PE/Dayton Tiny Mighty Subwoofer is dying, what now? (1 Viewer)

[aldamon]

It's a sad day. My 3-year old, $99 Dayton / Parts Express 10" "Tiny Mighty" subwoofer is dying. It's buzzing in stressful situations and occasionally it's producing a "whooshing" or feedback sound that sounds like electronic wind. I've opened it up and can't figure out what's wrong. Annoying as hell. So, I ask you all, what now? My home theater consists of the original JBL NSP-1 package, a Pioneer 811S receiver and a JVC 48" HD RPTV. Would an SVS PB10-ISD be a mismatch for my humble setup? Seems like a good option for $460 shipped. Should I just get the $125 second revision of Tiny Mighty? Thanks for the help.

 

[Jose G]

From what I undertsand the svs rocks but it costs $$, which is the beauty of the Tiny Mighty- it's dirt cheap. That said, if you can afford the price get the pb10 or another $$sub. OR, call parts express and get a new amp- an even better one than the one that came with the Tiny Mighty- I think it's 120W plate amp and cost $75-$99, sometimes shipped. The Tiny will come back to life- as long as nothing is wrong with the woofer, of course. It will take 10 minutes of your time to install the new amp by the way. Good luck! Again, if you do go with a $$sub, I think you'll notice a difference with music, which is nice, but I would save the cash for my next speaker upgrade and then go the svs or other $$sub in the future. That's what I think anyway.
Sorry for your loss:frowning:
josé

 

[MikeyWeitz]

Altrho you can not go wrong with an SVS, I would say it will easily outclass the rest of your system by a long shot.

Call PE as the Dayotn should have a 5 year warranty, so they should cover whatever it is to fix it since you have only had it for 3 years.

****I take that back- I did not know the NSP-1's were N24 based. Actually, would be a nice match. I thought they were the cubes-my bad!

 

[aldamon]

Yeah, but I already opened it myself to check it out. They'd be fools to service something I opened. It was only $99, so I think I got my money's worth. I'm really leaning towards the PB10, even if it smokes the rest of my system. Just seems like a wise investment.

 

[Bill Polley]

A few years back, SVS was introducing a new line called the PCi series. It replaced the original powered cylinder series called the PC line. After waiting on the list for a few weeks (pre order) I received my 16-46PCi. When I opened the box I laughed at the size of it (40 gal. water heater-ish, except black). My wife cried...then asked where I planned on "hiding" it in our 12 X 13 living room. After EQing with a BVD, we watched a movie in stereo because I had not yet been willing to give up my classic NAD system, and had not yet gone to surround.

Within weeks of the PCi, I bought a new amp and pre-pro, was shopping for speakers, and have since bought several other pieces of equipment. I guess what I am trying to say is this...if you buy an SVS and EQ your room's response with a BFD, you will not be able to stop the upgrade. A force from beyond will drive you to upgrade the rest of your system. You will find it hard to sleep, concentrate on work, and even brush your teeth. Everything will revolve around making your system perform as well as the SVS.

Good luck.

Bill

P.S.- All of this happened to me WITH MY WIFE'S BLESSING after the SVS arrived. Apparently the force affects many women the same way.

 

[Geoff L]

You have the TM-I (first version) and as mentioned it dose carry a stout warranty.

Unless you have marred up the screws real bad on the amp (or beat the living crap out of it, speaking to how the sub looks), you should have no problem getting a new sub.

They, PE, do not repair the Dayton 10" TM-I or TM-II subs, as they are built for them to their specs by a supplier. PE will just ship a NEW one to you most likely, but of course it will be the "latest version".

Call PE and ask for Tech Support.
Explain the problem and they will handel it. They might even "possibly" have some Amps from the first TM-I laying around. Reason being, the last large batch of TM-I subs sold, had many go out with "amp problems".
That was when PE finally gave up on TM-I supplier an changed to a new sub design & new supplier, the TM-II was born..

Everyone that bought a (TM-I) sub from that last batch and got a BAD Amp, was in the end, just told to keep the broken or not sounding right Amp and a new one was shipped to them. It's a small posibility, but they might have an original TM-I amp on hand. I'd not bet on that one..

A very good chance that one way or another you'll get a posible new TM-I amp and (or more likely a new sub).
If you simply pulled the Plate Amp to have a look once or twice, should be no biggy.
Be sure the driver is (ok), as a possible new TM-I amp won't be helping that..

I've heard/read of 3 or 4 people having subs a month old, to even almost 4 years old and something going wrong... PE just sent them a new one, you ship the old one back of couse. Most times they even ship the new one out before the broken one is even received back.

You certainly have ~{nothing to loose and everything to gain}~ by just simply making a free phone call. PE really goes out of their way to "take care of their customers"..!

Let the others know how things turn out.

Cheers ¥

 

[aldamon]

Well, Parts Express was useless. Very disappointing. They want me to box up and ship my 38-lb, 13-3/4" W x 16-1/4" H x 14-1/2" D subwoofer back to them so they can "examine" it. I talked to support and I talked to sales. They had no other solution even when I mentioned, and they confirmed, the past problems with the 300-630 plate amp. I don't know what everyone else does in this situation, but I don't exactly have this kind of packaging laying around. So basically, my warranty coverage hinges on whether or not I can locate a box, locate packaging, and somehow ship the sub to PE in one piece so it passes their inspection. All the while I go subless. Lovely. Guess I'm back to the SVS plan! There are worse things in life.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Using my brother's spectrum analyser - we plotted his room to be about 20 Hz to 18 kHz ±4 dB!

SVS really raises the bar in reproducing that real Theater sound of the JBL NSP1's!

Phil

 

[aldamon]

I was hoping you'd post Phil. Your posts helped me choose the the NSP-1 package in the first place.

Hmm, now you've got me thinking:

PB10-ISD: $429 + $40.30 shipping = $469.30
SV25-31PCi: $549 + $23.71 shipping = $572.71

Is the PB10-ISD heavier than the 25-31PCI? It also bothers me that their heralded "$399" sub offering is now up to $429. I may spring for that extra $100 and get the tube model. Wish the summer sale you mentioned was still happening. Then it'd be a $50 no-brainer.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Actually no, since I wrote in my April 12th, 2002 SVS 25-31PCi vs. AudioSource SW15 review that it was 66 lbs. So, the price difference must be the packaging!?!

Let me tell you that my SVS 25-31PCi tactile couch, wall, floor, pant-leg sub-sonic moving impact(s) in my 20'x 30' HT/family room, ... when the encoded LFE calls for it in my blockbuster DVD's, ... has really fulfilled every expectation that I ever wanted in reproducing the full broad spectrum found in the better real Cinema Theater sound experience!

The SVS 25-31PCi is the best investment that I have made for my HT!

My brother, a friend that lives near my brother and an Mech. Engineer @ my work that bought the SVS 25-31PCi after hearing mine feels the same as I do about the investment!!! We all share the SVS grin when we talk about our latest blockbuster DVD sonic experiences!!!

Have fun deciding,
Phil

 

[aldamon]

What are your thoughts on having the 25-31PCi tuned to 22Hz?

 

[Phil Iturralde]

I took Tom's advise and I'm super satisfied with what I hear and feel (think pant-legs @ all my seating locations)!!!

Actually, last summer, ... my neighbor that lives over 50' away behind my backyard felt my SVS when my brother egged-me to watch "Atlantis - The Lost Empire" DTS @ -5 dB below REF Level (approx. 110 dBc FAST LFE SPL Peaks @ my 'sweet spot') Sounded sweet, clear and impressive.

I finally heard the door bell during the bomastic end when the good guys stopped and gathered to talk strategy! :b

Back to -10 dB below REF Level (approx. 106 dBc FAST LFE SPL Peaks)

Hope this helps, and whatever you decide, try not to disturb your neighbor's!!!

Phil

 

[John S]

Find the cheapest decent mono / mono bridgable amp you can find. Bypass the on board amp, call it good.

 

[aldamon]

Well, I did it. The 25-31PCi is on its way.

Does anyone in the Triangle area of NC want my sick Tiny Mighty for free? Drop me a PM.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Congrat's aldamon!!!

I'm pretty sure once you receive the package, you're going to look like this! ...

You have no concept how big the sub is until you get the box, ... and unpack it!!!

Looking forward to read your subjective thoughts after you REF Calibrate your whole setup and played a few blockbuster DVD's!!! (i.e. Toy Story 2; Titan A.E.; Sky Captain; The Phantom Menace; Pearl Harbor; etc.) You will repeat the following look, ...

... and eventually develop the permanent "SVS grin"!!!

Now, the wait ........
Phil

 

[aldamon]

Phil, my SVS 25-31PCi is ridiculous. I almost died laughing when I opened the box this morning. It's huge and its bass output outrageous. I have everything calibrated and I'm rewatching The Attack of the Clones and will probably watch Sky Captain later. I'm hoping Jack blows a bunch of crap up tonight on 24 Thanks for the suggestion!

Again, if anyone in the Triangle wants my sick Dayton, they're welcome to pick it up. I just don't feel like bothering with the warranty. I'm sure all it needs is a new amp.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Your welcome!!!

If your room is like mine and other SVS owners, ... for complete HT movie enjoyment, ... locating those annoying vibrations and silencing them is a priority!!!

Phil

 

[Geoff L]

Well the PE problem has moved you to a new "house shaker". I'm sure you miss the little Dayton, less and less..

Nice of you to offer it to the others in the loop, the Dayton-10"...! A 75 to 125-watt aftermarket Amp from PE or other, when on sale, is pretty cheap and would get it back up and running for few bucks. This, as long it covers the hole for the amp. Can always cut a touch more out to make the new amp fit, if not a direct bolt in.

Maybe you could use it for a garage sub, an extra room, "if you feel like messing with it at a later time".. I'm sure it (feels so used :b) now that the new SVS bass toy has arrived...!

Sorry to hear things turned kinda sour, when compared to others with Dayton-10 warranty sub problems..! I feel bad that they made it much more diffucult for repair or replacement than the many other Dayton owners I"ve read about.. A pratical cake walk for them in comparision, seems rather unfair.

==>
But hey, look what has now become the NEW bass transducer because of it...
==>

Enjoy your new LARGER & much much more powerfull SVS subwoofer..!

Regards
Geoff ¥

 

[Garrett Lundy]

I'm suprised nobody here suggested the excellant Hsu STF-2 as a replacement for the dead Dayton ten incher.

 

[aldamon]

LOL. No thanks. I figured someone would bring up HSU though since I typed SVS in my thread