How to Guide

10
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
If you are having a problem with your subwoofer, please read through this “Trouble Shooting Guide”. Many times problems
are actually caused by other items in the system or the subwoofer’s interaction with those items. These problems can easily
be resolved with this guide.
Problem Cause Solution
You have a Ground Loop or prob-
lem with other equipment. This
causes the vast majority of hum
related complaints. The electrical
grounds of the components in
your system are not at the same
electrical potential.
A very common ground loop source is cable TV or satel-
lite cabling. Very few installers take the time to ground
the cable to the house ground, causing a 60 Hz hum that
the subwoofer reproduces. Disconnect the coaxial cable
from your TV or cable box. If the hum goes away, the
cable is the cause. In that case contact your cable com-
pany or get an inexpensive 75 ohm ground loop isolator
on line or at a local electronics store. Ground loops can
also come from faulty electrical wiring in your home.
Consult a licensed electrician to evaluate and possibly re-
pair the AC wiring in your home.
• It is possible that some cables have a poor or broken
ground due to poor construction, oxidation, or damage.
Also, poorly shielded cables can potentially pick up noise.
Try another cable or speaker wire. Also, move the signal
cable away from AC cables, power transformers, or other
EMI sources.
You have an amplifier problem.
• Disconnect all interconnects from the amplifier. If still
hums, call or email technical support.
A light dimmer or other triac
based (SRC) device is on the
same AC circuit.
Your speaker wires or intercon-
nects are the cause.
• Use an AC line filter or plug the unit into a different cir-
cuit.
• The unit is going into STANDBY mode during the quiet
passages. Try turning the source signal up. On a Dolby
Digital receiver, turn the SUBWOOFER level up in the
SPEAKER SET-UP menu. After you turn the signal up, turn
down the volume knob on the subwoofer to compensate.
• An alternative is to turn the subwoofer ON/AUTO/OFF
switch to the ON position. When playing, it does not use
any more power and does not affect reliability.
• Check to see if the crossover through the receiver is set
too low, or if setting crossover from the sub, check to see
if the crossover set through the sub is set too low. This
will greatly reduce the signal going to the sub and hence
make it go into STAND BY MODE.
The source is not providing
enough signal.
Noise is being generated by
upstream equipment.
• When you shut down your equipment, turn off the sub-
woofer first. When powering up, turn on the subwoofer
last.
1) HUMMING
OR BUZZING
NOISE
3) Subwoofer
goes into
STANDBY
MODE while
material is
playing.
2) Subwoofer
thumps when
the system is
being turned
on and off.