Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions EP500/600 Woofer rattling sound issue/solution

PSA: My EP600 V3 started making a rattling type sound .

I troubleshot it it down to the surround rattling against the basket. It was just a small spot not attached properly but when I tried to find the end of the failure it grew. My opinion is there was minimal adhesive used, or the adhesive failed. I am going to reglue the entire surround to basket. The sound got much worse after I pulled on the surround and grew the defect. the end of the video shows the original defect sound.

You really couldnt hear it if the fronts were running also, But when just on the sub, it was a noticeable clicking type sound. I thought the amp or speaker was bad. I've already had two amps fail in my orignal EP500. To be fair, that was over a 15 year timeframe and I left them on all the time

pic of defect
https://nextcloud.perkosolutions.com/index.php/s/b756CMCB5trAcWQ

video of defect
https://nextcloud.perkosolutions.com/index.php/s/mmPtdPBArsKHopz

anatomy of a speaker
https://blog-api.landr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/parts_of_aspeaker-1200x627.jpg

Adhesive I have ordered but have not used yet
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8A9YTO

The EP600 was purchased used so I dont know the entire history.
I am running on an external amp just to one of the voice coils. I didnt matter which one for this defect
Using a Harrison Labs 70 hz low pass filter to protect the sub in my test setup. It is the gold thing in the video
The ART SLA4 amp was bridged and rated 280 watts/Ch @ 8 ohms (bridged). I read somewhere the axiom sub is very low ohms ( 1 or 2??) but this wasnt a power issue. it was a mechanical issue

Side Note. I found it interesting when using the 'high level' inputs to the axiom amp, the amp still needed turned on. my guess is the high level signals are converted to line level then processed thru the internal amp. All good till the amps caps give out.

Title states EP500/600 because the same part is listed as a replacement on the website

That's happened to me and rrlev. The adhesive you ordered is for foam surrounds and I very much doubt it will hold.

I think each voice coil is 2 Ohms. So the sub needs 20+ Amps of current for rated power and closer to 40 for peak power. Hence the conversion from high level.

Interesting there's no dust cap. I like that clean look.

Nice troubleshooting!

Thanks for the reply.

I read mixed things about whether that adhesive was correct. The description states "Use for attaching speaker surrounds to paper, poly, metal, and composite cones. Spiders to frame, surrounds to basket, dust caps to cone. " I can cancel this tonight as shipping is a week out. Amazon is slipping.

What did you use for adhesive ?

I never noticed the non existent dust cap. It appears axiom made them that way for awhile
https://www.axiomaudio.com/pub/media/photogallery/images/lrg/EP500CherryNutmegSemi.jpg
As I purchased this EP600 used, anything could have happened. I considered the subwoofer original because it has absolutely no markings on it

The info about the high level conversion makes sense. I had wrongly thought 'if the amp fails I can just use an external one and the high level inputs ' .

Really appreciate you mentioning I am not the only one.

I recommend you cancel and try to contact Axiom about a recommendation.

My sub was on warranty so Axiom sent me a new driver pronto.

Thanks . I may try to call tomorrow . My commumications experiences have been mixed since 2021. Probably covid related . I will say that in the end they have always bent over backwards to take care of me.

In the meantime I ordered something different

I cancelled this one. ( sorry cant edit original post )


and ordered some ruberrized CA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N4WCR0

I tried some electrical tape in the interim and it didnt work :-)

I don't know how well that would bond to the steel basket.

Maybe gorilla tape. I use it to hold my 43 year-old van together.

I'll try to gorilla tape my HP driver that ripped on a 125,000 Watt bass drum hit.

We'll see . Maybe I will get some info tomorrow. Axiom may just suggest I purchase a replacement, which makes sense. Otherwise it will be about a week till I know. Don't run the stereo all day but do miss the sub already , especially on my day off.

That's a hell of a bass hit I like old vehicles but for a daily driver cant beat anti-lock brakes, air bags, and front wheel drive. But if I could drive a 1980 cutlass supreme every day

Don't think any tape will work on this because it is the underside of the surround that needs to be attached to the basket. the electrical tape I put on held for the brief time it was on there. but the underside of the surround still vibrated against the basket. Maybe some type of double sided tape but there is still the issue of running the tape in a circle. Prolly not.

Prolly just try the adhesive and if it doesn't work , buy the replacement.

Really was relieved it wasn't the amp.

This looks more like the work of Mojo’s speaker test and durability kit …

Speaker driver torture kit.



Speaker cabinet torture implement.

Is subwoofer failure the norm?

I've only owned one sub (a 28 year old Mirage bought brand new), and I've nursed it for the last 5 years with judicious use of contact cleaner. I thought last November was the death knell, but somehow it stopped squealing after my 9th or 10th dose. Even the foam surround is intact, and sounds like the day I bought it.

I've seen various forum posters mention their sub failures, but I've been under the impression that it's because they use switching power supplies or were abused.