Subwoofer hum/buzz when bluray is off

Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Hi all

I just got an old JVC subwoofer SXPW860 that works great BUT the problem is that when I connect the speaker wire to the white rca plug it starts to hum/buzz when my bluray is off but the moment that I turn on my bluray the hum/buz stops no hum or buzz whatsoever. Could this be a ground loop? The sub doesn't have an on/off switch so it just stays on because of the hum/buzz (like there's still a signal in the speaker wire even though the bluray is off). So today I will try to plug the same power plug to the same bluray plug and see if this ground loop goes away.

The sub doesn't have any speaker terminals as input it only has rca as input and I'm using the white (mono) input to connect the speaker wire from my bluray. My bluray is an LG home theatre with built in audio amplifier and it's all speaker terminals no rca outputs and no dedicated subwoofer rca output.

Any help with this would be welcomed!!!!!

THANKS!!!
 
HTfreak2004

HTfreak2004

Senior Audioholic
Does the blue ray player support mono?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
It won't work that way because the signal level is not correct to go directly from the player to the sub. There will be no volume control. You either need to upgrade your HTiB to a real receiver or get a sub that has speaker level inputs. Given those two choices, you'll benefit more from a real receiver. It does sound like ground loop.
 
Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Hi all sorry for been late to answer!! Ok HTf it HAS a subwoofer output (like all other speakers) but all speakers are terminal no RCA output just bare cable for all 5:1 set of speakers. So no dedicated RCA subwoofer output (to put a good cable).

j_gar; You can control all speaker levels in the menu to setup your 5:1 and no speaker inputs as you said. But the thing is that I had another JVC sub (6" I think) with the same setup as the one that I have now and it didn't do any hum or buzz even though I have added an RCA end to the speaker cable to plug in the back of the sub as I did with the one that I have now. Maybe a bad rca plug, bad sub rca ground??? Hmmm...

I have tried the connect both power connectors to the same power bar but still no help here so…..

Thanks for all the help guys!!!
 
HTfreak2004

HTfreak2004

Senior Audioholic
I have a Samsung sub that has hdmi input from source component then hdmi output for HD Tv then the sound bar connects to the sub for dialog. You said you have an rca output on a sub.? The sub can act as a hub between a source component and a display for example but it must have an input to receive source audio material from a component that outputs audio. You can't output a sub to a blue ray player input. I haven't seen a blue ray player with an input for audio before though so this is news to me. You need an input signal to the sub. The output sounds like it is meant to connects a sound bar or other external speaker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I have a Samsung sub that has hdmi input from source component then hdmi output for HD Tv then the sound bar connects to the sub for dialog. You said you have an rca output on a sub.? The sub can act as a hub between a source component and a display for example but it must have an input to receive source audio material from a component that outputs audio. You can't output a sub to a blue ray player input. I haven't seen a blue ray player with an input for audio before though so this is news to me. You need an input signal to the sub. The output sounds like it is meant to connects a sound bar or other external speaker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Subs that come in systems that are designed for that will have that sort of feature. More or less all stand alone subs do not have this.

Hi all sorry for been late to answer!! Ok HTf it HAS a subwoofer output (like all other speakers) but all speakers are terminal no RCA output just bare cable for all 5:1 set of speakers. So no dedicated RCA subwoofer output (to put a good cable).

j_gar; You can control all speaker levels in the menu to setup your 5:1 and no speaker inputs as you said. But the thing is that I had another JVC sub (6" I think) with the same setup as the one that I have now and it didn't do any hum or buzz even though I have added an RCA end to the speaker cable to plug in the back of the sub as I did with the one that I have now. Maybe a bad rca plug, bad sub rca ground??? Hmmm...

I have tried the connect both power connectors to the same power bar but still no help here so…..

Thanks for all the help guys!!!

I was just going to mention that - try another RCA cable. My guess based on this is that it is the cable. In the setup that is a calibration level, not a true volume adjustment, but I understand. What I meant by it is that when you adjust the system level, the sub will not adjust with it; it will be constant.
 
Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Hi all, ok I did a small test to see what world happened. I have changed the speaker cable with a new one and a new RCA plug so I can get a good connection and again it still does the buzz then I thought since the other speaker cable is disconnected I decided to just plug it in the sub and see what it will do but it still buzz but way much less. So I feel that my RCA inputs on the sub might have a bad ground to them. The bluray doesn't have any dedicated sub out it's all speaker labeled spring connectors.

Again thanks for all the help!!!!

Serge
 
HTfreak2004

HTfreak2004

Senior Audioholic
Can you post a picture of the back of all the sub connections. Also is your blurry actually a receiver/blue ray integrated unit? Post a picture of the back panel connections and the brand model of both the player and sub. Thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Ok here's the pics of the rear of my bluray and subwoofer. The sub that WAS used for my bluray was a "passive" sub (not much bass coming out of it even if levels are at full) that's why I wanted an active one because it's WAY WAY WAY much better than active! I had a JVC sxpw 650 before my sxpw 860 and it never did any buzzing or hum and that one does even though they are much the same speaker but the 860 is bigger.

Hope this will help!! Again thanks for any help!!

Serge
IMG_1134.JPG
Screen Shot 2017-01-23 at 5.39.07 PM.png
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I see, this is an all in one unit, not just a BD player, which makes sense because you said you were using a passive sub - that wouldn't have worked otherwise. Though those subs are similar, the amp most likely is not and that probably has to do with why it hums. So you are using the Aux outputs to go to the sub? Those sort of weren't meant for a sub; they are full range and are technically different than a preamp level output.
 
Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Nope using the sub output. The thing is that when the BR is turned on the buzz and hum stops (very odd) any way if I can't fix this situation I'll have to install a power button because it always stays on and I'll be able to turn it off and leave the rca pluged in the sub.

Thanks for all the help!!!

Serge
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
You could maybe just use a small plug strip with a power button and turn it on/off when you use it. Are they both plugged into the same outlet or plug strip on the same outlet currently?
 
vsound5150

vsound5150

Audioholic
Ok here's the pics of the rear of my bluray and subwoofer. The sub that WAS used for my bluray was a "passive" sub (not much bass coming out of it even if levels are at full) that's why I wanted an active one because it's WAY WAY WAY much better than active! I had a JVC sxpw 650 before my sxpw 860 and it never did any buzzing or hum and that one does even though they are much the same speaker but the 860 is bigger.

Hope this will help!! Again thanks for any help!!

Serge
I'm confused, isn't that an active sub and you're connecting line-level speaker out from the blu-ray to low-level input on the sub?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I'm confused, isn't that an active sub and you're connecting line-level speaker out from the blu-ray to low-level input on the sub?
I was just gonna ask the same thing....the double use of "active" in that one sentence has me scratching my head....
 
Serge

Serge

Audiophyte
Hi all, it USED to be a PASSIVE sub but the lack of "boom" in films made me change for an active sub that now has boom!!

VSOUND5150; yeah I am because I had a smaller sub that the fets blown and it didn't do any buzz or hum like the one that I have pictured. Does it mater if it's connected to a line-level speaker output from my BR?
 
vsound5150

vsound5150

Audioholic
Hi all, it USED to be a PASSIVE sub but the lack of "boom" in films made me change for an active sub that now has boom!!

VSOUND5150; yeah I am because I had a smaller sub that the fets blown and it didn't do any buzz or hum like the one that I have pictured. Does it mater if it's connected to a line-level speaker output from my BR?
We know for sure Blu-ray sub out is line-level out and I'm pretty sure sub is low-level in having RCA inputs which won't work without issues but you can confirm from the owners manual. You will need some converter to drop the signal down to match the sub input or get a passive sub. Someone else more experienced here can help.
 
vsound5150

vsound5150

Audioholic
Hi all, it USED to be a PASSIVE sub but the lack of "boom" in films made me change for an active sub that now has boom!!

VSOUND5150; yeah I am because I had a smaller sub that the fets blown and it didn't do any buzz or hum like the one that I have pictured. Does it mater if it's connected to a line-level speaker output from my BR?
Actually the sub is low-level input I just zoomed into the photo and it's written on the sub. A speaker level to low-level RCA adapter will work, best if you can find one closely matching sub specs. ie. impedance, etc..

Edit: removed link to adapter unsure of product compatibility.
 
Last edited:
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Hi all, it USED to be a PASSIVE sub but the lack of "boom" in films made me change for an active sub that now has boom!!

VSOUND5150; yeah I am because I had a smaller sub that the fets blown and it didn't do any buzz or hum like the one that I have pictured. Does it mater if it's connected to a line-level speaker output from my BR?
Your speaker outputs on that br/amp unit are high level or speaker level; low level or line level output I don't see. Your sub only has low level/line level inputs. You shouldn't use that br/amp thing with the active sub, it's meant to be used with a passive sub.
 
vsound5150

vsound5150

Audioholic
Sorry Serge I added confusion to this thread mixing up the output/input levels. lovinthd has it correct speaker level/high-level out (post amplification) on your blu-ray and line-level/low-level (before amplification) input on the sub, basically a no match, no go all hum all buzz while sub is on blu-ray is off.
 
Last edited:
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top