Woofer trouble

[Larry]

I'm usind a 50 watt integrated amp from NAD (C320 BEE) and Virenna Acoustic Bach Speakers. Last month the woofer on my left channel speaker blew. Harvey's replaced it with no hassle. But this month my other speaker, now in the left channel has the same problem with the woofer. Anyone know of any consistent problems with the Bach's? Harvey's techs say it couldn't be the amp. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Larry

[Sealed]

I'm usind a 50 watt integrated amp from NAD (C320 BEE) and Virenna Acoustic Bach Speakers. Last month the woofer on my left channel speaker blew. Harvey's replaced it with no hassle. But this month my other speaker, now in the left channel has the same problem with the woofer. Anyone know of any consistent problems with the Bach's? Harvey's techs say it couldn't be the amp. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Larry

I have limited dealings with the VA speakers, the last models I heard were the Strauss.

I can tell you in no uncertain terms, you are underpowering them. You are overtaxing the NAD and clipping it. You have toasted the woofers.

The Bach speakers are capable of high volume without strain. At least they were when I listened with a 200 wpc Ayre acoustics amp.

I'd say you need to be more careful with the NAD, or move up to a beefier amp. Otherwise you are in for more disasters.

[RGA]

50 watts is more than enough power to run 99% of the speakers on the planet. If you can provide the speaker's sensitivity rating and efficiency rating(minimum impedence) that would help rule out the amp.

NAD is stable to 4ohms and 50 watts will drive a speaker of 85db or better with ease.

Playing too loud can blow your speakers but that is true if you have a 400 watt amp.

I agree with sealed that a power amp added on would be a benefit for many speakers in that it can bolster the control of the bass - and generally open up the sound significantly. But NAD's power amp section is usually their strength.

The trouble with the woofers could be isolated incidents...perhaps that batch had a bad run. So long as they have fixed or replaced the woofer you should be ok.

Generally, it's the tweeter that blows first if an amp clips largely because it can't take as much distortion at volume that a woofer can. Probably why the Viena guy said it wasn't the amp. What was his explanation?

[Sealed]

Playing too loud can blow your speakers but that is true if you have a 400 watt amp.

That's not exactly correct. it is extremely rare you overpower speakers, unless you drop a phono needle with the volume jacked way up. The NAD was probably cranked way up, and ran dry of power, overtaxed, it clipped and burned the woofer. It sure didn't overpower the VA's.


The trouble with the woofers could be isolated incidents...perhaps that batch had a bad run. So long as they have fixed or replaced the woofer you should be ok.

I doubt that. VA has good QC, and he will just crank the snot out of his system again, and blow another woofer.

Generally, it's the tweeter that blows first if an amp clips largely because it can't take as much distortion at volume that a woofer can. Probably why the Viena guy said it wasn't the amp. What was his explanation?

It was the amp. it's rarely, if ever the speakers. I have repaired between 400-450 speakers, and maybe 1-5% of the time it's a speaker-related defect. Naturally, the guy that blows them denies any non judicous use of a volume control. It's never because he cranked tone controls all the way around and his amp clipped. Nooo.... must be a defective speaker. Ummm... sure...