Problem with 16-46 SVS? (1 Viewer)

[KevinHunt]

RS and TV and anyone else. I just got my 2 16-46s and Samson amp yesterday. I'm still waiting on another amp so I'm not doing the complete 5.1 calibration yet. I started by hooking up my left and right fronts and one 16-46. I did a quick calibration running the SVS just 3dB hot and listened to some music(STP) Right away with the first sub when bass notes would fade to quiet, I could hear a vibration noise from the listening position. I replayed the track and moved over to the sub putting my head down near the baseplate and listened again. I could hear a constant vibration/slight flapping noise. It doesn't sound like a bad driver because it is putting out good bass, but I can't figure out what the vibration is. If I slightly press one of my fingers on the driver when it is playing the vibration noise goes away. What else should I check for and is it possible that it's a problem with the driver? All things sound pretty good at the listening position until the music fades away or gets quiet and then I can hear it. I hooked up the second SVS and no vibration noise.
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-Kevin

 

[Damien Montanile]

did you check to make sure that nothing is touching the driver itself...for Example,,, When I was rerunning my speaker cable to the rear surrounds, I accidentally ran it underneath the driver and above the baseplate (when I meant to run it under and around the baseplate. I noticed the different right off the bat and it was eas to fix obviously.
Just a suggestion

 

[KevinHunt]

Yes I made sure there was nothing around the sub that could be vibrating. It definitely appears to be coming either from the driver or somewhere right around where it is mounted. Nothing appears to be loose as far as general assembly goes, though I can't really check the driver until I know how to take off the baseplate.
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-Kevin

 

[Ron Stimpson]

Kevin,
It's possible you got one bum driver. Please e-mail us and we'll start the diagnosis off line. We can work much quicker that way.
Rest assured both subs should work perfectly, but with the abuse FEDEX dishes out anything is possible.
If it's the drive it's only a matter of swapping it out in a matter of minutes. Just need the old driver back so we can check it out for the cause of the problem.
Get us your weekend e-mail address so we can work down the list.
Write to [email protected] and [email protected]
Ron

 

[Greg S]

Hey Ron & Kevin,
This sounds very familiar to me!!
Kevin play the same stuff again and watch very very closley on the plastic SVS logo on the tube and see if it vibrates. Your problem sounds identical to the one I posted a few weeks back. I noticed during Jurrasic park a weird vibration that was coming from my 25-31 and low and behold, upon further review, it was the plastic SVS logo "flapping" against the cylinder.
I say this because my noise also went away when I touched the fabric also.
Solution double sided carpet tape(per Ron's suggestion). Worked perfectly for me.
LMK what ya find out by my hunch is a "flapping" logo.
Good Luck
Greg

 

[Damien Montanile]

Proof that even the SMALLEST of things can cause a potential headache with audiophiles.
-D

 

[Sean Oneil]

This seems to be the caveat of having so much bass inside these tubes ...I had a similar problem about two weeks ago when my 20-39PC arrived.
I noticed a vibration within my sub which was kind of a squeeking vibrating noise. The driver still cranked, and everything outside of 30-46Hz was OK.
After e-mailing back and forth with SVS' Ron (who was very helpful and responsive) I decided to open up my woof by removing the 18 screws which hold the power amp in place.
I located the source of the problem as being a slightly loose circuit board on the back of the amplifier, and I took steps to eliminate it. After I put my sub back together everything was fine, and has been in perfect working order ever since. I really love this subwoofer!
You may want to open yours up (e-mail with Tom or Ron first though, of course) to make sure that everything is tight in there and nothing is rubbing ..ie, loose wires, screws, etc.
-Good Luck
Sean

 

[KevinHunt]

Sean, I have the CS series so nothing inside but the port and some "pink panther". I've already taken the driver out twice now to inspect it and can't really find anything wrong. For a while, I really thought it was the long tensil leads on the back of the cone, but Ron doesn't think this wold be audible so that's probably not it. On a hard hitting, fast-stopping bass drum I can just hear a little flap noise. It's the long bass guitar or synthesizer notes thought really cause an extended flapping vibration. It's audible enough that I have ordered a relacement driver, but the thing still puts out gobs of bass. The other 16-46 is working flawlessly. I'm sure it's something small and simple but I can't nail it down. E-mail support from TV and RS has been phenominal, but this is nothing new to you guys.
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-Kevin

 

[SVS-Ron]

Kevin,
Thanks for rolling with this. Every once in a while we get a driver that looks perfect, tests fine before boxing, and will be OK on most bass, till you get just the right conditions (FedEx is what we like to blame when this happens). Needless to say your replacement driver will be on the way Monday, and you'll get a full refund for it when the old one shows up. That should take care of the problem.
We'll be eager to get that one back to have it torn down, we've had few failures (that weren't customer induced) but any is too many when it's YOUR driver that's bad.
Ron

 

[Damien Montanile]

Ron,
The way you pack those boxes its amazing how Fedex can do any damage to the sub. If you packed it any better youd give Houdini a challenge
-D
NEver doubt the destructive powers of feDex and UPS.

 

[SVS-Ron]

That's the truth.
Speed doesn't kill.... FedEx does.
Or as I head from someone else.
"FedEx and UPS are going to merge into one company soon.
They'll be call...FedUp"
Could be true.
Ron

 

[SteveRS]

Looks like I have a similar problem with a 16-46PC.
When the sub goes above 93db at 65% volume I hear a sound like a cricket chirping.
I pulled the sub out of the corner and put my ear to the amp plate and heard a metallic scraping directly behind the plate.
I didn't notice the noise until two weeks after receiving it.
What do you guys think?

 

[SVS-Ron]

Steve,
I think you'd better e-mail SVS about this problem so we can send you a new sub or a new amp to swap out. We have had a small number of amps that had this problem (VERY small number) and we would like to get a CERTAIN example that does it (more than once we've gotten subs back to find out it was something in the room rattling etc. and the new sub "did the same thing".).
If you would be willing to order another sub you can ship back the old on in the new box.
If you are handy with a screw driver we can shoot for just an "ampectomy" but that's your call.
E-mail us and we'll go from there. Trouble-shooting on the forum is cumbersome on a good day.
Ron

 

[SteveRS]

Thanks Ron,
It was very easy to localize the metallic scraping noise to the sub.
With the sub in the center of the room and the noise getting louder as my ear touched the amp plate.
I am not sure if it is the amp or the voice coil of the speaker rubbing.
I will e-mail SVS tonight.
You guys have some great customer service!