# Burning smell



## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

Hi. Running jlaudio zr650 off a jlaudio xd100/5v2 amp. Im running it bridged to supply 200x2 rms to the components. Im getting a burning smell, it's very subtle and smells like those capguns we had as a child. This only happens at high volumes. The speakers are new so is that why? Also, my stereo (kenwood dnx8160) has an option to pick dual zone. When its on single zone my music is so much more powerful and lots of bass. Clean music as well. When its on dual zone the music is a lot less powerful and much much less bass. Basically a huge difference between the two and also the smell isnt produced when its on dual zone as its not as powerful. Also the equaliser cant be touched on dual zone it wont let me. First i just wanted to know what this option is, and is it safe?


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## GEM592 (Jun 19, 2015)

Some speaker voice coils will give off a particular smell if you warm them up enough while playing at high volumes. This may happen more often with new speakers, but also may indicate that you are clipping the amplifier (even if you think you can't hear it). Clipped power warms up speakers fast.

So check if your drivers are warm. If so, try to see if the smell is apparently coming from them. If so, consider adjusting your amp.


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Lot of power on speakers, which I'm a fan of, for sure...headroom...but sounds like you're pushing a little hard. Especially since you say it's when eq is set dynamically and are playing loud.


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

GEM592 said:


> Some speaker voice coils will give off a particular smell if you warm them up enough while playing at high volumes. This may happen more often with new speakers, but also may indicate that you are clipping the amplifier (even if you think you can't hear it). Clipped power warms up speakers fast.
> 
> So check if your drivers are warm. If so, try to see if the smell is apparently coming from them. If so, consider adjusting your amp.


There wont be clipping im supplying 200watts rms


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

DPGstereo said:


> Lot of power on speakers, which I'm a fan of, for sure...headroom...but sounds like you're pushing a little hard. Especially since you say it's when eq is set dynamically and are playing loud.[/QUOTE
> 
> Yh i think you are right. The bass is so loud and it hits clean no distortion on the music but i guess its still too much for door speakers


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## DC/Hertz (Nov 27, 2011)

I don’t think you know what clipping is or how to avoid it 
Also you are smelling the caps in the passive crossover. 
Back the gain or volume down or they will blow up. It’s loud.


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## Theslaking (Oct 8, 2013)

If you have a passive component set a burning smell is never ok.


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## Truthunter (Jun 15, 2015)

How did you set your gains?


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## thornygravy (May 28, 2016)

If you think it's coming from your door woofers, you can try setting the high pass filter a bit higher. What are they playing down to at the moment?


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## drop1 (Jul 26, 2015)

How often has it happened. I usually do it on purpose the first time. 
After that every set of speakers ive had in the last 20 years would play comfortably at that volume and never smell again for years. May not be right at all but it works for me. I wait about 2 days of normal listening then really get on them careful not to be clipping or causing distortion. The second i smell them the system gets turned down drastically amd stays that way for 30 min to an hour. After the cooling period i can play them at the volume that caused the smell forever. 22 years of this and ive never blown a speaker in a car minus my very first sub. It was used and not in good condition and i was severly underpowering it.


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## GEM592 (Jun 19, 2015)

omid021 said:


> There wont be clipping im supplying 200watts rms


Well I knew you would say that. 

I'm running 300 Watts per 6.5 only (not per pair of speakers), they are not much nicer than yours, and I can play them constantly to mech limits with only slight warmth. Using a smaller amp results in more heat. 

So I understand what you're thinking, but more amplifier capacity never hurts if you like to run your system high enough to smell your drivers. And I know, it is exactly the opposite of what sounds like common sense.


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## DC/Hertz (Nov 27, 2011)

How does less power equal more heat? Not true at all.


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

A burning electric smell in a car is not a good thing. I have never had speakers smell like that. The only time I had that happen is when I was burning up an amp or recently a dsp (oops, don't switch rcas on a dsp when the system is on). Are you sure it's the speakers? 
Not saying this can't happen as others have said they have experienced it but that sounds a bit odd. I would attempt to find out what's cooking.


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## CBS13WRX (Mar 5, 2013)

Iamsecond said:


> A burning electric smell in a car is not a good thing. I have never had speakers smell like that. The only time I had that happen is when I was burning up an amp or recently a dsp (oops, don't switch rcas on a dsp when the system is on). Are you sure it's the speakers?
> Not saying this can't happen as others have said they have experienced it but that sounds a bit odd. I would attempt to find out what's cooking.[/QU
> 
> Check your pm's.


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

Very useful replies. I appreciate it. I would say its more like a scent rather than burning. Its a very subtle scent that the woofers give off which i compared to a capgun lol. But it is like that its the best and closest thing i can compare it to.


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## DC/Hertz (Nov 27, 2011)

omid021 said:


> Very useful replies. I appreciate it. I would say its more like a scent rather than burning. Its a very subtle scent that the woofers give off which i compared to a capgun lol. But it is like that its the best and closest thing i can compare it to.


Real question. I think I know your answer. 
Do you know having the gain knob all the way does not mean the amp is at full power?


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

DC/Hertz said:


> omid021 said:
> 
> 
> > Very useful replies. I appreciate it. I would say its more like a scent rather than burning. Its a very subtle scent that the woofers give off which i compared to a capgun lol. But it is like that its the best and closest thing i can compare it to.
> ...


No i dont know, however i turned the gain knob all the way down and the music has gone too powerful cant even turn it up it will blow my speakers. Dont know how thathas happened. Ok whats my problem tell me


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## DC/Hertz (Nov 27, 2011)

All the way down as in the lowest number or all the way left. 
The fix is setting the gain right. Full power could be all the way to the left, or it could be in the middle, etc.


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

DC/Hertz said:


> All the way down as in the lowest number or all the way left.
> The fix is setting the gain right. Full power could be all the way to the left, or it could be in the middle, etc.


I took it to my audio shop to bi-wire it as jl audio recommended me that. We did that but was awful, not enough power to the woofers, tweeters were harsh. So we put it back to how i already set it up myself and i literally had the gains correct. They used a multimeter and did it and was the same as i had it. 
However one thing they changed was the input voltage. I had it on high they said your amp works a lot harder on high so they switched that to low.

They tuned everything up whilst setting the dual zone feature on my kenwood headunit to dual zone. But when i set it to single zone the music is way more powerful like i mentioned in the original post. When on dual zone as well the equaliser cannot be accessed


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

DC/Hertz said:


> Real question. I think I know your answer.
> Do you know having the gain knob all the way does not mean the amp is at full power?


Lol. That was a leading question. Funny how many folks are confused about amp gain. 
Op, good answer by saying I don't know. Now D.C./hertz can teach a willing learner.


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

Iamsecond said:


> DC/Hertz said:
> 
> 
> > Real question. I think I know your answer.
> ...


Haha. Hopefully he'll teach me. im waiting for it... all i know is i can use a multimeter and adjust the gain until i hit 17volts but i forgot which test tune to use.


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## DC/Hertz (Nov 27, 2011)

1000hz at -5 to start.


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## omid021 (Aug 30, 2017)

DC/Hertz said:


> 1000hz at -5 to start.


Thanks will rip onto cd. Ive read 0db howcome you say -5


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