Instructions on How To Break In Woofers - Bass Cabinet

[Roulette Records]

Hi, I searched everywhere on this site, and as I can find a statements, threads and articles on why it is important to break in your drivers/woofers, I can not find any definitive step by step instructions on how to properly do so in the most optimal way.

I was steered here from TalkBass.com. Someone there said I would find instructions here. Though I did not yet, after studying up on Bill and his strive for excellence, I do trust his opinions on this matter now. So as I could find other peoples opinions on how to do this, I was hoping to get his. So I ask, is there a link on how to properly do this ?

If I end up getting answered directly, and breaking in woofers is not the same procedure for every type, then here is my specs:

4 (four) 10" woofers in a sealed bass cab (a Sadowsky SA410). Used for Bass Guitar tracking and recording, and some various live shows, etc.. Usually powered by a old vintage tube bass amp (Ampeg SVT)

Yes the cab is old and now discontinued (like all the best stuff is), BUT I just landed the last 4 speakers/woofers made for it NOS from the manufacture. So I will save the currently fine used ones as spares, and I want to instal and break in these new ones now. They seem to be made by Eminence, I got codes if needed.

Thanks for the help !

[Chris_Allen]

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

The process for breaking in drivers is the same for each driver, the only variable is the voltage.

To break in a driver you need:

a) A driver!
b) An amp
c) A frequency generator\25-30Hz tone

Ideally, you would also need

d) A voltmeter
e) Somewhere to isolate/hang the driver whilst you break it in

The prupose of the break in process is to loosen up the driver (the spider I believe). It is possible to break in drivers whilst in the cabinet but you get gain from the baffle, so it is much quiter to just hang them up. Metal coat hangers through one of the bolt holes is popular.

The voltmeter isn't essential, more risk management. I don't know the specs of your drivers, but 10V of juice should be enough - just need to make sure you can see the cone moving without exceeding the XMAX (maximum movement of the voicecoil). You measure the voltage across the terminals of your amp.

Using a laptop, iphone, andriod you should be able to get a free tone generator. 25-30Hz should be fairly inaudible and move the cone happily. Even a few hours of 10V @ 25Hz will loosen things up but 24 hours is the preferred duration.

The end of this video shows me doing some driver break in, though it was in the cab:

[UROK]

Searched: "breaking in drivers":

http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewt ... rs&start=0

[Roulette Records]

Great guys, thanks for chiming in with this info. Very valuable stuff here.

Very weird UROK, I did the same exact search and came up with nothing the first time. Thanks for linking me to that other thread.

Ok, so now, as I got the idea of what needs to be done, I seem to have everything covered other than, how do I get signal from the amp to the speakers if they are not in the cab ? As in, all my amps are guitar ams and have 1/4" TRS jacks for inputs and outputs, so how do I get the signal from a amp standard plug to two loose wires on the other end that connect raw to the speakers ?

Also, when testing for the volts, exactly how do I do that too ? I do have a voltimeter I think, but just don't know how to use it, and especially am drawing a little blank on exactly how to connect/use it here in this particular project.

Also, can I do all 4 speakers at once ? I do not know the exact specs of these drivers honestly. I did a search on all the codes, etc.. and nothing comes up. These might have been specially made for Jim Bergantino by Eminence ? IDK, but Sadowsky had Jim design the cab, so ultimately it is a Jim Bergantino design. But technically a Sadowsky SA410 cab. Here is a link to info on the cab from the manufacture: http://www.sadowsky.com/audio/cabs.html - but yes, it is discontinued.

They are Eminence drivers (and 4 of them). 10 inches..., 16ohms each = 4ohm cab, 800watt cab (so I imagine each driver is rated at 200watts?), 56 oz Magnets, 2.5" Voice coils.

[Frederic Gelinas]

Make a speaker cable with some bare wires at one end and a 1/4 jack at the other end. To set the voltage, plug your voltmeter (or multimeter set to AC Volts) on each speaker lug (+ and -). Turn your sine wave source on. Gradually turn your power amp level to meet the desired level.

On a side note, this is Bill Fitzmaurice's forum... maybe you should sell your actual cab (which the drivers should have been burned in before it left the factory) and build a BFM cab instead!?

[Roulette Records]

Make a speaker cable with some bare wires at one end and a 1/4 jack at the other end. To set the voltage, plug your voltmeter (or multimeter set to AC Volts) on each speaker lug (+ and -). Turn your sine wave source on. Gradually turn your power amp level to meet the desired level.

On a side note, this is Bill Fitzmaurice's forum... maybe you should sell your actual cab (which the drivers should have been burned in before it left the factory) and build a BFM cab instead!?

Hey thanks for the info -- I got it.

So it goes: Computer DAW generating a 25hz tone -----> Amp -----> Homemade speaker wires for the occasion -----> Driver, and while this is all hooked up, then touch the Multimeter/Volitmeter prongs to the back driver lugs (+, -, etc..) and make sure I fed to to about 10V. Setting the device to "AC Volts" if need be. Once I got it doing that smoothly, I then leave it for 24+ hours.

This is about right ?

Now, what was not addressed is, can I do all 4 drivers at once ? Or no ? 2 at a time ? Only 1 at a time ? If I can do all 4 at the same time, does that split the volts evenly and properly if I just splice the wire before it gets to the drivers and have wire going to all four from the one wire coming from the amp ? Would I test all 4 for volts ? Or just one ?

On that side note - Ha, this Sadowsky Cab is a collectors item. I spent years trying to find one and finally did in mint condition. So NO SIR will I ever give this thing up. And you wouldn't/shouldn't either. When I first heard one I was floored by the tone. Specifically designed to be paired with powerful vintage TUBE amps. Its a thing of beauty. I al sure when originally purchased many years ago the drivers were burnt in at the factory. But like I said in my first post, I was able to find NOS of the last 4 drivers used in this cab. Jim Bergantino had them due to he was the guy that designed the cab for Sadowsky. I am sure you've heard of Bergantino ? Anyway, so these are brand new NOS (new old stock). Never installed in a cab yet !

I need to use them because the person I bought the cab from accidently poked a hole in one of the original woofers that was in there. So when I called Jim and found out he had 4 left, I was happy and went for all 4 ! I now want to safe the remaining 3 used broken in speakers as spares, and install these new ones and break them in properly first. This way I have all 4 speakers in this cab of the same age/break in level. I did not want to mix match that. And now I'll have 3 spare speakers that are already aged and broke in for if the occasion rises I can swap one in fast like and it will be already ready to go. So that is the story.

I do respect and admire the BF knowledge and seemingly great design. And I would love to have a cab made by him in the future, YES !!! But I am a musician and music business owner with absolutely no time to build something myself. I have to narrow and focus on talents (jack of all trades = master of none), so I do not want to get into building stuff. I need to focus on a million and one other things.

But what I would do is pay someone to make one for me, or buy one of his that he offers (if he does) ? IDK, I am kinda confused at what exactly he does and offers ? Is this forum for building things ? Or for a company that makes products for sale ?

[Frederic Gelinas]

I have to narrow and focus on talents (jack of all trades = master of none), so I do not want to get into building stuff.

Don't bother with the burn-in procedure then . Put them in the cab and practice your scales and modes for a week at full volume. Drivers will be broken in while focusing on your skills. I've broken in my latest drivers on stage in front of 1000 people.

If you really want to break them in, you can do them all at once. For 4 drivers, wire them series/parallel (2 pair series in parallel). You will need a bunch of wire to do this. All 4 drivers will get the same voltage.

M. Fitzmaurice sells detailed instructions and plans for building speaker cabinets that outperform commercial offerings. Authorized builders can build them for you (see the website to find the nearest builder).

[Roulette Records]

I have to narrow and focus on talents (jack of all trades = master of none), so I do not want to get into building stuff.

Don't bother with the burn-in procedure then . Put them in the cab and practice your scales and modes for a week at full volume. Drivers will be broken in while focusing on your skills. I've broken in my latest drivers on stage in front of 1000 people.

If you really want to break them in, you can do them all at once. For 4 drivers, wire them series/parallel (2 pair series in parallel). You will need a bunch of wire to do this. All 4 drivers will get the same voltage.

M. Fitzmaurice sells detailed instructions and plans for building speaker cabinets that outperform commercial offerings. Authorized builders can build them for you (see the website to find the nearest builder).

Hey great info dude, thanks for all this knowledge. Dang, I didn't know you could break in speakers properly by just playing your normal music, licks, riffs, whatever. I thought a constant tone achieved optimal results ? Then you went into music at which they are still "breaking in". Hell, I might skip it then. Thanks ! Either way, I'll think about it, and if I do end up going for it, I really appreciate your input. I'll wire the drivers as you said.

Most definitely looking into a BFM custom built cab. Thanks again !

[jcmbowman]

So it goes: Computer DAW generating a 25hz tone -----> Amp -----> Homemade speaker wires for the occasion -----> Driver, and while this is all hooked up, then touch the Multimeter/Volitmeter prongs to the back driver lugs (+, -, etc..) and make sure I fed to to about 10V. Setting the device to "AC Volts" if need be. Once I got it doing that smoothly, I then leave it for 24+ hours.

One minor pointer - if you're not sure about the voltage, or if there's a slight chance you've got a dirty pot on your amplifier of choice, you can always get that 10v reading WITHOUT having the driver hooked up. Once you're certain your only putting out 10v, THEN you can hook up the driver.

Yes, this may be overly cautious, but I'm allergic to magic smoke.

[Frederic Gelinas]

Dang, I didn't know you could break in speakers properly by just playing your normal music, licks, riffs, whatever. I thought a constant tone achieved optimal results ?

It's way faster with the tone procedure (and I did it several times), but any driver played hard enough will be broken in after some time. The procedure is just a shortcut.

[Roulette Records]

One minor pointer - if you're not sure about the voltage, or if there's a slight chance you've got a dirty pot on your amplifier of choice, you can always get that 10v reading WITHOUT having the driver hooked up. Once you're certain your only putting out 10v, THEN you can hook up the driver.

Yes, this may be overly cautious, but I'm allergic to magic smoke.

Very good idea bowman. I'd say thats the way to do it if I do end up using the procedure. I agree, never too safe.

It's way faster with the tone procedure (and I did it several times), but any driver played hard enough will be broken in after some time. The procedure is just a shortcut.

Got'cha. Its all getting clear to me now.