Why Does My Subwoofer Cut in and Out?

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Updated October 17, 2022

If you are new to the world of home audio, you may wonder why your subwoofer cuts in and out. Many of the best speakers, after all, are subwoofers, and these speakers can cut in and out in certain scenarios. So why do the best subwoofers cut in and out, and what can you do about it? Keep reading to find out.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Subwoofers cut out for a variety of reasons, as this is a common issue, leading to static during use and other unpleasant outcomes.
  • Your first step here is to switch out any connection cables and speaker wires, including the power cord. Have replacements on hand.
  • In case of bad ground, you should also attach a ground wire and move a wireless speaker around to avoid wireless interference.

Why Does My Subwoofer Keep Cutting Off?

After learning where to place a subwoofer, you may start to experience some audio glitches, including audio that cuts out at random intervals. There are many reasons this happens, and these reasons depend on wired vs wireless speakers. You could have faulty connection cables, damaged internal wiring, or it could even be your power source. Keep reading to learn more reasons behind this issue so you can conduct that Jabra 410 vs 510 review.

Insider Tip

Make sure to clean the exterior of your speakers regularly, though exercise caution around the speaker cone.

Tips to Keep Subwoofers From Cutting Out

Here are some general troubleshooting tips to ensure your subwoofers work for years to come.

Try Different Cables

If you are using a wired subwoofer, faulty connection cables often cause the speaker to cut in and out. As a matter of fact, this simple issue is responsible for the vast majority of these subwoofer problems. How to fix it? Easy; just keep a number of connection cables on hand and whenever you experience the subwoofer cutting out, replace the cables. If you notice immediate relief from the problem, then it was the cables. Swapping out the cords should always be your first troubleshooting step, as it is the cheapest and easiest fix.

Grounding Issues

Some subwoofers, along with regular speakers and record players, need to be grounded to avoid any connection issues. You may notice that some stereo cables come with a third grounding cable and that most subwoofers have a ground connection input. If your speaker is cutting out, try connecting this grounding cable to your subwoofer and to your preamp or receiver. The grounding cable looks like a little, for lack of a better word, pitchfork, though some feature rounded edges.

STAT: When the bass cuts out at high volume, the problem is usually in the amplifier. However, depending exactly on how your subwoofer is ceasing to function, you could also have a wiring problem, an electrical problem, or even a problem with your subwoofer or subwoofer wires.. (source)

Move the Subwoofer

This is more of an issue for wireless subwoofers, but if your speaker is too far away from the audio source, try moving it closer to eliminate any of the aforementioned issues. This can even happen with wired speakers, as long cables of 20 to 30 feet cause latency which can lead to this problem.

Cutting Subwoofers FAQs

Why does my subwoofer cut out at a high volume?

This is likely a preamp issue or a voltage issue. Fix a bad ground by adding a ground wire, replacing the power wire, looking for any loose connections, adjusting the bass volume at the speaker terminals, and adjusting parameters on the preamp.

How to pair a subwoofer with a soundbar?

Pairing a subwoofer with a soundbar requires a power cord or power wire to juice up both devices and a connection cable. If wireless, you just need a Bluetooth connection to offer power capacity.

How do you control bass and treble?

Many wired and wireless subwoofers offer EQ controls via an amp or onboard dials and knobs. Check the subwoofer box for any controls, and check the instructions for specifics.
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