# Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...?



## gekbi219 (Sep 6, 2003)

I have a Kicker L5 sub hooked up to my Sony 5 channel amp. Today, I was listening to my music (just regular volume, nothing loud of too much bass) and the sub just stopped working. I go check it out, and press down on the cone, and works again for a couple seconds, and clips off again. Now, it doesn't work at all anymore, unless I keep holding the cone down..... Anybody experienced something like this? The amp itself is ok, because its powering other speakers. 
I was thinking loose wiring somewhere but the sub DOES work when I push the cone down...its like, when the cone goes up it doesn't produce any sounds


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (gekbi219)*

Either you got some debris stuck inbetween the Voice Coil and the Voice Coil Gap. Or Broken Tinsel leads.


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## Lexi (Jun 18, 2000)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (Non_Affiliated)*

Broken Tinsel leads would be my guess. I had a sub a while back that would do pretty much the same thing. The lead running from the terminals to the cone had the tinyest fracture right at the cone that cut out the sound, I VERY CAREFULLY soldered the connection and brought it back to life. Don't forget the cone is paper (or something simularily fragile & flammable)


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## gekbi219 (Sep 6, 2003)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (Lexi)*

Yeah, but the sound is there, it just cuts off when I am not pressing down on the cone...
So the leads are repairable?


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (gekbi219)*

Tinsel leads are the bradied wire that runs from the connection tabs, or binding post on the sub to the cone. Usally the connection is made close to the Voice coil former. Usally under the dust cap. That is where the Coil wires come up and connect to the tinsel leads. Sometimes they are reparable, or you can recone a sub to fix the problem.
The real issue comes when the Tinsel leads are woven into the Spider.


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## qcoffey (Mar 21, 2003)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (Non_Affiliated)*

Clean looking install. I believe the subs have a warranty. My buddy installed some last summer. One actually started smoking. I guess from getting pounded so hard by the US Amps. I took it back, and got a new one. They said something about them 'degassing'.


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## gekbi219 (Sep 6, 2003)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (qcoffey)*


_Quote, originally posted by *qcoffey* »_Clean looking install. I believe the subs have a warranty. My buddy installed some last summer. One actually started smoking. I guess from getting pounded so hard by the US Amps. I took it back, and got a new one. They said something about them 'degassing'.

Too bad I bought it from an unauthorized dealer on the internet...


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (gekbi219)*


_Quote, originally posted by *gekbi219* »_
Too bad I bought it from an unauthorized dealer on the internet...

Not to sound mean, but that is what you get when you buy from an unauthorized dealer. Don't get me wrong, It's fine if ya wanna save a buck, hell I want to. But with online audio purchases, this is the issue you run into and you should understand that is part of the price with retail purchases.


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## Realtech (Jan 18, 2004)

*Re: Help! Sub stopped working, but works when I push the cone in...? (Non_Affiliated)*

Gray market purchases will get you on the back-side when you need service.
The spkr's toast. smoke was the first sign.
The crunchy feeling when you press on the cone is usually bits of the voicecoil that fell into the motor structure when it burned up. pressing on the coil probably connects the burnt out bits of coil allows the spkr to work
Buy a new spkr.-- with a warranty.


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