Cab woofy...

[clutch71]

In my estimation the cab is 8-10 years old. Two weeks ago my 4x12 sounded a little "woofy." It sits at work where I have access to an auditorium to crank my amp. That night when I got home I checked the bias on the DSL 50 and everything was fine. I was in Gainesville last week and haven't had an opportunity to work with it until yesterday. I took the back off the cab to see if anything had come loose inside. No speakers felt loose so I unbolted and inspected each speaker. To my untrained eye nothing seemed amiss. No tears in the cone. No cone appeared to be seperated from the base, the yellow stuff(???) of similar material to the cone looked fine.

Each speaker even after being unbolted was still "stuck" to the plywood. I had to apply rearward pressure slowly and carefully to remove them to visually inspect. Some of the bolts were not "hand tight" as I was unscrewing them. I put each back in and tightened them down to hand tight.

I noticed that on the back portion of the cab on the bottom (wish I had a camera) there was a small (3/4 inch deep, 1 inch wide, 4 inch long) piece on plywood on each side. Screws from the track lock casters (been on the amp since I've got it) and the foot screwed up into it from the bottom. The right hand side one actually had seperated and was sticking up about a half inch. I pried it off.

I put the back on and ensured every bolt (handles, track lock, feet, jack plate and back) were all hand tight.

I did not have the head with me to try it out.

Questions
1) Could a bolt have been loose cause a vibration to create the "woofiness?"
2) Is there any thing to look for when visually inspecting a speaker?
3) Could the plywood (since removed) have been the problem?
4) How long doe speakers last?
5) Oh, almost forgot...around the magnets there was white specs that wiped off with the finger?WTF? Not a lot but never looked inside a cab before.

Tomorrow I'm going to take the head down and check it out. Just wanted some thoughts first.

 

[Sling75]

It is not your cab! It's your playing style. You need to tighten up your chops a bit. That's what happens when you don't play stuff right. LOL! What's up Clutch.

 

[BobL]

Clutch,
Woofy is a pretty broad term, but generally as speakers age they become softer sounding. This is a result of the cones flexing and the driver motor assembly weakening. It's not something you can prevent but it can be cured either by reconing the drivers and fluxing the magnets, or by simply replacing the drivers themselves.

Another cause could well be your output tubes. Very often as output tubes age they become softer sounding as well and a change in low frequency response is the first thing you will notice. Lower tones will not be as stiff. Try the tubes if have spares first. That may cure the problem. Good luck.

 

[clutch71]

It is not your cab! It's your playing style. You need to tighten up your chops a bit. That's what happens when you don't play stuff right. LOL! What's up Clutch.

For those that don't know, that's Slingese for "I didn't here it." Saturday say noon? Sundays out.


Bobl,

I was hoping you'd chime in! I'll give a good test test run tomorrow. If Sling75 is along I'll run his Trem through it just to elimintate the amp if present. Also plan on taking additional speaker cable JIC.. Tubes are not the issue. Problem not duplicated w/ 2x12 at any volume.

Is it expensive for the work you described? Better than replacement? I've got a place in mind if so. Thought I saw an online dealer for $110 per speaker. I'm really hoping something was just loose. My brother noticed it too.

Thanks!