Bad crossover, amp or? Help

[rotwiler]

I had kenwood components in door, was ok, but never been a fan of kenwood for highs and the mid bass was ok, but nothing special. Decided to install JBL power series p660c components in place of the Kenwoods and sound deadened doors. Instantly the JBLs sounded crisp, clean, more mid bass and was happy. After about a week, started noticing a odd sound from front right tweeter, almost like at certain freq, some lower freq might be getting to the tweeter, but to me sounded like tweeter was semi blown, at medium levels a kind of crackle sound on certain songs. So at time I contacted jbl, they had no more of the model and only offered a in store credit. I decided to keep them and just replace tweeter since I liked the mid bass those produced. I got lucky and found some open box older tweeters on ebay that at one time were part of a $800 comp set for $20, so put those in, now same issue. I noticed I don't hear so much of the issue until I been playing speakers for a bit, like 15+ minutes. Amp is 125watts rms, but have it turned down low, so no way the speakers now are seeing anywhere near that power, but first few days I was testing them at 125watts, but not long sessions of listening, they are 90 Watts rms components. So now thinking maybe the crossover cap might be going out I dunno, never had issue like this before, or maybe amp?

 

[BWL]

Running passive or active? If passive like it sounds like see if there's wiring options to cut the tweeters down. Some passive crossovers in component sets have wiring options for 3 or 6 dB cuts. If you're overpowering them a 3db cut should sort that out. Crackling is a good sign of overpowering tweeters just like popping from the midbass is a sign of overpowering them. If it's a crossover I don't know how to tell. Hopefully somebody can chime in on a test procedure for the tweeter. That would likely require a knowledge of the ohm load and desired cut off frequency and some metering with an accurate meter.

 

[TomT]

Any chance it’s a vibration or something giving off that sound?

 

[TomT]

One way to test would be to switch left and right at the amp and see if the problem stays or switches sides.

 

[rotwiler]

Is passive, definitely not overpowering them now, even at max volume, is about same level as a good oem stereo. Turned it down until I can solve issue. I thought may have been something rattling, but never did it with the Kenwoods, plus I did butyl around any place that could rattle. Will try switching channels and see if goes away. I may also get out the old kenwood crossovers and see if that helps also. But switching channel is simple and can try turning db down on tweeter, but think it is down, I don't care for bright tweeters.

 

[88ROOK]

i sorta had he same problem but mine would cut out completely. found a bad rca connection and had to replace one one my "Y" splitters i was using

 

[autokraftgt]

How low is the tweeters allowed to play according to the passive xover? And what is the recommended xover point for those tweeters?
The only time I have heard "crackling" from tweeters is when (my old system) tweeter amp got wet and started sending DC current to the tweeters....but both tweeters were fried within a few seconds of DC current

 

[adurm]

Jbl 2 ohm?

 

[BWL]

i sorta had he same problem but mine would cut out completely. found a bad rca connection and had to replace one one my "Y" splitters i was using

Might be onto something. Loose speaker connections or a wire that rubbed through and is grounding would give those symptoms as well

 

[88ROOK]

Might be onto something. Loose speaker connections or a wire that rubbed through and is grounding would give those symptoms as well[/QUOT

Ijs. Thats what mine was, thought i blew the dash speaker cause it kept crackling. Then finally cut out, wiggled a few wires behind the HU and it would go in and out, so i replaced the rca going to that front speaker and problem gone

 

[rotwiler]

Jbl 2 ohm?

Yes jbl 2 ohm components, p660c.

 

[rotwiler]

Almost sounds like a slight amount of bass gets to them. I haven't had a chance yet to remove panel, but all was great when the kenwood comps were in, week after putting in the jbls is when issue started. I also notice when I first listen to stereo, seems ok and over time, like 15 minutes, then I start noticing the sound quality gets worse.

 

[TomT]

That sounds like something may be overheating (amp, crossover, maybe a partially shorted wire).

 

[adurm]

I would redo your amp levels if you haven't already. Going from 4 to 2 ohm will make a big difference.

 

[rotwiler]

The kenwood were 2 ohm also, but yes I need to go over everything, levels wires etc.