Big Speaker Problem

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Gator1953

New DJ
Oct 31, 2006
3
0
71
Monroe,Michigan
After I play for 1-2 hours the back of my Gemsound 600 watt speaker gets hot and has melted????:sqmad: What is wrong?
I used my JBL 600 watt and the 500 watt sub with the same amp and had no problems?
 
Glad to see another Michigander on here!!!

Were these brand new speakers or have you had them for a while?
 
What watt?

Without casting aspersions on the Gemsound name, it sounds as if the speaker in question doesn’t measure up to the rating on the name plate.

Without making political pronouncements, this is one of the results of deregulation. In the 60's specifications were almost meaningless. In the 70's things tightened up a lot with a push for truth in advertising. A FTC amplifier rating was established that was very meaningful. If an amp was rated at 100 watts, with some impedance matching you could light a 100 watt lightbulb with it. The power was there and the bandwidth had to be stated along with the distortion spec.

During the push for deregulation, certain companies with novel or new designs pointed out the FTC spec unfairly penalized them. Instead of adapting the old spec to new technologies, the baby was thrown out with the bath water. Today, a watt in connection with audio gear can be almost meaningless. Yet it has a very precise meaning in physics. Seven hundred forty-six watts equal one horsepower. Yet some manufacturers will fiddle with the numbers by over a factor of ten.

There are specs known as PEPO or Peak Envelope Power Output, Music Power, EIA and FTC power. Each in turn is a more restrictive of fudging. Speakers are rated by playing pink noise (all frequencies simultaneously) for 24 hours without damage. My guess is that Gemsound does not adhere to that spec and cuts some corners. Just imagine if there was no standard pound or quart. Well let me go to Raley’s rather than 7-11 they have a real quart of milk. How’d ya like to try to figure out milage with every station having a different gallon? Most of the above deals with amplifier specifications but be assured that speaker specs have been distorted with equal abandon.

That is the situation we have today. The only assurance is the quality of the company. It is the wild wild west and you are on your own bunky.
 
Without casting aspersions on the Gemsound name, it sounds as if the speaker in question doesn’t measure up to the rating on the name plate.

Without making political pronouncements, this is one of the results of deregulation. In the 60's specifications were almost meaningless. In the 70's things tightened up a lot with a push for truth in advertising. A FTC amplifier rating was established that was very meaningful. If an amp was rated at 100 watts, with some impedance matching you could light a 100 watt lightbulb with it. The power was there and the bandwidth had to be stated along with the distortion spec.

During the push for deregulation, certain companies with novel or new designs pointed out the FTC spec unfairly penalized them. Instead of adapting the old spec to new technologies, the baby was thrown out with the bath water. Today, a watt in connection with audio gear can be almost meaningless. Yet it has a very precise meaning in physics. Seven hundred forty-six watts equal one horsepower. Yet some manufacturers will fiddle with the numbers by over a factor of ten.

There are specs known as PEPO or Peak Envelope Power Output, Music Power, EIA and FTC power. Each in turn is a more restrictive of fudging. Speakers are rated by playing pink noise (all frequencies simultaneously) for 24 hours without damage. My guess is that Gemsound does not adhere to that spec and cuts some corners. Just imagine if there was no standard pound or quart. Well let me go to Raley’s rather than 7-11 they have a real quart of milk. How’d ya like to try to figure out milage with every station having a different gallon? Most of the above deals with amplifier specifications but be assured that speaker specs have been distorted with equal abandon.

That is the situation we have today. The only assurance is the quality of the company. It is the wild wild west and you are on your own bunky
....but really, Gemsound has a less than stellar reputation.
It is the tried & true, you get what you pay for.
 
Level Playing Field

I hear you Rox. It seems we’re in general agreement. I can’t speak directly to Gemsound quality or lack thereof. It would seem Gator looked at the product said 600W, the amplifier is 600W (or similar wattage), that should do. A consumer should not be required to have in-depth knowledge of the relative merits of one manufacturer over another. Nor should a consumer have to do extensive research about whether each manufacturer meets the specification they publish. If we immediately assume unknown = bad, how would any small manufacturer gain market share?

I have purchased inexpensive products that have delighted me and expensive products that have disappointed. All I am suggesting is that a gallon be a gallon, a pound be a pound and a watt be a watt. The setting of standards for weights and measures has been the role of the government from the time of the founding fathers. I only suggest that standards expand with technology in order that all players stand on a level playing fields.
 
Thanks to all

I got them new and the place went out of business.I will only use the JBL's I bought from the same place I bought the Phonics Amp from as he tells me the will get along with no problems.The JBL's are rated at 600Watts and the amp is rated at 1500 watts and he advised me to use two speakers per amp due to the wattage of amp to aviod problems and yes I am glad I got help from another michigander haha.I have destroyed the Gemsound speakers as I cannot depend on them so I have rid this planet of the demons haha.I was almost ready to retire as a Dj due to this problem...Thanks:tank:
 
Standards are always difficult to maintain and regulate.

It's been that way in audio gear rating and specs since I researched my first serious acquisition in 26 years ago. I finally narrowed down the choices to three, budget restraints narrowed the field to two, then my ears rendered judgment. And I was a novice by any standard. Luckily, at that time, there were seriously qualified audio sales professional still making a living selling gear. I took their advice and knowledge and using what minimal knowledge I had obtained from reading and asking questions, I combined everything and made a very worthy purchase. Those speakers are still my main cabinets in my home system... and they still sound sweeeeeeet!
 
Watt is a Watt to another man???

This watt is a watt is very confusing to a laymen...All I ever had to do before is plug in my guitars and jam and someone else had this headache..now that I am trying my hand as a DJ i am finding out there is more to it than..buy equipment,charge cash and play :) it isn't as easy as it looks but I will get it down haha.I really do envy all those DJ's I have seen in the past as I now know thier job is not an easy one but am proud to the fact I will becaome one in time my son....follow the lights LOL
 
Gator, that sounds like a plan.

Rox is right. Although you sometimes run across a bargain you have to ask yourself why this is so inexpensive before jumping at the sale. The good stuff is more tolerant to the occasional error but these big amps push significant amounts of power. Just hold a lit 100W lightbulb in your hand for awhile and you won’t doubt why something can melt given a couple of hours time. You can connect larger amps to speakers of lesser ratings but the gain structure of your system must be carefully set. If not. a momentary lapse will cause tad o’ regret. Serious power can cause serious damage. Fifteen hundred watts is serious power in anyone’s book even if that is 750W a channel.

Good luck Gator.

And Rox, I still have my first significant purchase too. And they sound sweet as well.
 
Greets, Gator.

My guess would be that the Gemsound cabinets aren't capable of handling the JBL amp's power output.

You may wish to look at replacing your Gemsound cabinets first. Do a little research and come to a decision on what you'll need to work with. If the JBL is rated at 600 watts RMS, you should have a cab set that can handle that amount of power. Pay no mind to Peak nor Program ratings. If the RMS rating is not stated nor available, avoid 'em.

Don't forget the option of buying used gear. Bands and DJ companies are all the time upgrading (or downgrading). Used prosound items can often be had for a sweet price.

Hope it helps.
 
Don't take this too seriously . . . I'm just funnin'!

OK . . . nobody came out and said it . . . so I will!

He cranked the heck outta the speakers until they fried!

With an amp that was way over powered for the speakers that were hooked up to them!

Usually . . . speakers will give you warning signs before flames shoot out of them!

Like distortion . . . crackling sounds . . . cutting in and out . . .

If you ignore those signs . . . then you get what you deserve!

Blown speakers!

OK . . . I was just spouting out because I've had some speakers fry over the years, too . . .

However, not due to over powering them!

Anywayz . . . I'm a born and raised Michiganderer, too!

From Jackson (where the state prison is). :sqcool:

Now . . . I'm a Coloradoidian! :sqbiggrin:
 
I got them new and the place went out of business.I will only use the JBL's I bought from the same place I bought the Phonics Amp from as he tells me the will get along with no problems.


Just for the hell of it: Since only the backs are getting hot and the speakers aren't blowing, You might try replacing the input panels. It may be that they are of inferior quality. You could do this for under 30 or 40 dollars, and have a working set of back-up speakers....