Is My Sub Bust?

[(GTV)Chris]

Hi,

I have had a lot of great help on the REL forum. And will be giving someone a call to talk through the setup of the sub on Monday (I got a bit confused).
But, how do you tell if your sub is knackered.
I bought it (Quake) second hand, and I suspect it is out of warranty.
I have done what everone tells me..but it doesn't sound right?
It Rumbles like buggery. And if I turn it down to rid the room of a deep rumble I lose all the slam.
Explosions don't have the same impact as my last sub.
Is there a test I could use.
Maybe my AMP could be faulty??? It is the Yamaha DSP-A5
Just thought I'd ask before I speak to someone.

Cheers

Chris

[eviljohn2]

If you think the amp may be playing up then you should try connecting the sub to one of the main left or right preoutputs and see how it sounds. Obviously you won't be integrating it properly but it should give an idea of where the problem lies.

[(GTV)Chris]

Ok, This is strange..
I watched "24" tonight via the amp and all the speakers etc.
The sub sounded awsome??
Really rich and punched in right on cue, no over the top rumbling at all.
I really liked it.
What could be the difference I am hearing between the prologic and the DTS or DD signals??

Cheers

Chris

[eviljohn2]

That could well be it. The use of the sub in any of the matrix decoders (DPL, Neo6, Circle Surround to name a few) is questionable at best.

[(GTV)Chris]

Sorry, I didn't quite understand your answer?
Do you mean my decoder for Digital sources may be on the way out?
Or that my ears are knackered .

Cheers

Chris

[eviljohn2]

Neither mate.

Pro Logic and all the other algorithms I mentioned in my earlier post simply don't make great use of a sub whilst the likes of "proper" Dolby Digital and DTS are an entirely different kettle of fish and should articulate much better.

How are you connecting the sub to the A5, using which connections (sub? or high input etc) and how have you configured the A5 - Small / large fronts, what have you set for the LFE etc ...?

I just de-commissioned my A5 ....

[(GTV)Chris]

Hi,

I have all my speakers set to small.
I use an IXOS mono phono to pono connector. LOw level input only.
The LFE effects on both DD and DTS are set to 0db.

I really Like the A5 but want to upgrade eventually, what did you go for in the end?

Cheers

Chris

Well I see nothing initially wrong with the set up, are you able to detect the voice coil moving on the sub at all?

The best I can suggest is to get a set up DVD like DVE and run through the low frequency tests. subs I have found can be incredibly fussy, good ones in particular become amost invisible. You may want to try putting the sub in different places or walk around the room to see if you can hear where the bass is more apparent.

In the end I got a Pioneer VSX-1014-S (THX and a real eye opener)

[(GTV)Chris]

Ok, took the little fella to my local HiFi shop and the bloke (who was very nice indeed) Told me that he can sometimes spend an hour on the setup of the sub alone when doing instalations!
He tried it out and said that I had to tweak it, and tweak it....and....
So, I guess that is what I will do.
Going to put an hour aside and have a right old fiddle the little fella...errrr I think I better re phrase that... With the little Quake .

Cheers
Chris

[JBL 4645]

This is strange! What films are you playing that as this problem, and is the LFE set to 0db on the AVR for it’s output, this maybe where it’s sounding rather over the top and if it is boy are you lucky you haven’t destroyed the sub bass…

So information if you would please which film or films are you playing.

Good luck, and remember use caution when setting up the sub bass as this can damage sub bass, nothing is indestructible.

[gingerone]

I have an REL Quake and a yamaha rxv 440 amp, I've had to turn my amp down to -14 as otherwise the base is just to much to handle.
Try lowering the settings on the amp and see how you get on.
If I had my amp set to 0db I'd probably blow my windows out.

[(GTV)Chris]

You are both right!!
I can't beleive it.....I had to turn down the amp on both DD and DTS to -5, I think it goes downt to -6,
The difference was totally staggering. I also placed it about the room til it sounded the best, and that was tucked away into a corner.
I love it now...blows the bejeeezus out of the old Yammy Sub.

Thanks to everyone who helped out on this topic, and to CrustyLoafer who invited me to call him at his shop.

Best wishes

Chris

PS, I was playing films like Gladiator, Blade Trinity, Attack of the Clones etc.. I now look forward to playing them all over again

[gingerone]

Glad it worked, not a bad sub once set up correctly is it.