BryanWeaver

Low frequency cutting out w/SVS/Onkyo...

Ok...this is going to sound like the "car guys" weekly puzzler, but I am quite frankly stumped with my problem.

The setup: Onkyo xt-sr701 receiver, Onkyo 701 DVD player
PB2+ Klipsch mains/center/sats. (all brand new stuff)

The symptoms: Using the Avia dvd and doing a low frequency sweep, the dvd appears to studder at about 44Hz, the audio cuts out momentarily, the counters stop, and the video display shows a slight glitch. The volume settings on the receiver are -10, the sub at half power. When the receiver vol is turned up to 0, and the sub is turned down to 1/4 vol or less, this does not happen. Leaving the receiver vol at 0, and increasing the sub vol to 1/3 the dvd again cuts out at around 45Hz. It appears that when the sub vol is increased more to 1/2 vol the dvd cuts out at a higher (52Hz) frequency.

My initial thought was that the amp on the sub was giving me problems because the cutting out seems to correlate directly with the increase in sub volume, not just the increase in receiver volume. What has me puzzled is that the dvd player counter will stop incrementing until it comes back (a .5 sec to 1.5 sec or less) but at the higer volume, it will cut out a few more times until the frequency is below 35Hz, then the sweep continues on. The bitrate on the dvd is a a max at that point (5.3mbps) if that has anything to do with it.

The dvd is cabled to the receiver via the coax digital connection. To me, if the sub was failing, then the dvd would just continue on. But also, if the dvd was failing then it seems it would do so independent of the volume as it is a line level digital signal. I can understand it the digital circuitry had a problem at a certain frequency, but I can't understand how the dvd symptoms can be related to the power settings of the sub and the receiver.

Initially I had the Receiver and the dvd player attached with the Onkyo interconnect, but removed that connection thinking that the two components actually might communicate, but the symptoms are the same.

This problem can be easily demonstrated as it does not appear to be an intermittent type of thing.

So, that is my problem. Does anybody have any idea of what piece of the puzzle is causing this problem?

Thanks

Bryan Weaver

SVS-Ron

Bryan,

Does it glitch without the sub actually switched on?

If yes, you have a bad disk.

If no, then your SPLs are probably inducing a skip in your DVD player. The roll back of the counter and video skip would indicate as much (resonances can set up in any spot in the room and at any frequency... right on top of your DVD player isn't unheard of). Try lower SPLs with the sweep, or try to move/isolate your DVD player more.

Ron

Apologies to wimpy subs everywhere

BryanWeaver

Thanks,

I never thought about that scenario. The occurrence does not happen when the the volume is low, either by the sub amp,or by the receiver amp, but actually starts at a higher frequency when the volume is higher. I was only considering an electrical relationship rather than a mechanical connection to the problem.

With the sub off, (or volume turned completely down) it does not happen.

I will give it a try (move the dvd) and see if that solves things.


Bryan Weaver

SVS-Ron

Bryan,

Sounds like you are onto something ;^)

Keep us posted.

PS Moving the sub a few inches should have about the same effect as moving the DVD player if that's more practical (don't forget to sit back down and recalibrate with Avia afterwards). Something like some soft feet, a folded towel (be sure not to block vents on ANY equipment) or bricks under the player might help, depending on what it's sitting on now.

Ron