hf drivers blown on one side of an array

[newfie76]

could the audio processor be causing only one side of an array to blow it's hf drivers? replaced two drivers already got 3 weeks out of them and happened again.

 

[MNicolai]

Could be. Depends how it's set up. There are a few different reasons that could cause your drivers to sizzle on you.

Ideally your DSP would have the manufacturer's recommended corrective EQ, as well as a limiter and potentially high-pass and low-pass filters. All of which work together to prevent damage to your loudspeakers. A good DSP programmer worth their salt will put the room correction EQ in a separate EQ stage than your manufacturer's recommended EQ. That way you can tune the speakers to flat in free air in one stage, and tune the speakers to the room in another. I've seen a great number of DSP files though where the programming is done by the "spaghetti-at-the-wall" approach, which leaves your loudspeakers far more susceptible to damaging peaks and frequencies.

Another potential cause is that your amplifiers are clipping out and sending clipped signals out to your loudspeakers, which can lead them to untimely and early deaths. Again, though -- if your DSP is coordinated with your amplifier gains (as it should be), limiters should be in place that protect your system from damage.

Can you provide more information on what your setup is? Manufacturers, model numbers, signal-chain from console to loudspeakers, etc?

 

[newfie76]

Could be. Depends how it's set up. There are a few different reasons that could cause your drivers to sizzle on you.

Ideally your DSP would have the manufacturer's recommended corrective EQ, as well as a limiter and potentially high-pass and low-pass filters. All of which work together to prevent damage to your loudspeakers. A good DSP programmer worth their salt will put the room correction EQ in a separate EQ stage than your manufacturer's recommended EQ. That way you can tune the speakers to flat in free air in one stage, and tune the speakers to the room in another. I've seen a great number of DSP files though where the programming is done by the "spaghetti-at-the-wall" approach, which leaves your loudspeakers far more susceptible to damaging peaks and frequencies.

Another potential cause is that your amplifiers are clipping out and sending clipped signals out to your loudspeakers, which can lead them to untimely and early deaths. Again, though -- if your DSP is coordinated with your amplifier gains (as it should be), limiters should be in place that protect your system from damage.

Can you provide more information on what your setup is? Manufacturers, model numbers, signal-chain from console to loudspeakers, etc?

Could be. Depends how it's set up. There are a few different reasons that could cause your drivers to sizzle on you.

Ideally your DSP would have the manufacturer's recommended corrective EQ, as well as a limiter and potentially high-pass and low-pass filters. All of which work together to prevent damage to your loudspeakers. A good DSP programmer worth their salt will put the room correction EQ in a separate EQ stage than your manufacturer's recommended EQ. That way you can tune the speakers to flat in free air in one stage, and tune the speakers to the room in another. I've seen a great number of DSP files though where the programming is done by the "spaghetti-at-the-wall" approach, which leaves your loudspeakers far more susceptible to damaging peaks and frequencies.

Another potential cause is that your amplifiers are clipping out and sending clipped signals out to your loudspeakers, which can lead them to untimely and early deaths. Again, though -- if your DSP is coordinated with your amplifier gains (as it should be), limiters should be in place that protect your system from damage.

Can you provide more information on what your setup is? Manufacturers, model numbers, signal-chain from console to loudspeakers, etc?

system used is a TOA line array with the dp-k1 dsp. toa looked at the graphs in dsp and all were in good range,as well as hf drivers measuring 4ohms like they should.. sr-a12swp boxes x 4 per side. it is a 8 channel dsp running in parrallel.
SR-A12SWP
SR-A12SWP

 

[FMEng]

An amp going into ultrasonic oscillation or putting DC on output would kill an HF driver without any obvious cause. Time for a knowledgeable tech with proper test equipment to investigate.

 

[JD]

An amp going into ultrasonic oscillation or putting DC on output would kill an HF driver without any obvious cause. Time for a knowledgeable tech with proper test equipment to investigate.

My thought as well. It can be very sneaky as you can't hear it, but the damage can be massive.

 

[avare]

could the audio processor be causing only one side of an array to blow it's hf drivers? replaced two drivers already got 3 weeks out of them and happened again.

What is the failure mode? Voice coils unlaminated? Diaphragm cracked or misshapen? Other?

Andre