Stereo & Electronics - Sub popping

i have one 12" sub and amp and the sub just pops alot sometimes randomly instead of bumping. Why does it do this and how can i fix it?

also it only does it while its running not with just the key in the on positon.

Can you give us more information? For example, does it:

1) Do it randomly, even if your stereo is muted?
2) Do it with sound at any volume?
3) Do it with sound at only certain volumes (e.g. cranked)
4) Do it only during bass strikes?
5) Does it do it under heavy excursion only?

Note that it's normal for it to happen when an amp turns on or off, though higher quality amps will prevent most or all of that.

You can check the underside of the cone for any marks like from the leads (lead slap), but it sounds to me like it might be bottoming out which means you're running it too hard.

What equipment do you have?

i have one 12" sub and amp and the sub just pops alot sometimes randomly instead of bumping. Why does it do this and how can i fix it?

also it only does it while its running not with just the key in the on positon.

we need better specs to help you out. what brand? what load are you running it at (2ohms, 4ohms)? how much power are you putting to it (RMS)? how much power (RMS) can the sub handle, etc.


as dragon said, the pop when turning on or off is common with cheaper amps, if that is the only time it pops, you should be fine.

if it pops during music at regular volume, you might be driving it to hard or it might be blown. you could also have a bad remote turn on lead, causing it to turn on and off when you hit bumps, causing the "amp on" pop.

Can you give us more information? For example, does it:

1) Do it randomly, even if your stereo is muted?
2) Do it with sound at any volume?
3) Do it with sound at only certain volumes (e.g. cranked)
4) Do it only during bass strikes?
5) Does it do it under heavy excursion only?

Note that it's normal for it to happen when an amp turns on or off, though higher quality amps will prevent most or all of that.

You can check the underside of the cone for any marks like from the leads (lead slap), but it sounds to me like it might be bottoming out which means you're running it too hard.

What equipment do you have?

yea it does it even if the volume is all the way down just when ever the car is running and the radio is n it does it. No matter how loud or when theres bass it just pops

What happens if you unplug the RCAs but have the amp turned on? What happens if you plug in like a portable CD player to it?

well now today the sub doesnt work at all but the amp works fine with some other subs.

That's a bit odd - if the subwoofer itself is bad, it should only make noises when it has a signal going to it and should get worse with volume.

well now today the sub doesnt work at all but the amp works fine with some other subs.

you still never gave specs on the brand/model of sub and amp. and the wattage and impedence. are you sure you didnt have the impedence messed up. ran in series instead of parallel or vice versa, causing the sub to run excessively low.

bought the sub and amp from a audio shop so they wired it up and the sub is a 12" fusion nv series 2000w max and 1000w rms. Amp is an SSL class d monoblock 1500w max and 540w rms at 4 ohm.

sub specs:

308oz Magnet Structure
Dual 3" Voice Coil
Pressed Paper Cone
Extended Gasket
Recessed Terminal Posts
Dual 2 Ohm Voice Coil
TIL Dual Voice Coil
2" Core Vent System
Caged Triple Stack Motor Assembly
Die Cast FUSION torsion arm basket
High Excursion Butyl Rubber Surround

Hope that's what you were running and not what you're going to be. Those are low-end.