Repair subwoofer Yamaha YST-SW320

Thread Starter

krneki10

Joined Aug 4, 2012
5
I have several years old subwoofer Yamaha YST-SW320 which started to slowly die this week. At first, it was playing sound just like it should with some noise here and there. This noise has became more and more often and there were also several silent breaks. As of moment we are speaking, it will play sound only for a few seconds per minute.

Is there any way that I could fix it? Perhaps replacing capacitors could work? Please notice that I have limited knowledge in electronics.

Thanks for help.
 

R!f@@

Joined Apr 2, 2009
9,918
Excuse me !

Mind pressing the cone while playing a low bass music and see if u can get the sound continuously when u tap or press the cone of the woofer.?
 

XerxesX24

Joined Sep 13, 2012
14
How is the subwoofer powered and what is it connected to?

Check your power/signal sources first as it's generally easier.

Excuse me !

Mind pressing the cone while playing a low bass music and see if u can get the sound continuously when u tap or press the cone of the woofer.?
Are you thinking of the flexible wire braid behind/underneath the cone's face?

If you aren't I am. lol.

Several times I soldered a flexible(ish) wire on to the face of a card cone as a bodge.

It's really tricky -- the card burns and the solder doesn't stick. (I didn't (and still don't) have any flux at the time)
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
I had a pair of speakers for about 37 years when the flexy wires to one woofer lost continuity. I tried to replace the wires but that didn't work.

The speakers spent many years in the basement where it is humid in summer. The flexy wires look corroded.
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
The other speaker is 49 years old, is played for hours every day and still sounds like new.
Acoustic Research AR4AX.
The 8" woofer is in a sealed enclosure and resonates at about 60Hz.
I made a bass-boost circuit that makes it sound and feel like a sub-woofer.
 

XerxesX24

Joined Sep 13, 2012
14
Impressive!

Well made audio parts do tend to last. I've been through about four amplifiers though.

One of which I built and then rebuilt.. twice. First time I don't think I quite isolated the transistors well enough. Worked like a beaut for a couple of weeks. It got hot the first time, the second time was unbearable and eventually it just killed its own audio & power circuitry.

Oops, still it was a learning curve and a long time ago. Wish I could find the thing -- it was hooked onto a really decent transformer and several fans on a separate damped P/S.

The others have been hi-fi units driven a little bit too hard via a boosted soundcard or have had electromechanical board-to-board connection problems. Grrrrr.

On the plus side, I haven't ever burned a speaker/driver out. I don't push them hard in the least -- I just have tonnes of them connected at any given moment!
 
Last edited:

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
My Yamaha stereo receiver is about 27 years old and is still used every day.
Its selector switch is intermitternt and needs to be turned every day (it probably has silver (corroding) contacts instead of gold plating).
Its signal strength bar graph is not working properly but who cares?
 

XerxesX24

Joined Sep 13, 2012
14
My Yamaha stereo receiver is about 27 years old and is still used every day.

Its selector switch is intermitternt and needs to be turned every day (it probably has silver (corroding) contacts instead of gold plating).

Its signal strength bar graph is not working properly but who cares?
Agreed. It's about the sound! :D

I love "quirky", ageing electronics, and quirky old engines. Most things I own are quirky! lol

I borrowed a modern (non-cheap range) Yamaha reciever unit from my old boss for a little while and it was a brilliant bit of kit, in my opinion it was THE amplifier to use with my Kenwood floor standing speakers. Wish i'd pocketed the thing instead of returning it!

I can vouch for them, they are first rate.
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
How about being a bit more on-topic please? :)
We suggested testing the speaker by holding its cone but you did not answer.
I told about my speaker with an intermittent flexy wire.
We told about an intermittent amplifier.
All replies were about YOUR TOPIC!

Throw away your faulty sound system and buy a new one if you do not want to listen to us.
 

soda

Joined Dec 7, 2008
177
Hi,
My sub is a TEAC 400watt rms with a 12inch speaker. I had a similar problem a few years back. What i found was that the solder joints become like dry solder joints, maybe it's because of the vibration. I just re-solder all the caps and the power transistors and all was fine again.
 
Top