4 Reasons Why Subwoofer Makes Popping Noise When Turned Off

A subwoofer is an integral part of any home or professional sound system. As important as it is in a good sound system, small problems can be quite frustrating. Especially a popping sound can be quite intimidating in terms of its safety.

So, why does the subwoofer makes popping noise when turned off?

Subwoofers make popping noise when the audio signal shuts down before the amplifier turns off. This is much likely the DSP that keeps shutting off. You need to make sure that the amp turns off before the DSP. Defects in the amp can result in such sudden popping noise before the subwoofer stops.

Confused? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back. Here we have a complete troubleshoot guide explaining each problem.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

Why Does My Subwoofer Make Popping Noise When Turned Off?

There can be numerous reasons creating this issue of popping noise. Below I’ve listed the ones I have explained further.

Auto-on Settings Problem

Auto-on settings can often lead to your subwoofer DSP turning off abruptly before your amp. This leads to the subwoofer making awkward popping sounds when it’s turning on.

The next time you go on to turn off your subwoofer, your speaker will fix the problem.

Wireless Subwoofer Interference

Wireless subwoofer interference is yet another reason for the speaker noise issue.

Subwoofer popping and cracking noises can be caused by problems in the physical structure of the subwoofer, loose input connections, incompatible amplifiers, clipped signals, and a defective power supply. You can fix many of these issues yourself, but you may have to replace some parts

Problematic Physical Structure

Your subwoofer will make popping noises when played loud if your subwoofer has a problematic physical structure. Loose input connections, as well as incompatible amplifiers, can be other reasons for subwoofer popping.

Underpowering Subwoofer

A defective power supply will starve the subwoofer of power, leading to clipped signals.

Subwoofers often makes unwanted buzzing noise due to a lack of adequate power supply.

Another reason for an underpowered subwoofer is faulty cables and subwoofer wirings. Using underpowered amps for subwoofers also leads to such rattling noise.

Source: boomspeaker.com

All these reasons can contribute to the popping noise when you turn off your sub. So to understand further keep reading the explained guide on these problems.

Troubleshooting Steps

You may be wondering what does it mean when your subwoofer makes a popping noise?

It means that something is wrong with the amp and it’s not shutting down properly. The faulty closure is leading to the popping noise coming out of the subwoofer. Amp issues will also lead your subwoofer to make noises when the volume is off.

There are quite a few more reasons for your subwoofer to make a popping sound. A lot of methods can also solve this problem.

So let’s go through them one by one.

Step 1: Auto-On Settings

If your subwoofer has an auto-on feature, you may need to disable it. It’s a basic solution that has worked for a lot of people. The power mode must be changed from auto-on to simply-on or always-on.

When the input signal is detected, the auto no function switches on the subwoofer automatically. So it reduces the electricity consumption. As a result, the internal temperature also decreases.

But there can be issues with the internal circuits that may result in the popping sound. The feature auto-on can lead to overheating that further leads to the popping sound. So disabling that might solve the speaker popping noise when turned off.

Step 2: Wireless Subwoofer Interference Problem

In case your subwoofer is wireless then subwoofer interference can be an issue. It can lead to the subwoofer not working properly. There can be signal interferences of other devices in your home. Remember that a lot of devices in your home have their signals.

Wireless signal interference can make your subwoofer pop up without any input.

Also, the subwoofer clicking sound is another issue that wireless interference may cause.

Especially the smart devices of your home can interfere with the signal of your wireless sub. A direct connection between your sub and receiver is required. Connect these two with an RCA cable or a subwoofer cable.

This can solve the problem of popping if wireless interference was the issue. Otherwise, if you need to keep the subwoofer wireless then try other ways. Like, such as moving the subwoofer until the popping sound is gone. If moving your subwoofer is not viable for you then try moving your other wireless devices.

Especially Wifi routers or other smart devices emitting wireless signals. Try changing their location in the home. You can also try using wifi shields. Make a barrier between other devices with the wireless signal and your subwoofer. This will prevent wireless interference. You can also try wrapping foil paper around it to keep the signals away.

If the problem persists then your subwoofer transmitter can also be defective.

Check out some of the best wireless subwoofers in the market for a quality listening experience:

These subwoofers have highly integrated interfaces. So you won’t have to worry about facing any problems with them.

Step 3: Changing Audio Inputs

This is perhaps the most frequent of all the reasons. Every time you change audio input, pop can be heard via your subwoofer.

An AV receiver should muffle all pre-out jacks after altering the audio input.

But just for a short while. If it doesn’t, it’s likely due to a malfunctioning diode and/or circuitry.

Firstly, lower the bass level of your sub. This is solely for reducing the volume of the popping sound.

Then you can manually configure the input signal individually. To the audio signal, it will receive, rather than utilizing the auto-detect selection.

It will be determined by the sort of AV receiver you have.

But for that, make sure that your remote subwoofer control is functioning properly first.

After you’ve finished with the manual setup, run a test to determine if the issue still exists. If it does, you should consider sending your AVR to the manufacturer’s service center. This will act as a comprehensive examination by a certified expert.

Source: lifewire.com

Step 4: Faulty Subwoofer Amp

This approach can be used to pinpoint the problem if you don’t have a spare sub. Plug your subwoofer using a working RCA connection. Reduce the level of your subwoofer output first.

Then put something on your DVD player and gradually increase the level of the subwoofer amp. Keep increasing until you can hear music. It’s the subwoofer amplifier that’s at issue if you hear a popping sound again. In this situation, you’ll have to send the subwoofer in for repair.

It’s a clever idea, but it has a caveat too. We can only figure out if the problem is caused by the subwoofer amplifier.

A passive or powered subwoofer will make hum or buzz sounds whether it’s playing or not. You can hear about 60 hertz humming sounds if the subwoofer is plugged into an AC outlet.

Step 5: Faulty AV Receiver

There is a chance for your receiver or amp to send dirty signals to your subwoofer. By connecting another source you can determine whether it’s the problem. Any other source directly to the subwoofer can help you detect the problem.

Changing inputs or listening modes will make the subwoofer make a pop-like noise, indicating that the pre-out jack is not muted. Having the pre-out jack not muted for a long time can also result in the popping noise. This is the indication of a failed circuit in the RV receiver.

Don’t have a spare woofer? Don’t worry! You could try changing the present AV receiver with the spare one. Run a test to see if the AVR is creating the pop sound from the subwoofer.

If the problem still doesn’t go away then there might be other problems.

All of the aforementioned troubleshooting approaches point to your subwoofer as the source of the problem.

You might want to read the rest of the article.

Because I’ll explain the numerous conditions that cause your sub to create popping sounds. Also, I’ll explain what you can do about it.

Step 6: Underpowering Subwoofer 

Typically underpowering a sub isn’t a problem. But the problem begins when it’s connected to an amp. The amp has to overwork in order to compensate for the lack of power.

Also, the speaker popping noise when turned on may also be caused by this problem. This can lead to the popping sound in many cases. Be careful about keeping your subwoofer low pass filter switched.

An example of this is very frequently seen in cars. It’s when the subwoofer makes noise when I accelerate. This is when the woofer isn’t getting enough power because of the acceleration.

So check if you’re powering your woofer with the necessary amount. Check if the power outage of the subwoofer matches the amps. If it doesn’t, you’ll have to put in some effort.

Getting a voltage stabilizer, such as a condenser, is an excellent answer.

Step 7: Faulty Cables

As we know, a popping sound is always an outcome of interruptions in the electrical connection. So worn out or broken cables can create this issue because of interruptions in the connection.

Source: heolospeakers.com

Replace the cables and check if the problem goes away. Check for damages to the wires. Also, check for loose connections. Because faulty connectivity could be the source of the issue. It can also lead to various reasons behind the subwoofer not working with pc.

Sometimes fixing a loose connection can solve the problem of popping. If any cable is worn out or broken, however, it should be replaced.

You will also face your subwoofer making knocking sounds due to aging. Years of wear and tear added with torn corrugated discs will make your subwoofer bring out somewhat of a weird knocking sound.

While you’re at it, you can also learn about Logitech G930 noise issues to learn more about headset noise problems.

FAQs

Why Is My Subwoofer Making a Popping Sound?

The subwoofer makes a popping sound because of squared waveforms, improper cone signals, or overpowered settings. The deformed noises reflect a mismatch between the input and output, depending on the speaker’s specs. Popping noises might also be caused by loose wiring.

Can the Popping Sound Blow My Subwoofer?

Yes, the popping sound can be dangerous enough to blow your subwoofer. Typically it can be harmless but in prolonged usage, it can be dangerous. It can lead to a burnt-out coil because of overheating. Especially when it’s connected to an amp, it’s more dangerous.

How Do You Know If You Blew Your Subwoofer?

Subwoofers can be blown if they are given too much voltage or a malformed signal. Listen to the sound. Then use a multimeter to see if the coils are blown to determine if your subwoofer is blown. You have a partially blown subwoofer if it is distorted.  And a completely blown subwoofer if there is no sound at all.

Conclusion

That will be a wrap for today. Hopefully, you were able to figure out why the subwoofer makes popping noise when turned off. 

Make sure to prioritize your safety while troubleshooting. Electricity can be very dangerous.

Good luck and see you at the next one!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *