Subwoofer making rhythmic "heartbeat" sound -- is it toast? (1 Viewer)

[Phil Carter]

Good day folks,

Been a while since I posted here and looking at my post history it seems like I only post here when I have problems. I should really do something about that; fourteen years a member, I really ought to at least be more active.

Anyhow....the same Velodyne sub, a DLS-3750R 10" model, that I last posted about back in 2012 (not going to bother with links) is now misbehaving again. Midway through watching (of all things) a video on Youtube, the sub began making a rhythmic "heartbeat" sound. It does so even when the AV cable is disconnected and the only cable running to it is the power cable. Tried it on multiple power outlets to rule out faulty power, and the behavior is the same at each. On the off chance that it's something wrong with the "Auto On/Off" switch, I tried disabling that switch, with no effect (I'm pretty sure that switch only determines whether or not the sub powers itself off after a set amount of inactivity, anyway).

Here's a quick Youtube video of what it's doing (my phone's camera doesn't have great audio, so this was the best I could do). It sounds more like clicking in the video, but it's actually giving a powerful bass thump in measured beats.



The few Google pages I've found (most of them several years old) using the best terms I could come up with suggests that it's an amp issue within the sub. It's long out of warranty and this isn't the first time I've had issues with it, so if the general consensus is that it'll need repair, then I'll probably wind up purchasing something new. Does that seem like the case?

The next question, then, would be "what's a good sub in the sub-$600 range"? Not quite looking for the punch given by the lately-reviewed SVS SB-16 Ultra, though I did drool over the review.

Would be interested to hear what you folks think about this one. Thanks in advance for any responses!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Phil's gonna get a new SVS sub!!!

Yay!

I'm no sub-doctor, Phil. I don't even play one on TV. So I cannot help diagnose your problem. But it don't sound good.

But I can tell you I got a good deal on an SVS PB-1000 a few years ago. It's the lean step-child of some of the monster subs posted about on these pages...but it satisfies me (for now!). It is currently $500 for a new one at SCS.com. Sometimes they have open box sales though. Yup. They have one in their outlet store right now for $475.

Good luck!

 

[Phil Carter]

Man, it's hard to argue with sub-$500 for a prime SVS. The PB-1000, you say? I am intrigued by your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Mike Frezon]

There are also some SB-1000s on the outlet page...as well as some SB-2000s for $629. If you wanted to up your game and stretch the budget a little bit.

Us budget-minded guys gotta shop smart!

Start reading reviews. You will drive yourself nuts and talk yourself into buying something new!

Have fun!

 

[Phil Carter]

SVS's Merlin page suggests that the best match for my Polk RTi A7 speakers is their SB13-Ultra / PB13-Ultra line. Not quite sure I want to go THAT far, but an SB-2000 might be quite nice.

Pretty sure I'm going SVS for the replacement, have heard so many rave reviews of them here on HTF and elsewhere.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'm surprised no one has chimed in yet about the problem with your current sub.

I have Polks, too! RTi6s for my fronts. RTi4s for my rears. And a CSi5 for my center.

I've never done this but, I've read that if you call SVS their experts will talk you through the best options for you based upon your speaker set-up, room size and listening preferences (mostly music, movies, etc.). A 13Ultra would move you up into a whole 'nother league! From what I understand, they're pretty honest about telling you how much sub you need (in other words they don't try to upsell you something that's above your budget). Worth a try.

 

[Phil Carter]

Haha, it sounds like we have fairly similar setups. I have a CSi A6 for my center and FXi A6s for my rears. If the PB-1000 works well for you that's a pretty good endorsement.

Tempted, very tempted, to upgrade all the way to the Ultra. The problem is I'm also looking at upgrading our TV from our current 55" Samsung plasma to a 75" OLED or QLED, and that's a pretty hefty cash outlay as it is. Maybe I'll split the difference and get the 2000.

I would kind of like to hear from anyone who can offer opinions on the current sub, too. Bueller? Bueller?

 

[Phil Carter]

Mike, you are an enabler. After talking with SVS about my room size, speakers and listening habits, I've pulled the trigger on one of those lovely outlet PB-2000s. For a couple hundred more I decided I wanted the additional power and low end from the ported box. Looking forward to seeing how it sounds!

[I started half-seriously looking at the PB-13 Ultra but when I saw the weight on it I went "AW HELL NAW". 155 pounds??? Ye gods and little fishes.]

Seriously, thanks for the SVS suggestion.

 

[Mike Frezon]

First...make sure you mention my name with the guys at SVS so that I get my commission! (j/k!)

Second...Congrats!

Third...make sure you've got enough room. Even though the PB-2000 isn't their biggest sub (by any stretch of the imagination) they STILL take up a certain amount of room!

Fourth...along those lines...you MAY want to prepare your wife for the size of the box that's going to be delivered (after a long and painful wait). The size surprises a lot of people!

For example:

Even my dogs were surprised by how big the box was!

 

[Mike Frezon]

And...before you ask...yes, my dogs check in ALL of my HT gear for me when it arrives!

 

[Phil Carter]

Before I bought, I used a measuring tape to compare dimensions on the prospective new sub with my existing one. It's about three inches wider, five taller and about six longer than the Velodyne is so it's not TOO much larger. I can deal with that.

Your dogs are both very cute but your spaniel in particular is adorable. We have a fifteen year old cocker who means the world to us.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Our spaniel-mix, Kelly, passed a few months ago at the age of 16. We adopted her when she was just one. She bridged a period in our lives which saw us own/adopt four different retrievers. We figure she was a cross between a spaniel and a long-haired daschund (the bottom half of her body had that thick cocker hair that needed regular grooming. The top half had the long silky coat of a daschund.)

She was a beauty (and she knew it!). She had THE NEATEST facial hair on the top of her muzzle (kinda like a mustache which would sometimes get in the way of her eyes).

And she kept those dumb ol' retrievers in line.

My wife is a contributing editor to All Creatures magazine--an offshoot of Guideposts Magazine. She wrote this month's cover story about how Kelly--subject to blindness, deafness and dementia in her final days--leaned on Ike (our Golden Retriever at the time) for help in navigating. Even though he had been subservient to her their entire time together, he stepped up and was glad to help her out (what a good boy!).

 

[Phil Carter]

Dogs are such wonderful creatures. We just don't deserve them. I guarantee you my fiancee will cry when I show her your pictures and tell her Kelly's story.

Our Aeris is blind and mostly deaf, and subject to arthritis in her front legs. But she is still the sweetest dog you will ever meet, affectionate and loving and playful.

Here she is in her Great Sphinx pose.....

And her usual pose.......

And her favorite "please pet me" pose.

And, I think, I'll stop there before I threadjack this any more than it has been.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Phil:

Check your PM (in a minute!)

 

[Mike Frezon]

OMG...she looks to be the sweetest thing.

Give her an extra hug tonight for me (Aeris--not your fiancee! Although I suppose extra hugs are a good thing all the way around!).

What a beautiful, dignified face.

 

[CraigF]

I will guess that the problem with your sub is a "worn out" capacitor in the amplifier's power supply. This happens over time and use. Probably not at all expensive to replace if you determine which one; or do them all, it's probably just a matter of a short time after one goes until another does, plus that they might be configured in pairs (depending). Sometimes the amps are a pain to remove, like you have to remove the driver first so you can disconnect some wires, etc. (because when building they installed the driver last).

This is a case where a scope and cap checker would make short work of the prob, but I realize most people don't have those. You could always remove the amp and take it to a general electronics repair guy (do those still exist??) or even maybe post on a hobbyist forum for somebody local to check the amp. It really wouldn't take long to determine what to do, I hate to see perfectly good subs trashed for minor reasons.

In the SVS range, I like the cylindrical subs (for myself) due to their smaller footprint. I have a PC13-Ultra (among others) but usually recommend 2xPC-2000s instead, for my size of room (for ~ the same $$ I mean, otherwise go for broke). It's not sub volume, more like drive each one less and smooth out the bass throughout the room. [I have an acquaintance with *4* of PC13-Ultras in a 10' *square* room. Theoretically awful (the square part, for bass, or any sound really), overkill, and potentially ear-killing. I think the latter explains how he lives with it.]

Your fixed Velodyne would make a good "smoother sub" for your new PB-2000.

[I have an African Grey parrot. If he lives to his minimum expected age, he will have outlived me by more than a couple decades, that is if I even make *my* expected "best before" date...]

 

[Phil Carter]

Thank you Craig! My electrical knowledge is unfortunately nonexistent. I can build computers from parts, but when faced with a circuit board with various electrical components on it I will kind of go "Duh-huh."

I may take the thing to a repair shop to see if it can be resurrected. I doubt I have the knowledge to fix it meself.

 

[Mike Frezon]

See that? We keep talking long enough and someone who knows something about subs was BOUND to show up eventually!

 

[CraigF]

It really does sound like a minor problem. Not working at all is potentially more ominous, but in the case of subs, that could be just an internal fuse too, because people never over-drive their subs...

Electrolytic caps do wear out, it's entirely normal. I think the large power supply ones in my oldest Oppo BDP are only rated for like 3000 hours, and I had to do them a few years ago, may be almost time again (though I used higher-rated ones). Heat is their enemy, and much of modern A/V electronics does run awfully hot inside.

This is the type of thing I usually look at. Like if you lived near me, I would certainly take a look, and I bet most other audio hobbyists wouldn't mind either.

 

[Phil Carter]

Oh sure. I seem to recall (from my extremely limited knowledge of electronics) that capacitors are DESIGNED to fail and prevent something more major going out. Sadly, I can't tell a capacitor from a ham sandwich.