ArunR

PB10 ISD Port Noise

I got my PB10 ISD yesterday. I calibrated it using my DVE disk to 83db (Added only 8 db for DVE disk miscalibration of the subwoofer tone). The channel level on the reciever for the subwoofer is -5 and the gain control on the sub is at 12'0 clock position.


My living room is where I have the HT setup with 2100 cu feet dimensions and opens out to the kitechen with 640 cu ft dimension. The sub is not in a corner bcos I was adviesd to keep it close to the listening position and my listeneing position is somewwhat at 2/3 the distance of the room. However sub has a wall behind it and the woofer faces my seating position.

I get a heavy port noise when I am listening to movies with bass intensive scenes @ -10 to -15 db refernce volume. The woofer is not bottoming out but the port noise is really bad. I switched off the sub now and I will wait for an answer from you guys cos I am afraid I might damage it or something cos I read a couple of guys had blown up their PB10 ISD.

Here is the list of movies I found the port noise.

1. U571 - The Depth Charge Scene.
2. Master and Commander - Some cannon shot scenes.
3. Matrix Reloaded. The higwway chase scene when one of the agents jumps out of his car and onto the car of Morpheus.

Aaron_Mum

Here is a theory:
I think what may be going on is that you have the sub in a bad spot in the room. Toss it into a corner and see if you get more SPL out of it. In order for you to get enough output near reference in a poor location you may be running the sub near its limits (resulting in port noise). If you can get the sub into a more efficient location then you may be able to hit the same levels with less gain on the sub and avoid the port noise. Walk around your room and see how much the bass differs. You may have a big null right were you sit and a massive earth shaking response in another part of the room. Spend some time finding a great location for your sub (every room is different) and then recalibrate, this could solve your problem.

SVS-Ron

Arun,

The PB10-ISD is the most 'blowin it up resistant' sub we've made I think. I can't even recall one that's gone bye bye with all that have been sold (it's possible, I'm just saying it's so rare I can't recall an incident.)

If you are hearing port noise then certainly you are approaching the overall limits of the sub. It's sounding like a large and open room, and the sub is far enough away you will either want to edge things down a bit for very very demanding movies like that, or alternatively get more sub. A more powerful sub I mean.

We're quite confident you couldn't have spent $429 and gotten more performance, but it's not like the PB10-ISD is going to muscle thru every tough test without a bit of finessing.

If you can get the sub closer (even right next to you) or get it in a corner somewhere that would help immensely.

Turning the sub down, or adding a sub, or replacing it with a more capable model are the choices you face.

You are right to throttle back on things some if you are hearing audible distress (exceedingly hard to push that sub into audible stress) but probably just rolling back your sub level output on your receiver a couple dB will take care of this (of course if you were running louder master levels than you ever will use outside of "demo mode" chances are you can just leave things as they are).

Ron
SVS

Apologies to wimpy subs everywhere

ArunR

Thank you for the reply. I really love the PB10 ISD. I think I will upgrade to a higher sub(only SVS) for that space in the near future. I have the sub next to my seating position. Until then probably can continue using it with the port noise or will that blow the sub.

And by the way SVS has one great customer service and thank you for that SVS especially a special one to Ron.

Tim Stumpf

I guess this is another "port noise complaint" thread, yuk yuk.

SVS-Ron

Arun,

Well since we know how hard you have to push a PB10-ISD to get "audible port noise" I'm classing this as an "argument... not a complaint (complaints are two doors down" ;^) Sorry, Monty Python flashback.

Seriously, you should just turn the sub down a bit and I think you will find the noise goes away. I'm guessing things are moving pretty good in the room when you hear this. Adding a second PB10-ISD or moving up to a PB12-ISD or PB12-Plus would be a quick way to a more powerful experience. Hell, jump to a Plus/2 and eliminate all doubt, just make sure you are ready for THAT much bass power 8^)

It is clear you like a lot though so keep in mind that really there is no such thing as "too much (subwoofer)... only not enough".

Ron
SVS

Apologies to wimpy subs everywhere

Jack Gilvey

Got a link to these anecdotes? I've only heard port noise on very high level passages of a sustained tone near tuning, like in the "The Haunting" when Catherine Zeta-Jones-Gilvey and that ugly chick are sitting on the bed (yup, had potential), there's a note right around 20Hz that sustains quite a while. Aside from that nitpick, which occurs at 10dB below reference measured from across the room, I can't get the thing to whimper...much less "blow up".

ScottCarr

This same comment of Pb10s blowing up is on another forum, and another poster asked the same question, where are the post describing the blow ups.

Not sure where the comments were seen but I have put mine through some serious testing and have not felt it was close to blowing up.

Mike_J_Potter

Agreed, I just got MY PB10 and was pushing it today with Master and Commander, and U-571. I had the whole couch shaking without any distortion. I think either angry neighbors or the police will be knocking on the door before any destortion is heard or I blow the sub.

Mike Potter

Last 3 films watched
Natural Born Killers (DVD)
Duece Bigalow 2 (theater)
Forrest Gump (1080I)

SVS-Ron

I'm not going to say it's an urban legend, but jimminy, we've sent a HELL of a lot of PB10-ISD's out (literally boat loads of them). But while my memory isn't that great, if I can't remember one that's failed, it's so rare it's in the "and I might win the lottery too" category of life's events.

Still, since we know it's very difficult to induce any audible distortion in this sub (even if it's being run way harder than it should be), any PB10-ISD user should look for things close to it that might be resonating (floors, lamps, pictures in frames are the usual suspects and often you will SWEAR it's the sub in distress when it's something like that in the vicinity).

If it turns out someone does find a combination of running the sub too loud on just the right passage for a given room, then as mentioned above one really has two choices: 1.) Add more sub. 2.) Turn the current sub down a bit (at least for that movie).

Arun has about 2 years, 11 months and 3 weeks left on his bumper to bumper warranty, plenty of time to enjoy the sub and experiment with calibration a bit more (it's possible DVE has changed, we know some disks were recorded "hot" but that's not to say alterations might not have been put into play. Borrow copy of Avia if you can and we know what we're dealing with).

If there's even one guy killed his PB10-ISD I know the other 99.99% of them are functioning perfectly well; and I'd imagine the rare guy's woofer or amp has long since been replaced.

Arun, if yours just seems to be underperforming, after checking levels with Avia (and ensuring nothing nearby is resonating) drop me a line. We'll swap your sub out with one we've hammered a while in-house to ensure nothing's amiss.

Ron
SVS

Joey_V

When I have my SVS PC+ right next to listening position, it doesnt have the same impact as when the PC+ is about 10 feet away (and corner=loaded).

Perhaps the solution to your problem is placing the sub in the far corner and turning it just a wee-bit lower.

Martin Logan + Rotel =
Martin Logans rock!!!