tweeter damage?

mikespahn · 05-10-2005, 10:28 PM

i was reading through the manual of the SWR interstellar overdrive and it says in
"... BE SURE THAT THE TWEETER IN THE SPEAKER CABINET IS OFF when using these settings."

can too much distortion damage a speaker cabinet horn? if not what is the point of emphasizing that so much? what does it do?

Foxfire · 05-10-2005, 10:36 PM

Why yes, yes it can.

I've heard this as a warning when people wish to use heavily distorted guitar with bass cabinets.

mikespahn · 05-10-2005, 11:03 PM

that sucks i like the horn in my cab for fingerstyle and slap and there's no way for me to turn it on and off in the middle of playing if i switch to distortion. its an ampeg svt 410HLF so the horn is controled by an attenuator knob on the back.

why does it damage them?

Sardon · 05-11-2005, 04:55 AM

Offtopic, but my tweeter is already damaged

Atleast I think so. It doesn't affect to the sound at all. (If small humming doesn't count). There is no reason for it to be broken, but it has never worked.

museic · 05-11-2005, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikespahn

that sucks i like the horn in my cab for fingerstyle and slap and there's no way for me to turn it on and off in the middle of playing if i switch to distortion. its an ampeg svt 410HLF so the horn is controled by an attenuator knob on the back.

why does it damage them?

i have the same cab, i think you should be ok as long as you dont run the tweeter on full, i have it on half and i use distortion sometimes.

csdunek · 05-11-2005, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikespahn

that sucks i like the horn in my cab for fingerstyle and slap and there's no way for me to turn it on and off in the middle of playing if i switch to distortion. its an ampeg svt 410HLF so the horn is controled by an attenuator knob on the back.

solder in a foot switch connector for it. Then you can bump it on and off while you are playing.

mikespahn · 05-13-2005, 07:57 PM

how much distortion does it take to damage them? is a harsher distortion more damaging? why does it damage the horn and not the other speakers?

WAcky · 05-13-2005, 08:08 PM

yeah...im about to get the warwick 411 pro...could a big muff pi damage it? my sound has a very slappy 'fieldy' sound to it (not as over the top as his)...could this damage it?

lol ive gone all paranoid

mikespahn · 05-19-2005, 12:16 AM

hopefully edgebass will look at this, he would probably know about this kinda thing.

mikespahn · 02-14-2006, 03:21 PM

can it damage the other speakers as well?

Bass_swede · 02-14-2006, 03:27 PM

Sometimes the tweeter on my 15 watt Laney starts to give this silent "scream".. It stops after a few seconds, I guess I've played that amp a little too hard!

edgebass5 · 02-14-2006, 03:43 PM

distortion is not what destroys tweeters. simply put, tweeters are wimps

they simply can not handle a whole lot of wattage. Run them too hot and they'll likely blow. That being said, you can CLEARLY hear when a tweeter is being driven too hard, so just let your ears be the judge. if it sounds fine, then keep running it the way you are. if its popping and clicking excessively, just turn the attenuator a bit.

moghes69 · 02-14-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikespahn

can it damage the other speakers as well?

if you have a really harsh gritty distortion and are playing at high volumes i suppose that you are more likely to blow out a speaker.

05-10-2005, 10:28 PM	#1
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	tweeter damage? i was reading through the manual of the SWR interstellar overdrive and it says in "... BE SURE THAT THE TWEETER IN THE SPEAKER CABINET IS OFF when using these settings." can too much distortion damage a speaker cabinet horn? if not what is the point of emphasizing that so much? what does it do?

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05-10-2005, 10:36 PM	#2
Foxfire Ugly 7-string Bassist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 10,797	Why yes, yes it can. I've heard this as a warning when people wish to use heavily distorted guitar with bass cabinets.

05-10-2005, 11:03 PM	#3
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	that sucks i like the horn in my cab for fingerstyle and slap and there's no way for me to turn it on and off in the middle of playing if i switch to distortion. its an ampeg svt 410HLF so the horn is controled by an attenuator knob on the back. why does it damage them?

05-11-2005, 04:55 AM	#4
Sardon I post when I'm bored. Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 371	Offtopic, but my tweeter is already damaged Atleast I think so. It doesn't affect to the sound at all. (If small humming doesn't count). There is no reason for it to be broken, but it has never worked.

05-13-2005, 07:57 PM	#7
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	how much distortion does it take to damage them? is a harsher distortion more damaging? why does it damage the horn and not the other speakers?

05-13-2005, 08:08 PM	#8
WAcky Registered Loser Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 283	yeah...im about to get the warwick 411 pro...could a big muff pi damage it? my sound has a very slappy 'fieldy' sound to it (not as over the top as his)...could this damage it? lol ive gone all paranoid

05-19-2005, 12:16 AM	#9
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	hopefully edgebass will look at this, he would probably know about this kinda thing.

02-14-2006, 03:21 PM	#10
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	can it damage the other speakers as well?

02-14-2006, 03:27 PM	#11
Bass_swede Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,666	Sometimes the tweeter on my 15 watt Laney starts to give this silent "scream".. It stops after a few seconds, I guess I've played that amp a little too hard!

02-14-2006, 03:43 PM	#12
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,607	distortion is not what destroys tweeters. simply put, tweeters are wimps they simply can not handle a whole lot of wattage. Run them too hot and they'll likely blow. That being said, you can CLEARLY hear when a tweeter is being driven too hard, so just let your ears be the judge. if it sounds fine, then keep running it the way you are. if its popping and clicking excessively, just turn the attenuator a bit.