not removed the cone or anything to look inside. If I do need a new driver are there other 12" models I can use? Finding an exact match is not easy, mostly used and expensive, especially with shipping. Thanks. Oh, haha, the "spell checker" tells me to check "Klipsch" as being misspelled, pretty funny considering this is a Klipsch forum ;) 

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Remove the driver from the cabinet but don't disconnect it. Run the subwoofer like that with the woofer resting on the magnet (extend the speaker leads if you have to with some home made clip leads, or similar gauge wires with the proper fitting male/female spade connectors). If it still rattles, you should be able to hear whether it's the driver or the cabinet. When separated, if the rattle disappears, you can conclude it's the amp or the cabinet. You can remove the amp from the cabinet and perform the same test, or remove both and run them without the cabinet.

 

If you need a new driver or amp module, check eBay. There are always Klipsch drivers for sale. I've seen somewhere a company that specializes in repairing the amps but don't recall the name. Perhaps someone else will chime in. Simplyspeakers.com does the same for drivers, so if necessary you may be able to get yours repaired.

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Thanks for reply. This is pretty funny actually. I had the sub away from the wall and hooked it up one more time to check the rattle. The port was facing forward so I could see inside. When I turned it on and started watching a show I heard the rattle but I saw something move inside the port. Went and checked, somehow a piece of paper got inside and most of the way back in the port. About a 3x8" piece of paper I had used as a list. I took it out, for now seems to be no rattle. Amazing, first of all how the paper even got in there, only opening is the port, not a big opening and facing the wall, only a few inches away.  Would have had to fall down, then sideways into the port then get sucked back. Also the amount of noise it made, sounded like a blown driver, it was loud. Anyway I will test more to be sure, just tested with a movie recorded on my Tivo, if sound is gone for. good I will be very happy

 

Oh, while I'm here, I'm not very knowledgeable about settings etc. I have 7 speakers plus the sub setup. Two Bose 901, two large Advent, two strange Sony speakers with flat drivers (APM-790s, being used for now as my Cerwin Vega towers need to be reconed) and a Klispch center channel. My receiver has settings, can choose full range for each set of two and the center or can set a crossover frequency for each set. Though my speakers are considered full range I usually have the settings at 80Hz crossover for each.  There is also a setting for LPF of LFE, I have it at 80Hz. And an equalizer setting, off or Audyssey, I have it set to Audyssey. On the sub itself I have the gain set halfway and the lowpass filter to 80 Hz. Any thoughts on the settings? I can set the crossover for each set of speakers individually. How about the gain on the sub, halfway good or should it be more or less? The receiver is an Onkyo, nothing fancy but gets the job done. I can adjust each speaker individually volume wise, I just try to get them all about the same volume for where I am sitting.

 

I kind of miss the "old days" before all these fancy settings etc. My first stereo was a Marantz 2270, AR-3a speakers and a manual AR turntable with Shure V15 type 3 spherical. I blew the tweeters and mids on the 3as a lot, if I fused them would have been replacing the fuses daily if not hourly. Stepped "up" to a Dynaco 400 amp (built from kit), Dyanco PAS 3x tube preamp (built from kit),  Onkyo tuner,  (highly rated (by the "Absolute Sound", those guys were funny, they told it like they saw it, no ads), ESS AMT3 "Rock Monitors" and a Kenwood KD500 turntable with Grace 707 tonearm and Sonus Blue cartridge. I really miss the Marantz, that was one great receiver, had it tested a few times, flat from 20-20K with virtually no THD and could actually put out closer to 90-100 watts per channel.  REAL watts ;) 

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