Subwoofers popping, need help diagnosing! (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

The past month or two, I’m hearing intermittent popping from my 2 year old SVS SB3000 subwoofers. But I haven’t contacted SVS yet because I’m not yet sure if it’s the subwoofers specifically, or something else. Including possibly my pre-pro (really hope not!). I’m hoping there are some ideas on how I can better isolate what’s happening so I can work with SVS on warranty service effectively or find a way to mitigate it if it’s coming from the processor.

Here’s the basics:

• During scenes with relatively large amounts of subwoofer engagement, there will be very low frequency pops / crackles.
• This only started recently, after about two years of owning the subs. I’ve changed nothing in my Audyssey config since then.
• I upgrade the AppleTV and Projector and HDMI cables last Fall, but this problem is happening a month or three after that was all stable.
• The AppleTV or HBOMax intro sound logo tend to cause it
• I initially tracked it to my left subwoofer by turning it on and off while playing scenes in question
• I spent an hour last weekend trying to cause the problem and I couldn’t. The problem seemed to have gone away for a week or so.
• It happened last night. It was now happening from the right subwoofer and seemingly not from the left.
• I’d been sure it was an early failure with the left sub. But now I’m wondering if it’s a problem with my Marantz 7702mkII?
• Or…I use the SVS RF transmitters…could it be a wireless interference problem?
• Most annoying, I can’t make it happen repeatedly. And it’s not frequent even if it is happening.

Any suggestions are welcome in trying to track it down, including specific songs or movie/tv scenes with really low bass that might highlight this problem.

Thanks!

 

[Walter Kittel]

It happened last night. It was not happening from the right subwoofer and seemingly not from the left.

Is this a typo?. You seem to be implying that it occurred, but neither from the right or the left subwoofer. (??)

I'm probably not the guy to make suggestions, but I would try swapping the components associated with the left and right subwoofers and see if the problem moves.

In terms of material to stress you subwoofers, I'll mention 1999's The Haunting. Not a particularly impressive movie, but the bass (at least at the time) was pretty aggressive by HT standards.

- Walter.

 

[DaveF]

Is this a typo?. You seem to be implying that it occurred, but neither from the right or the left subwoofer. (??)

I'm probably not the guy to make suggestions, but I would try swapping the components associated with the left and right subwoofers and see if the problem moves.

In terms of material to stress you subwoofers, I'll mention 1999's The Haunting. Not a particularly impressive movie, but the bass (at least at the time) was pretty aggressive by HT standards.

- Walter.

Yes, typo, fixed it. Two weeks ago, left sub. Last night, right sub that was popping. Sometimes, no popping.

Swapping left for right is a great idea. Will definitely play with that.

 

[Colin]

Is there a subsonic filter setting? @Jonathan helped me solve a similar problem that was plaguing my subs for 2 years. If I recall correctly, we turned on the subsonic filter to filter out frequencies below 20hz and it fixed it. I'm hoping it's the same issue as it's an easy fix for a super annoying issue.

The way we tested it is I knew a scene from a movie that caused the popping sound, so we were able to try different filter settings until we'd solved it.

 

[GMC ELECTRIC]

Sounds like the rubber suspension or possibly the paper diaphragm has issues. Try test tones at average listening levels around 75db. Remove the speaker grills to visually observe while testing sub 1 then sub 2 this should clarify things for you. If you're lucky, it may be just loose adhesive holding the rubber suspension to the frame. If that is the case, you will be able to apply some recommended adhesive by yourself remembering to let it cure at least 24 hours. Then test again.

 

[Colin]

Any luck figuring out the issue?

 

[DaveF]

Any luck figuring out the issue?

Thanks for asking. I haven’t had the time the past couple weeks to investigate further. But in watching TV, including tonight, the problem has occurred much less frequently that it was this Winter when it was really getting annoying.

So I now tend to think it’s electronic or RF wireless signal interference. But it’s hard to get a couple hours free on a weekend, especially to spend chasing an intermittent problem.

 

[DaveF]

Two weeks, no popping. And no changes made.

I don’t know what this means. It’s not fixed, since I’ve had it come and go. But for now, I can ignore it until I have time to dig into it.

 

[Colin]

If you find a scene that causes the pop and replaying the scene reproduces it, you can check the subsonic filter.

 

[DaveF]

If you find a scene that causes the pop and replaying the scene reproduces it, you can check the subsonic filter.

That’s the big difficulty in diagnosing it: it’s not consistent. Scenes that cause one day don’t the next.

 

[Colin]

That’s the big difficulty in diagnosing it: it’s not consistent. Scenes that cause one day don’t the next.

Wow. That's really annoying.

 

[John Dirk]

I've been watching this thread but haven't chimed in because I simply couldn't make any sense of the described failure modes. While that hasn't necessarily changed, I will offer the following for your consideration.

• SVS subs are built like tanks and yours are fairly new. I sincerely doubt there's any mechanical issue.
• The intermittent and unpredictable nature here is consistent with something where performance can vary with environmental factors, such as wifi transmission.
• SVS offers two SoundPath options. The first is a single band [2.4 GHz] product while the other [more expensive] option operates on 2.4, 5.2 and 5.8 GHz bands. If you're using the 2.4GHz only model, you may want to take a look at SVS' website for guidance on whether or not they consider it suitable for your environment.

Either way, if it's possible without too much fuss, I would temporarily eliminate the SoundPath and run RCA cables to rule out wifi as the culprit.

 

[DaveF]

I've been watching this thread but haven't chimed in because I simply couldn't make any sense of the described failure modes. While that hasn't necessarily changed, I will offer the following for your consideration.

• SVS subs are built like tanks and yours are fairly new. I sincerely doubt there's any mechanical issue.
• The intermittent and unpredictable nature here is consistent with something where performance can vary with environmental factors, such as wifi transmission.
• SVS offers two SoundPath options. The first is a single band [2.4 GHz] product while the other [more expensive] option operates on 2.4, 5.2 and 5.8 GHz bands. If you're using the 2.4GHz only model, you may want to take a look at SVS' website for guidance on whether or not they consider it suitable for your environment.

Either way, if it's possible without too much fuss, I would temporarily eliminate the SoundPath and run RCA cables to rule out wifi as the culprit.

I have the SoundPath Tri-Band.

SoundPath Tri-Band Wireless Audio Adapter

Wirelessly connect a subwoofer, powered speakers, and more in congested signal areas.

www.svsound.com

When the problem happens again, I'll do some basic checks like swap channels. Getting a long RCA cable to connect directly is a good idea. (I had a 30' subwoofer RCA cable...20 years ago! I think I got rid of it a while back. But I'll purchase one again cheap if I need it to debug.)

I'd really like to narrow it down to subwoofer or soundpath or processor.

 

[DaveF]

Note to self: no popping / audio disruptions heard since last post. So about 3 weeks.

 

[John Dirk]

Note to self: no popping / audio disruptions heard since last post. So about 3 weeks.

For me that's a dubious note because it defies plausible explanation. I hate the weird ones.

 

[DaveF]

For me that's a dubious note because it defies plausible explanation. I hate the weird ones.

Yep. I’m learning to a connection problem at my Marantz, since it’s varying (with temperature?) and was not specific to one sub. But there’s a lot of guessing there.

 

[DaveF]

Last night, got really strongly crackling / static noise during Apple TV logo. And it repeated as I rewound and replayed the logo.

Using the SVS app, dialing volume up and down, I found it was coming from the left subwoofer.

I swapped the wireless adapters between the subwoofers and the crackling stopped. I switched back and it didn’t return.

I think this means it’s a signal interference problem. That it’s mostly the left subwoofer, which is farther from the transmitters fits that.

The transmitters are in the electronics closet, which has a wall. The receivers are behind the subwoofers and below the riser for the second row. The left subwoofer is also on the other side of the front row seating.

I don’t know why I’m getting this problem two years later. Maybe it was there longer and didn’t pick up on it until recently. I don’t know why last night’s crackling was so substantial versus the intermittent popping I’ve had before.

Assuming it’s signal related, I can play with improving the signal path to see if that improves things. If so, figure out how to make that permanent. (I might need to buy a long cable to try temporarily to help rule out RF problems.)

 

[John Dirk]

Assuming it’s signal related, I can play with improving the signal path to see if that improves things. If so, figure out how to make that permanent. (I might need to buy a long cable to try temporarily to help rule out RF problems.)

That would be my approach. There are just too many intermittent, environmental factors that might affect wireless transmission, making the troubleshooting task a nightmare.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I don’t trust anything wireless for audio except my AirPods and even those have their weird issues sometimes. No way I’d trust a wireless LFE signal in an HT. Just no. I get it if there’s no practical way to run an RCA or XLR cable to the sub(s) but I’d just have to run the cable across the floor before I went wireless.

 

[DaveF]

There's no practical way to run a wire (for permanent use).

I'm not running a cable across the floor.