jll audio 10w6: blown surround

[gride]

i've had this sub since late 2005. i recently noticed at high volumes that things would rattle like crazy. just took the grill off and the seam between the cone and the surround has about a 2" tear in it. will JL fix this(i don't assume for free) or is there another place i can send it? nobody in my area does repairs on this i do not believe.

[EarmarkMarine]

JL Audio will recone the speaker for a fee. All moving parts are replaced so it will be essentially a new speaker. It happens for a reason so determine why it happened before you reinstall it. Any surround (foam or butyl rubber) is like a tire so neither will last forever. Seven years is a long time but we have had them in service for 10 or more years without an issue.

David
Earmark Marine

[gride]

What are a few things that could cause this? It has a jl audio grill. I have always assumed ultimate audio built a proper enclosure. It is small though.

[EarmarkMarine]

Enclosure leaks are the number one cause of fatiqued or torn suspensions as its like running a tire without air pressure at highway speeds. Those sidewalls will give it up after a while. Not using a proper terminal cup is a common cause. A caulked wire hole never stays sealed for long. A rough enclosure finish (bedliner) needs a silicon gasket as the thin foam gasket is not enough. Bad tuning, wrong crossover selection, use of amplifier bass EQ in a boat, wrong enclosure, too small, too large, bass-reflex tuned too high, not using a subsonic filter, locker or compartment not adequately vented making the sub and amplifier work four times harder for the same output are just a few of the many considerations.

David
Earmark Marine

[gride]

I'm taking it to a dealer to be shipped today. Jl says $155 which includes return shipping. I'm going to reseal the box and retune the amp when the repair work is completed. It's in my truck. I bet there's a leak.

[EarmarkMarine]

In an airtight enclosure as you push the cone all the way in (slowly, centered and carefully) it should return to neutral in a slightly retarded manner. Remove the terminal cup and try it again. If there is no detectable difference keep checking until you find the culprit. Reseal the inside seams. Btw, for general consumption, if it's a prefabbed 1/2-inch thick (although the front baffle may be thicker) fold-up type enclosure, there is no fixing that box. Just replace it.

David
Earmark Marine