Ughhhhhhhhhh!!! My PB13 HAS A PROBLEM

[TheFactor]

Well my PB 13 Started to hum pretty loud and its always been whisper quiet. It was so loud you could actually see and feel the driver moving so I turned it off and waited for it to be off completely and unplugged my sub cable going to the receiver hoping for some reason it went bad even though I thought that was very unlikely. Turned it back on and the hum was still there : ( so was thinking maybe it was the power outlet as I reached back to check the connection I felt the back of the amp and it was warmer than normal and I wasn't even playing a movie and had everything turned down while I was watching shark week on discovery channel lol . Anyway I pushed on the back of the amp and it got quiet the hum wasnt completely gone but almost and then when I took the pressure off the amp with my finger it went wright back to the loud hum. Any suggestions ? I am going to contact SVS being that I've only had the sub a few months . Also I've noticed when I had the sub in the auto mode which I've always have and the red light is on were its just been idle no signal the back of the amp has been a lot warmer than normal. Well thought i'd throw it out there and see if anyone has had this problem : (

 

[Adam]

Ed, sorry to hear that - it always sucks to have something like that start happening. I bet that SVS gets you taken care of, though. I would expect that they'd send you out a replacement amp along with a return label and box for your original amp.

EDIT: I wanted to add - that's what SVS did when the amp in my PC13-Ultra had an issue (which was different than what you are describing).

 

[TheFactor]

Thanks Adam : ( im pretty bummed wright now , after shark week I was planning on watching The Davinci Code and SPEED RACER if time allowed lol .I just bought Fast and Furious in blu-ray and Watchman from Amazon Friday night : ) and its suppose to be here I think wednesday . Oh well on the Brighter side and the only thing that makes feel better is I know SVS is second to none in customer service for sure. That being said I miss my Ultra already and its only been a hour lol . Well I just sent SVS a email so should hear something probably by monday .

 

[Seth=L]

Sub needs grounded. If you touched the subwoofer amplifier and the hum was either silenced or lessened you have a ground problem. Try taking a copper wire and connecting it to a bare metal surface (such as under a screw) and connecting the other end to the phono ground on your Pioneer Elite receiver.

 

[TheFactor]

Sub needs grounded. If you touched the subwoofer amplifier and the hum was either silenced or lessened you have a ground problem. Try taking a copper wire and connecting it to a bare metal surface (such as under a screw) and connecting the other end to the phono ground on your Pioneer Elite receiver.

But Ive had it for a few months and it never had a ground problem before or hum and why is the amp so hot when its idle ? BTW I do appreciate your input

 

[Seth=L]

But Ive had it for a few months and it never had a ground problem before or hum and why is the amp so hot when its idle ? BTW I do appreciate your input

The amplifier is likely hot due to producing a solid tone for extended periods of time. When listening to music or watching movies the amplifier isn't working constantly, but when there's a ground issue the subwoofer is constantly outputting the same signal, in your case possibly hours before you unplugged it. Any humming subwoofer will run warm/hot.

I'm not certain what could have changed that made the subwoofer start humming, but from what you've described it certainly sounds like it was grounded, but now it's not for some reason.

Also, think of a lightbulb. You turn it on for just a second, and back off, and back on, and off every few seconds for a couple of minutes. When it's off you touch it, it's relatively cool. Leave it on for 30 seconds, and shut it off. It's going to be warmer than it was when you kept turning it on and off.

 

[TheFactor]

Ok I let it sit for 30 minutes or so and manualy turned it on "sub" with receiver off and no hum , turned on the receiver and as soon as the sub got a signal and green light came on the sub starting humming very loud as before so I pressed on the back of the amp with my finger again putting pressure on it and it didnt change this time stayed the same. So I turned off the receiver and the sub waited for it to power off completely turned the sub back on and the green light is on and its humming loud even though the reciever is off . It seems that when its in the idle mode with no signal and the red light is on theres no hum what so ever but as soon as the green light comes on and its getting a signal even with reciever volume all the way down you get the loud hum then turn the receiver off and it still hums as long as the green light is on and everything else is off even with cable from AVR to sub is unplugged .

 

[skers_54]

From Seth
"The amplifier is likely hot due to producing a solid tone for extended periods of time. When listening to music or watching movies the amplifier isn't working constantly, but when there's a ground issue the subwoofer is constantly outputting the same signal, in your case possibly hours before you unplugged it. Any humming subwoofer will run warm/hot.

I'm not certain what could have changed that made the subwoofer start humming, but from what you've described it certainly sounds like it was grounded, but now it's not for some reason.

Also, think of a lightbulb. You turn it on for just a second, and back off, and back on, and off every few seconds for a couple of minutes. When it's off you touch it, it's relatively cool. Leave it on for 30 seconds, and shut it off. It's going to be warmer than it was when you kept turning it on and off."

You nailed it. I had a similar situation with my x-sub and the amp got pretty hot even with the system off before I fixed it.

OP, you could buy a cheater plug (3 prong to 2 prong adapter) for a buck or two from a hardware store and give it a try. If that fixes the hum, then it confirms a ground loop.

 

[TheFactor]

But I cant see any reason for it to start humming because of a ground issue when for months it was fine. Also this isnt a slight hum its pretty loud, enough were you can see the driver moving and I dont even think the sub is producing any bass anymore .

 

[TheFactor]

OK just powered it up and now its quiet again and havent touched anything and the amp is cool . I think im going to try a movie and see what happens. The Problem seems to be intermittent now .

 

[TheFactor]

Update

Disregard it just started humming again after a few minutes no bass just the loud hum : (

 

[Davemcc]

I'd say turn it off and leave it unplugged until you can call SVS. They will probably know right away what's wrong and get you hooked back up in no time.

 

[croseiv]

Also, be sure to double check your sub cable's connection....Sorry to hear about the hum.

 

[MinusTheBear]

Have you added any new equipment to your setup or changed any of your cables recently?

 

[TheFactor]

I'd say turn it off and leave it unplugged until you can call SVS. They will probably know right away what's wrong and get you hooked back up in no time.

Thats what I've done and great advice...Thankyou

Also, be sure to double check your sub cable's connection....Sorry to hear about the hum.

Yes I've even unhooked the cables completely and there still is that hum

Have you added any new equipment to your setup or changed any of your cables recently?

No I havent moved or changed anything, it just starting making that hum in the middle of watching TV .

 

[TheFactor]

Update

I contacted SVS late sunday night and by 5am monday morning "today" after a few questions my new amp is on the way Hows that for customer service !!! SVS you rock and thankyou so much Thanks again for everyones input, you guys rock to !!!

 

[Adam]

Awesome! I'm glad that it was so quick and painless. I seriously wish that I wanted another sub, because I'd like to throw some more business their way. The irony - I don't want another sub because my SVS is so great.

 

[TheFactor]

Thanks : ) You know whats so funny Adam is I feel the same way wondering what I could buy from them even though I dont need anything lol and cant really afford much now, but because there customer service/products are so excellent . But I think a twin might happen within a year im hoping

 

[TheFactor]

Are the new amps just plug and play ...I hope

 

[Davemcc]

Are the new amps just plug and play ...I hope

Yes. Remove the driver and take off the leads, remove and replace the amp, reconnect the leads and replace the driver. With the front firing model, I don't know if you even have to remove the driver. Either way, it'll take about a half hour and even then only because it's a lot of screws holding the driver and amp in place.