Question Has my blown speaker damaged the amplifier ?

[buster108]

For context. My amp until recently was a Cambridge Audio A300 and the speakers are still
Wharfedale Diamond 220s.

A few weeks ago I suddently heard a weird sound coming from the system. Mid-way through listening to music at a very normal level they suddenly went pop and I smelt smoke coming from the amp.
I disconnected as realised the amp was too risky to turn back on. Bit of a fire hazard and so I disposed of it safely.

Anyway, I bought a new amp, a Cambridge Azure 540A off ebay. Setup new system to then get a short circuit error on the new amp. After lots of testing and using a friends amp, I find its the speakers causing it. Richer sounds take the speakers in and find that the right hand speaker's woofer has completely blown but not the other speaker. They take it in for repair and week or so later ive got them back. Now the odd thing is im getting issues with the right hand channel on my new amp. It intermittently cuts out on the right and to get it back I have to alternate the volume loads. It also randomly will have a crackling quality to it.

At first I thought it was just the same speaker as before messing up but I switched the speakers around and the uneffected one produces the same issue when on the right channel. Ive switched them over to the B slot as well on the amp, to no avail. I bought a little fosi amp just as a test and whilst its only been a few days, pretty sure theres been no issues.

Is the most likely thing here that somehow when hooking up the blown speaker, its managed to damage the right hand channel of my amp?

Worth investing in another new amp?


Any help would be massively appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

This:

"They take it in for repair and week or so later ive got them back."

Any repair related warranties? If so, then take the speakers back.

Have the repair place show you that the speakers are properly working before you leave.

 

[buster108]

This:

"They take it in for repair and week or so later ive got them back."

Any repair related warranties? If so, then take the speakers back.

Have the repair place show you that the speakers are properly working before you leave.

The problem is its intermittent. Ive had them playing for like an hour or two sometimes with no issue then other times it will cut out the second it turns on.

Ive made sure all wires are connected properly and stripped them correctly etc. Forgot to mention that.

 

[Ralston18]

Intermittent or not - the speakers are not fixed.

Without question, a repair shop should be able to properly strip and connect wires. No harm in checking though - I would do the same.

Appearances can be deceiving: wires can have breaks/cracks etc. anywhere along their length.

Could be some faulty or failing component.

What about the power source? Even the wall outlet?

A repair shop should have the necessary equipment (multi-meters, oscilliscopes, schematics, etc) to test down to the board and component levels.

In all fairness, the source or reason for intermittent problems can be difficult to find. May or may not be repairable.

However, that is what you pay (paid) the repair shop to figure out.

 

[buster108]

Intermittent or not - the speakers are not fixed.

Without question, a repair shop should be able to properly strip and connect wires. No harm in checking though - I would do the same.

Appearances can be deceiving: wires can have breaks/cracks etc. anywhere along their length.

Could be some faulty or failing component.

What about the power source? Even the wall outlet?

A repair shop should have the necessary equipment (multi-meters, oscilliscopes, schematics, etc) to test down to the board and component levels.

In all fairness, the source or reason for intermittent problems can be difficult to find. May or may not be repairable.

However, that is what you pay (paid) the repair shop to figure out.

I should say sorry, richer sounds is a decent company in the UK who offer up to 6 years repair warranties. Im in that so I got it for free. So theres definitely incentive to take it back. However, they dont do the extensive checks in their storeroom (where you have to take it). Theyll happily put it in their cinema room and sit with you but not tests. I assume it past the tests when it was sent away for the repairs, but who knows. The guy on the floor who was my contact throughout was dismissive from the get go. I think that because of my age and sex (young man) he instantly dismissed it as me pushing the volume and blowing the speakers. Whilst he was of course incorrect considering just one speaker blew, he was very dismissive and when he handed back the repaired unit, he said "if there are any issues now, its your amp".

Im very torn right now. I guess I should press them for another check up on it. But it seems to be playing okay on that small fosi amp.

How would I test power outlets?

Thanks for your input on this, much appreciated

 

[Ralston18]

Repair shop/store: If you are not a happy customer and the floor clerk is dismissive then escalate to a manager.

As for the power outlet (and circuit): do any other devices using that outlet or circuit have problems?

I am not familar with UK electrical systems per se. If there is any concern or signs of electrical problems then a qualified electrician needs to check the outlet and circuit. A loose wire can cause momentary power losses. Other problems can cause electrical current to go where it should not be going.

Do the speakers share a common power source? What about the amp?

Another thing you can do is to educate yourself a bit more.

For example: the whats and whys of speaker blow outs.

https://mynewmicrophone.com/loudspe...Melted Voice,... 4 Blown Fuse Or Loose Wires

https://hometheateracademy.com/how-...it,what is usually known as a speaker blowout.

You can easily find other similar links.

Or recognize some other issue or concern with respect to your speakers and amps.

Overall, though I will defer to audiophile members regarding "pushing speaker volume" and "blowing the speakers". Loud volume is just one factor of it all.

 

[buster108]

Repair shop/store: If you are not a happy customer and the floor clerk is dismissive then escalate to a manager.

As for the power outlet (and circuit): do any other devices using that outlet or circuit have problems?

I am not familar with UK electrical systems per se. If there is any concern or signs of electrical problems then a qualified electrician needs to check the outlet and circuit. A loose wire can cause momentary power losses. Other problems can cause electrical current to go where it should not be going.

Do the speakers share a common power source? What about the amp?

Another thing you can do is to educate yourself a bit more.

For example: the whats and whys of speaker blow outs.

https://mynewmicrophone.com/loudspeaker-blow-out-why-it-happens-how-to-avoid-fix-it/#:~:text=How Do Speakers Get Blown-Out? 1 Burned/Melted Voice,... 4 Blown Fuse Or Loose Wires

https://hometheateracademy.com/how-does-a-speaker-get-damaged/#:~:text=A speaker gets damaged from overpowering when it,what is usually known as a speaker blowout.

You can easily find other similar links.

Or recognize some other issue or concern with respect to your speakers and amps.

Overall, though I will defer to audiophile members regarding "pushing speaker volume" and "blowing the speakers". Loud volume is just one factor of it all.

Yeah good point with the store!

No other issues with other devices on same extension.

The speakers are passive, so powered by the amps.

Thanks for the info, very interesting reads. I will say that ive hsd that amp and speaker combo for 4 years and its generally been fine. Whilst it could well have been slowly pushing it over the 4 years, it equally may well have been the age of the amp (30 years) and that it took out the speaker with its death. The speakers are only about 4 years old or so.

What makes me think its not the speakers, is that I ordered that stand in Fosi amp in the meantime and theres no dropping in and out of sound or distortion on the right channel. I guess need to try another pair of working speakers on my cambridge azur and if I get the same issue or dont, then from that can determine if this is amp or speaker problems after all?