Elac S10 subwoofer

[Jeff Chan]

I just bought the Elac S10 subwoofer connected to Onkyo tx-nr656 AVR. Subwoofer does not go to standby after switching of the AVR for 15 min. Please help.

 

[lovinthehd]

Is the switch in the auto or on position?

 

[Jeff Chan]

Switch is at middle (standby) position.

 

[lovinthehd]

Then it appears it is still getting some sort of signal from your avr, or the sensing circuit isn't functioning correctly. Disconnect the rca cable from the sub and see if it will turn off (and you may need to give it longer than 15 minutes, how long have you waited for it to go off?). On the other hand it really won't hurt it to stay on; sometimes they use just as much power in standby as on.

 

[Jeff Chan]

Tks for your reply. Following are things I had done so far.
1. Replaced S10 twice. (Supplier said they tested both the S10 at their place found no problem).
2. Replaced the Onkyo once.
3. Grounded the Onkyo from chasis to true ground.
4. Isolated both Onkyo and S10 to a separate "filtered" power strip.
5. Reversed neutral and live cables inside the wall power socket (Prevent the cause of "floating ground").

Before I did all above, sub used to turn off after 15 mins of use but immediately turn on again by itself and gives out a small "thud" sound at approx. every 2 mins interval.
After all I did above, S10 just does not go to standby at all.

Any comment will be most welcome. Tks once again.

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd get rid of the S10 and get a better sub from a sub specialist

You replaced the avr because of the S10 issues? Or something else?

So what happened to the auto off mode if you simply unplug the rca plug from the avr to take it out of the equation?

ps Any overt issues just leaving it powered on?

 

[Jeff Chan]

Thank you for your speedy reply.
Replaced the AVR becos of S10 issue. I turned on the set just now and shut off, S10 behaving normally now (able to standby). You mentioned pull out the sub signal cable, at what stage I should pull out the cable? Just after turn off the AVR? Supplier had offered me to upgrade to Earth FF10 or Elac 2030 where I have to pay the difference. Which one do you think I shud upgrade?
Being a retired engineer and playing with HiFi over 50 years, this symptom really intrigues me.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thank you for your speedy reply.
Replaced the AVR becos of S10 issue. I turned on the set just now and shut off, S10 behaving normally now (able to standby). You mentioned pull out the sub signal cable, at what stage I should pull out the cable? Just after turn off the AVR? Supplier had offered me to upgrade to Earth FF10 or Elac 2030 where I have to pay the difference. Which one do you think I shud upgrade?
Being a retired engineer and playing with HiFi over 50 years, this symptom really intrigues me.

When the sub is on, having been turned on during normal use, disconnect the signal cable and see if it turns off was what I was suggesting, so as to take the avr out of the equation for the return to standby or see if it's a problem in the sub alone.

Been a while but think I've seen similar report of an avr in one of the standby modes above minimum (i.e. merely being plugged into the wall outlet) causing something like this....there are now different modes of standby in an avr....the basic one being just plugged in but others to enable network or hdmi control interfering still....do you have one of these additional levels of standby engaged?

I'd go with a sub from SVS, Hsu, Power Sound Audio, Rythmik....maybe the RSL Speedwoofers.

 

[Jeff Chan]

Thank you for your speedy reply.
I just turn on/off the system and S10 is behaving normally now. This AVR has only 1 mode being just plug in. I had also disabled the "HDMI standby through" in the AVR. I will continue to try/monitor the behavior of S10.

 

[lovinthehd]

Good luck!

 

[Jeff Chan]

Thanks. I am now trying your method, unplugged the RCA cable while the system is playing and see whether S10 goes into sleep.

 

[Jeff Chan]

S10 able to go to sleep but when I plug back the RCA cable, the indicator lights up. I guess this is becoz the remaining "charge" in the S10? If S10 is normal, I wud think it will go into sleep again when the "charge" exhausted?

Regards,

 

[lovinthehd]

S10 able to go to sleep but when I plug back the RCA cable, the indicator lights up. I guess this is becoz the remaining "charge" in the S10? If S10 is normal, I wud think it will go into sleep again when the "charge" exhausted?

Regards,

I'm more of the mind there's still some sort of signal present to trip the sensor....

 

[Jeff Chan]

S10 indeed went into sleep after "charge" exhausted and I turn the system back on and off now waiting for sub goes to sleep. Since AVR is on tuner mode and is broadcasting news, sub seems take some time to turn on only when it sense some "bass". Is this normal?

 

[Jeff Chan]

Sub just went into sleep. Looks like it's behaving correctly now. I will continue to monitor. Thank you very much for your help and suggestion. Hope I am not disrupting your rest time.

Regards,

 

[lovinthehd]

S10 indeed went into sleep after "charge" exhausted and I turn the system back on and off now waiting for sub goes to sleep. Since AVR is on tuner mode and is broadcasting news, sub seems take some time to turn on only when it sense some "bass". Is this normal?

Yes, it needs something in the frequency range you've setup for the sub pre-out to know somethings going on.....

 

[lovinthehd]

Sub just went into sleep. Looks like it's behaving correctly now. I will continue to monitor. Thank you very much for your help and suggestion. Hope I am not disrupting your rest time.

Regards,

No worries, its wet and cold outside and playing some word games online while I listen to my system....

 

[Jeff Chan]

"something in the frequency range you've setup for the sub" can you elaborate this? Adjustment of cross over frequency?

 

[lovinthehd]

"something in the frequency range you've setup for the sub" can you elaborate this? Adjustment of cross over frequency?

Yes, your sub pre-out sends a limited bandwith signal, determined by your crossover settings, in combination with the circuit in the sub's amp, to switch it to on from standby.

The usual complaint is the sub not turning on because the signal level from the avr may be set too low, resulting in insufficient voltage to trigger the sub (and the gain on the sub too high); the solution to this is to lower the gain on the sub and increase the sub channel output level.

In your case the voices in a news show apparently didn't have enough content in the bass frequencies needed, the level seems fine. Does make me wonder, what is your sub's gain set at and that of your avr's sub channel level?

 

[Jeff Chan]

My sub gain is at 120 ~ 130 and my AVR sub out is at +5db.
After this morning switching on/off several times and sub seems to behave itself, I played a full movie and turn off the system. Again, sub does not go sleep.