Quote Originally Posted by voice of the theater View Post
The candle test sounds like a simple, yet effective test. That way I don't have to worry about any potential damage from spraying a liquid on the cabs. Even if the leak isn't substantial enough to blow out the candle, I'm sure you'd see the flame being affected by small "gusts" of air coming out of cabinet leaks when the bass is really "thumping". Thanks GM! Should I be more careful than usual regarding how loud I play the speakers during the test--is there any potential danger to the woofer having the port blocked while testing with relatively high SPL's? I'm sure I'd want to wear ear plugs during the test--being that close to the cabs.....
You're welcome, though I've never tried either the candle or smoke test, just have read of others doing them. I've always used Windex or generic equivalent as it blows nice bubbles and doesn't hurt any wood/finish I've sprayed it on, though I use a small pump sprayer normally for cleaning eyeglasses to keep overspray/saturation to a minimum and if it's any kind of particleboard I just automatically caulk it and it 'is what it is'........

I'm sure a vent could blow out a candle, but I doubt a typical leak could even at peak SPLs on underhung motors such as Altecs, though I imagine one of those 15-25 mm Xmax monsters being pumped up with a few kW might.

Probably not, but watch the excursion and don't exceed an 'eyeballed' Xmax value or ~3 mm [1/8"] if none is available.

WRT ear plugs, that's a personal call since at low frequencies we can tolerate a lot more SPL for a lot longer time without damage than higher up in our acute hearing BW. Anyway, around/at Fs in a ~sealed cab shouldn't be all that loud sounding even right next to it with just a single LF tone at this low an excursion. Get up around 80-100 Hz though and its T Rex stomping on your head or you're at the intro to a Headbanger's Ball.......

GM