AUDIO HELP - Waketower speaker issue, how to address

[gt2003]

A few weeks ago one of the bolts came out of my tower, it pulled away from the boat and in the process it snapped both speaker wires that run from my amp up to the wake tower speakers. I was able to reconnect one set of wires and one of the speakers works fine. The other wouldn't work so I assumed when it snapped that it created a short in the wire. I rewired from the amp to the speaker with new 16 gauge wire. No luck. So, I replaced the 4 pole speakon audio connector. Still no luck. Just to be sure the speaker worked, I disconnected the working speaker and connected the wire to the non-working speaker and it worked. So, obviously the problem is in the wiring. Any ideas on how to diagnose? I've got an electrical tester but not sure what setting to put it on. Also, I've got the wires connected to the 1- and 1+ poles of the connector. Do I need to change to the 2- and 2+? Just looking for ideas before I break down and take it in to a shop. Thanks in advance.

 

[alldodge]

You know the speakers work but you haven't indicated the amp works on the side feeding the speaker. It could be that when the damage happened it blew the finals on that side. At the amp output connect the speaker directly to the output channel being used to drive the problem side. If it works then it's in the wiring, if not it's in the amp.

Also do you have any crossovers or filters inline?

 

[gt2003]

I'm pretty ignorant of stereo electronics (therein lies the problem). So you are saying take the speaker out of the speaker can and wire it directly to the wires from the amp. Correct? I can do that.

If it blew the "finals", will that require a new amp or can it be fixed?

 

[alldodge]

I'm pretty ignorant of stereo electronics (therein lies the problem). So you are saying take the speaker out of the speaker can and wire it directly to the wires from the amp. Correct? I can do that.

Yes, remove the wires going to the speaker in question and attach directly.

You stated you replaced the wires going to the speakers which was telling me you went from where they were connected to the speaker. Not knowing if this was the amp or another area is my question of how were the wires replaced?

If it blew the "finals", will that require a new amp or can it be fixed?

If the finals were blown, it can be repaired but may be cheaper to buy another. Keep in mind I don't know what you have (model, manufacture, other items connected to system)

 

[gt2003]

You stated you replaced the wires going to the speakers which was telling me you went from where they were connected to the speaker. Not knowing if this was the amp or another area is my question of how were the wires replaced?

The speakers are approx. 6" Kenwood speakers mounted in Air Nautique speaker cans. The wire runs from the amplifier to a speakon connector that twists into the speaker can. I have not taken the speakers out or messed with them at all. I simply ran a new wire from the amplifier where the old wiring was, connected it to a speakon connector and twisted that into the speaker can.

If the finals were blown, it can be repaired but may be cheaper to buy another. Keep in mind I don't know what you have (model, manufacture, other items connected to system)
[/QUOTE]

I'm sure it's not a super expensive amp. I'm guessing it would be possible for one set of finals to be blown and one set to be ok since one of the tower speakers is working and one is not.

 

[alldodge]

I simply ran a new wire from the amplifier where the old wiring was, connected it to a speakon connector and twisted that into the speaker can.

In this case your finals are probably blown on that side. A "final" is the final output transistor which is used to end the signal to the speaker. The amp will have a final output transistor for each channel (front, rear, left right, etc). It doesn't have to but most do otherwise you don't get any separation of the sound.

Before we say it is the amp, find the wires going from the head unit (stereo receiver) to the amp. Your looking for RCA type connectors which push into the amp. There should be one for each side and/or channel. Find the left and right and swap them. If the sounds still does not come out the speaker then its the amp, if it moves to the other speaker then its probably the head unit

 

[littlerayray]

I'm sure other boaters aren't complaining about the blown speaker :laugh:

 

[gt2003]

WIll do AllDodge.

Nah LittleRayRay, I generally keep the radio quite low. It just had the tower and speakers on it when I bought it. Not too fond of those who thing everyone wants to listen to their music!

 

[Bonus Check]

Lilrayray, Good to see you posted a picture of that Blueberry Tahoe. Looks like mine but I have the Tahoe Tower.

gt2003, Do you have the Tahoe Tower? I take my bolts out and fold my tower just about every weekend. I fold the tower to put the cover on. Do you use and loctite?

 

[littlerayray]

Yeah I like at the end of the season in a month or so if the funds are there u want to get the windows tinted to a mirror finish

 

[Bonus Check]

I tinted mine this year. The tint man quoted a price but said he would not do it for anything less than $300 for anyone else. The parabolic windshield was terrible to fit and cut.

 

[littlerayray]

Ok now sorry to say but we are getting off topic this is gt 2003's topic about his speakers sorry to say but we are hijacking it let's get back on topic

 

[bruceb58]

Get a small speaker and connect up to the amp outputs one at a time to test the amp

To identify if the wires going to the speakers are really a pair, hook an ohm meter to them. Should be just a few ohms.

As long as your stereo wasn't on when all the damaged happened, there should be no damage to the amp unless you caused it later yourself.

 

[gt2003]

Lilrayray, Good to see you posted a picture of that Blueberry Tahoe. Looks like mine but I have the Tahoe Tower.

gt2003, Do you have the Tahoe Tower? I take my bolts out and fold my tower just about every weekend. I fold the tower to put the cover on. Do you use and loctite?

I do not have the Tahoe tower. Mine doesn't collapse. Uhm, I use Loctite now, lol!

 

[gt2003]

Get a small speaker and connect up to the amp outputs one at a time to test the amp

To identify if the wires going to the speakers are really a pair, hook an ohm meter to them. Should be just a few ohms.

As long as your stereo wasn't on when all the damaged happened, there should be no damage to the amp unless you caused it later yourself.

Will do with the ohm meter. I'm quite confident that they are a pair though as I ran them myself and hooked them up exactly like the previous wires that got broken.

Unfortunately the stereo was on when the damage happened.

I will be back in the boat either tonight or tomorrow night. I'll see what I can come up with. I've printed off the various parts of the thread and will go through, test things then post what i find. Thanks

 

[Bonus Check]

I don't use any loctite on mine either. Have you worked out anything on your amp to see if the connections at the amp were messed up when your tower fell?

 

[gt2003]

See if I diagnosed it correctly. The bottom left RCA port is what goes to the speaker. I switched the right and left RCA plugs and the speaker still works. As long as the bottom left RCA port has an RCA plug in it, the one speaker works. No matter what, the left one does not. My diagnosis is this tells me the problem is in the final to the affected side. Sound right?

 

[alldodge]

I forget which speaker is not working, lets say left is not working. So moving left speaker to the right channel causes the speaker to work and now the right one does not. This would mean the amp on the left side is blown. That is if there is no change when swapping the output from the head unit to the amp input

 

[gt2003]

I think we are on the same page. The left speaker is NOT working no matter what RCA cord coming from the head unit is connected. When I switch the rca connectors that run from the head unit (move left to right and right to left) the right speaker continues to work but the left one never does. My interpretation is, that means that both outputs from the head unit are OK but the problem is the output/final from the amp up to the speaker itself. Thoughts?

 

[alldodge]

Yep, agree it's the amp