# Speakers do not smell healthy



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Today my Emotiva XPA-1's came so i hooked them up to my fronts (Paradigm Monitor 11's) rocked out for quite awhile with all sorts of different music and when i went over to shut the system down i could smell electrical yuck coming from both Towers. I am wondering what anyones thoughts are on this:
Am i over driving them? (they sound crystal clear at all volumes) or am i shorting the amps on current causing clipping?
As of now all my equipment AVR, 2 XPA's, PS3, TV and Cable box all share the same 15amp circuit:yikes:. I haven't tripped a breaker and like i said the speakers are playing clean without alot of cone travel, i am just wondering what you folks think about this, am i slowly burning up the coils in my drivers or just not feeding the amps enough current :dontknow:. 
Thanks, Bambino.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

That is a strange one bambino, are the speakers new? but even then you should not have a burning smell of some sort, what is the power rating on these amps? :scratch:


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

The amps are 500watts at 8ohms and the speakers are maybe 6 months old or so. They should be well broken in but have never seen this much power i believe they are rated at 200 maybe 250watts max. They take the power very well and never sounded distorted or overdriven (just really clean).
After thinking about it last night i came to a couple conclusions, either the coils are slowly burning, or maybe the crossover. Also i remember from my car audio days having some mammoth subs that were fed way more power then they needed and also had a burning smell, the owner of ED ran his business out of our town at the time and he said the smell was the glue on the coil former heating up and it was nothing to worry about, the subs never failed me even after all the severe poundings they received. 
So in all my conclusions i am thinking it's possibly the glue on the drvers or maybe even the cooling fluid used in the tweeters or like i said maybe just slowly cooking them.

Thanks for the reply John, any advice or thoughts are more then welcome and appreiciated, Bambino.:T


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## Zeitgeist (Apr 4, 2009)

Yeah - I've read about the adhesives heating up and baking a little bit. Supposed to be harmless as long as the coils aren't cooked.

How hard were you pushing them anyway? Music that was peaky -- or sustained high output?

I doubt the problem is the Emotivas.. I think they're pretty robust.


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

I have had it happen before, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

Matt


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

mdrake said:


> I have had it happen before, I don't think there's anything to worry about.


A more powerful amp is all the better as you are more likely to damage speakers with a less powerful one...


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## ironglen (Mar 4, 2009)

Didn't I warn you about frying eggs AND listening to heavy metal concurrently? :nono: :rofl:

While your supplying clean power, you have to keep in mind the power handling capacity of those speakers more closely as you won't get the typical warning sign of distortion to back off. Those drivers will just crank that clean signal, that is until you do burn a winding. You probably did heat something up, but if it's more than a close vicinity odor, I think you're on the verge of playing with fire Bambino. We should be neighbors! :hsd: :dumbcrazy:


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

ironglen said:


> Didn't I warn you about frying eggs AND listening to heavy metal concurrently? :nono: :rofl:
> 
> While your supplying clean power, you have to keep in mind the power handling capacity of those speakers more closely as you won't get the typical warning sign of distortion to back off. Those drivers will just crank that clean signal, that is until you do burn a winding. You probably did heat something up, but if it's more than a close vicinity odor, I think you're on the verge of playing with fire Bambino. We should be neighbors! :hsd: :dumbcrazy:


I think the word your looking for is being "Sensible" lddude:


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## ironglen (Mar 4, 2009)

I didn't know that smilie existed. :heehee: But it's right on!


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Thanks for all of your replys. I think you have all got it right, with all the "clean" power i am throwing at these things it is hard to tell when it's time to back off as i do not get that sign of distortion you might get from being under powered.
Sensible is a good word for it as i was listening at above what i hope most would consider "referance level". 
Glenn, anytime you want to move their is a house for sale next door. Then the police would have to scratch their heads to try and figure out which house was rocking out.:hsd::R


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## ironglen (Mar 4, 2009)

bambino said:


> Glenn, anytime you want to move their is a house for sale next door. Then the police would have to scratch their heads to try and figure out which house was rocking out.:hsd::R


You: :dumbcrazy: :hsd: :hsd: :dumbcrazy: :Me


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

:dumbcrazy:LOL!:hsd: I like it.:T


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Well i figured out where the funny smell was coming from, last night while having abit of a jam session all of the sudden no more highs, the tweeters sizzeld on me. Good thing for having a 5 year warrenty and an awesome dealer.:heehee:
I've been contemplating building some of my own Towers but i haven't a clue where to begin, i need something that can handle all the power i'm throwing at these things. 
I do fortunatly have a second pair of 11's sitting around just begging to be broken in.:devil:


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

Yep you pushed them past their breaking point.... Time for some compression horns. :devil:


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Man! This place is bad isn't it?


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

I feel upgraditis coming on :rofl:

Seriously though sorry to hear that it was something dying on you, I have sympathy and hope all is sorted fast for you bambino


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Thanks John, i'm just glad i won't be without speakers as i do have another set of Monitor 11's that haven't had much play time so i'll hook them up while i wait it out for the new tweeters to arrive.

I really do think however that i need much more powerful speakers but at the time building is the only option i've got, buying speakers that can handle the caliber of power the XPA-1's dish out is beyond my budget.

Upgrade-itus it is.:T


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

> Well i figured out where the funny smell was coming from, last night while having abit of a jam session all of the sudden no more highs, the tweeters sizzeld on me


.

You won't smell a tweeter through the port before it fries, the smell was coming from the coils getting hot on the woofers.




> Good thing for having a 5 year warrenty and an awesome dealer.


It will be obvious what the cause of failure was, don't hold your breath on warranty.

​
​


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Hopefully having a good dealership they can usually assist with any kind of warranty issues if questioned and if they want continued business :whistling:


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

bambino said:


> Man! This place is bad isn't it?


See!! Exactly what I'm talkin' about. 

"I watched Transformers and my sub blew down half my house"

Typical HTS reply:
"Get a bigger sub to finish the job."

I'm at home ...


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Mike P. said:


> .
> 
> You won't smell a tweeter through the port before it fries, the smell was coming from the coils getting hot on the woofers.
> 
> ...


Acctually it was coming from the midbass driver after further investigation last night, you can smell the burnt coil right on the speakers. The bass drivers are fine. The tweeters have a bad smell to them as well just not the same smell as the midbass.
As far as the warrenty, i have no worries i've been dealing withe guy for allmost 20 years.:T


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Dealing with the same guy for 20 years is going to help, I hope it all works out for you.


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

bambino said:


> Well i figured out where the funny smell was coming from, last night while having abit of a jam session all of the sudden no more highs, the tweeters sizzeld on me. Good thing for having a 5 year warrenty and an awesome dealer.:heehee:
> I've been contemplating building some of my own Towers but i haven't a clue where to begin, i need something that can handle all the power i'm throwing at these things.
> I do fortunatly have a second pair of 11's sitting around just begging to be broken in.:devil:


Sorry to hear. XPA-1s are a beast eh! 

I await your DIY Catalyst/Triple 8/Triple 12 Build


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Mike P. said:


> Dealing with the same guy for 20 years is going to help, I hope it all works out for you.


Thanks Mike.:T 

I have it tossed up in the air right now but ever since i got the XPA-1's i've been thinking of building my own Towers and Center channel. I know which drivers i want to use but don't really know how to go about it. I'm gonna start a Thread when i get a minute to share my ideas and hope that one of our in house experts can help out.:help:


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

GranteedEV said:


> Sorry to hear. XPA-1s are a beast eh!
> 
> I await your DIY Catalyst/Triple 8/Triple 12 Build


I'm thinkin quad 8's dual 6's and maybe dual tweets.:devil:


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

bambino said:


> I'm thinkin quad 8's dual 6's and maybe dual tweets.:devil:


When i said triple 8 i meant a speaker based on a coaxial 8" driver as the core 

Little else will give you that type of sensitivity and power handling.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

GranteedEV said:


> When i said triple 8 i meant a speaker based on a coaxial 8" driver as the core
> 
> Little else will give you that type of sensitivity and power handling.


OK. I see what you meant, those sound like some serious speakers. The price is some what in the range of all the drivers i have been looking at combined.:spend: Looks like it's research time.:nerd:


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

bambino said:


> OK. I see what you meant, those sound like some serious speakers. The price is some what in the range of all the drivers i have been looking at combined.:spend: Looks like it's research time.:nerd:


I linked the quintuple 8s btw, not the triple 8s.

Keep in mind that the crossover on that thing is probably amazing, so I'm not sure if you could get the same level of results going DIY. It's an incredible speaker... yes it can go loud enough to fill a community but where it really stands out is its musical chops. If you do decide to use that type of coaxial (I believe it uses either an Eminence or B&C 8" Coaxial) you'll have your work cut out for you to measure it properly and cross it over correctly.

But it would definitely be worthy of the XPA-1 if you pulled it off 

Seas also makes a _very_ nice coaxial IIRC. It's probably on the expensive side. Dr Carter aka TLS Guy over on the audioholics boards uses the seas coaxial on his center channel and his crossover makes for one of the most enviable speakers out there... if there's anyone I'd ask for crossover design advice it would be him. He has some of the most amazing-sounding-looking speakers on the internet.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

All of there speakers look like some serious quality, i would love to have 3 of the Quintuple's. I'm afraid i wouldn't be welcome in the neighborhood after those babies got fired up.:bigsmile:
I like how there power ratings are "conservative".:whistling:


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

:dontknow::dontknow::dontknow: I wonder who's making all that racket fellas



bambino said:


> All of there speakers look like some serious quality, i would love to have 3 of the Quintuple's. I'm afraid i wouldn't be welcome in the neighborhood after those babies got fired up.:bigsmile:
> I like how there power ratings are "conservative".:whistling:


Contact JTR You'll get better information than just a spec sheet by owners, as well as by Jeff himself.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I'll do that, thanks Grant.:T


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

No offense but this shouldn't be covered under warranty, you over powered / drove the speakers too hard and as a result something failed, that is user abuse. 

It's great that you have a relationship with a dealer who probably will try to help you out but don't just expect it to be covered.

This type of "warranty" claim is the reason why companies are always suspicious and investigate as much as possible and thus makes it harder for someone who has a legitimate warranty claim.

Sorry for the rant but it does effect everyone as companies have to absorb these type of claims all the time and as a result pass the cost on to the customer one way or another, either actual cost or shortening of warranties etc.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

nholmes1 said:


> No offense but this shouldn't be covered under warranty, you over powered / drove the speakers too hard and as a result something failed, that is user abuse.
> 
> It's great that you have a relationship with a dealer who probably will try to help you out but don't just expect it to be covered.
> 
> ...


No offense taken and i allready know everything your saying.:T


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

I think JTR speakers are in order for Bambino as well. They have the type of power handling you need and are very sensitive. They are pro-audio speakers so they will certainly have the stated power rating. They can fill a park with sound.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

lsiberian said:


> I think JTR speakers are in order for Bambino as well. They have the type of power handling you need and are very sensitive. They are pro-audio speakers so they will certainly have the stated power rating. They can fill a park with sound.


Thats baiting lsiberian:nono:. Now my wallet is getting hot!:spend:


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

GranteedEV said:


> I linked the quintuple 8s btw, not the triple 8s.
> 
> Keep in mind that the crossover on that thing is probably amazing, so I'm not sure if you could get the same level of results going DIY. It's an incredible speaker... yes it can go loud enough to fill a community but where it really stands out is its musical chops. If you do decide to use that type of coaxial (I believe it uses either an Eminence or B&C 8" Coaxial) you'll have your work cut out for you to measure it properly and cross it over correctly.
> 
> ...





bambino said:


> Thats baiting lsiberian:nono:. Now my wallet is getting hot!:spend:






 should send you over the top.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

lsiberian said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWznxY4CmI4 should send you over the top.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That is outragious, not only will i be kicked out of the neighborhood i'd be kicked out of the house with no more wife and kids, those things are amazing! i don't think i need to read any reviews, that video spoke for them enough.:help::help::help:


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

bambino said:


> ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That is outragious, not only will i be kicked out of the neighborhood i'd be kicked out of the house with no more wife and kids, those things are amazing! i don't think i need to read any reviews, that video spoke for them enough.:help::help::help:


Nah you'd be okay they'd just chalk it up to a concert. But they are definitely the most powerful speakers I'm aware of because they have zero port compression and are a line array with amazing power handling and efficiency. You'd use 1/8th the power you current speakers use too. 

I don't want you getting in trouble though.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Even if you do get the speakers fixed I would now be contemplating an upgrade for the fronts seeing how much power you have on tap, its certainly a valid reason that should get the approval of the wife :T


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

recruit said:


> Even if you do get the speakers fixed I would now be contemplating an upgrade for the fronts seeing how much power you have on tap, its certainly a valid reason that should get the approval of the wife :T


That approval should be an easy one i hope (i'll let her know that we have to upgrade or this will just continue) she is pretty understanding of these sorts of things and of my disorder i have so she will let me upgrade in time (i hope). New speakers aren't something you can hide very easily.:heehee:


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

I never tell the other half what I am going to do, it just keeps thing simple for me then...its only when she has been sitting down for about half an hour that she realises something is different in the room :devil:


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

bambino said:


> New speakers aren't something you can hide very easily.:heehee:


If you ever do get JTRs... they do come in finishes other than truck bedliner btw XD .


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

recruit said:


> I never tell the other half what I am going to do, it just keeps thing simple for me then...its only when she has been sitting down for about half an hour that she realises something is different in the room :devil:


That is funny, When i switched from the Monitor7's to the Monitor11's she never did notice and the 11's are about twice the size of the 7's. LOL! I still haven't pointed that out to her and i have 2 sets of them.:devil: Kind of funny how sometimes they don't notice the obvious.:scratch:


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Lol! yes I agree, my girlfriend has been with me so long that she know's what I am like and when does notice something is a miss, she cannot be bothered to argue anyway, she is pretty understanding anyway and she always get what she likes but over the last couple of years since my daughter was born I have slowed down :gulp:


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Update: I talked to my dealer today and told him the situation with the towers and the blown Tweeters, he said no problem get me the serial #'s and i'll get some new ones on order.:sn: Guess that is one of the benefits of dealing with the same place your whole life.:clap:


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## Zeitgeist (Apr 4, 2009)

bambino said:


> Update: I talked to my dealer today and told him the situation with the towers and the blown Tweeters, he said no problem get me the serial #'s and i'll get some new ones on order.:sn: Guess that is one of the benefits of dealing with the same place your whole life.:clap:


He's probably happy to help you out... when he knows that you'll be back for bigger badder speakers!


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Zeitgeist said:


> He's probably happy to help you out... when he knows that you'll be back for bigger badder speakers!


Your right, he also knows that is the only place i shop. The way this guy is, he'll find a buyer for these and set me up with the bigger badder ones.:devil:


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

Glad to hear he is taking care of you, as I probably would have done as well for any of my clients especially one as loyal as you are. Now upgrade and getting something that will handle your listening habits a little better. :T


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

nholmes1 said:


> Glad to hear he is taking care of you, as I probably would have done as well for any of my clients especially one as loyal as you are. Now upgrade and getting something that will handle your listening habits a little better. :T


+1:T Thanks nholmes.


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## JoeESP9 (Jun 29, 2009)

I really wish people would not call speakers "powerful". It confuses newbies and is inaccurate. Speakers don't have or produce power. Speakers aren't powerful. They use power. 

bambino: 
You've been crankin' it up. Maybe you should get a SPL meter. Then you could tell us exactly how loud it was.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

JoeESP9 said:


> I really wish people would not call speakers "powerful". It confuses newbies and is inaccurate. Speakers don't have or produce power. Speakers aren't powerful. They use power.
> 
> bambino:
> You've been crankin' it up. Maybe you should get a SPL meter. Then you could tell us exactly how loud it was.


Hi joe, it is too late for an SPL meter now as i have allready severly damaged my tweeters and the coils in the mid bass's once i get them fixed i probly will hop over to Parts Express and pick one up so i can see how loud i did have it. Obviously though the power of the XPA-1's was a bit more then they can handle, i also know that i was riding the fence on destructing them. I'll post back when i get the speakers fixed, should be a week or so.:T


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