WS-80 Cutting in and out...

[Jab31169]

We have 4 WS-80's on our boat and the right side Wet Sounds 80 mid-bass is acting funny. This is the first time we've had it out this year and I noticed something didn't sound exactly right. The speaker will not play at low volumes, but once you crank the volume up it will crackle for a bit then come to life. After it comes to life, you can turn it back down and it will play for a while then eventually crap back out. I swapped the channels on the amp and the left speaker plays just fine when connected to the right channel so I don't think its the amp. The speaker itself plays fine when I pulled it out and connected it to another channel. Its either the wire or the crossover in the speaker housing. Anyone ever had this kinda thing happen?

[FastFreddy]

If they are out of warranty I'd pull them apart and look for a loose wire or a loose connection inside the speaker. Soldering could have come loose too. Does the tweeter also cut in and out?

Otherwise bring it back to the dealer where you bought them to test them.

[Jab31169]

Speakers came with the boat when we bought it. Thought they were a factory option, was on the build sheet. Nothing loose inside the speaker. I am going to try bypassing the internal crossover when I go back down to the lake this weekend.

This is the mid-range pro 80, no tweeter, just woofer.

[Earmark Marine]

Jab31169,

You have already applied some good trouble-shooting logic and steps.

However, you should be able to do more to isolate between the amplifier and speakers. I would repeat your steps one more time. For testing purposes you can safely play the midbass driver direct without the crossover, but easy does it when not enclosed. However, the tweeter is a different story and must have a crossover element in line before testing.

Occasionally you will see a speaker that has an intermittent solder joint between a braided tinsel lead and the solid voice coil wire. To test for this play the midbass speaker at a lery low level and manually, but gently, press in on the center (even pressure) of the midbass driver cone. If manually moving the cone creates a disconnect or a reconnect then you have narrowed the issue.

Another bit of info that may be helpful. The only series component in a midbass driver passive crossover is an inductor. It's nothing but a coil so unlike a capacitor it will not go bad. But you could have a cold or fractured solder joint on the passive crossover or the same with the midbass jumper lead. You can de-solder, clean and re-solder but limit the heat applied to a resistor and especially a capacitor.

David

[Jab31169]

So I bring down all my tools and whatnot this weekend and low and behold the speaker works like a champ the whole weekend...go figure.

[Jab31169]

Earmark, after this weekend im pretty sure its the solder joint. Any way a speaker repair place can fix? Or is it new driver time?

[Earmark Marine]

Earmark, after this weekend im pretty sure its the solder joint. Any way a speaker repair place can fix? Or is it new driver time?

Yes, if it's the link between the flexible braided terminal wires and the solid conductor voice coil wire, it can often be repaired by a "speaker re-coning" service. I'm thinking of a service called Freeman Tuell or something similar. there are a number of such services around the country.

David