Replacing Panoramic Potentiometers On Subwoofer

[SunnyOctopus]

Hello! Could you please detail the steps in replacing the panoramic potentiometers on the Energy AS-180? Or maybe the general steps on how to do it on any subwoofer?

I bought the sub off craigslist, and it crackles, and it also sounds pretty bad. Very localizable. I'm guessing this is because of the panoramic potentiometers? Google shows that others seem to have the same problem.

http://www.audioreview.com/mfr/energy-loudspeakers/subwoofers/AS-180/PRD_448631_2741crx.aspx

http://hubpages.com/hub/Energy-AS-180-Subwoofer-Review-Repair-Info


Anyways! I'm 17, and have no idea what I'd need or where to start. Could you please help me? I really want to fix my subwoofer. Thank you so much for your time!

 

[STRONGBADF1]

First try Deoxit.

http://www.caig.com/

 

[SunnyOctopus]

First try Deoxit.

http://www.caig.com/

Which Deoxit and then what do I do with it? o.o

*is clueless*

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Which Deoxit and then what do I do with it? o.o

*is clueless*

This would be fine. http://store.caig.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a010e431f43c23ec7463ba64ccfbcdda0ef8e85c1da.e3iKaNePch4Re34Pa38Ta38Nax10?sc=2&category=188
Deoxit is basically just a contact cleaner and your local Radio Shack carries it or an equivalent. You just spray it in the Potentiometers casing and turn the knob back and forth. (the directions should be on the can)

 

[Alex2507]

This would be fine. http://store.caig.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a010e431f43c23ec7463ba64ccfbcdda0ef8e85c1da.e3iKaNePch4Re34Pa38Ta38Nax10?sc=2&category=188
Deoxit is basically just a contact cleaner and your local Radio Shack carries it or an equivalent. You just spray it in the Potentiometers casing and turn the knob back and forth. (the directions should be on the can)

Radio Shack quit carrying Deoxit but has something called Fader Lube and Cleaner. Don't much like saying 'lube' around you because I know you get excited but that's what it's called.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Radio Shack quit carrying Deoxit but has something called Fader Lube and Cleaner. Don't much like saying 'lube' around you because I know you get excited but that's what it's called.

I'd rather you say lube than not...

 

[SunnyOctopus]

This would be fine. http://store.caig.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a010e431f43c23ec7463ba64ccfbcdda0ef8e85c1da.e3iKaNePch4Re34Pa38Ta38Nax10?sc=2&category=188
Deoxit is basically just a contact cleaner and your local Radio Shack carries it or an equivalent. You just spray it in the Potentiometers casing and turn the knob back and forth. (the directions should be on the can)

Okay, great! I think my dad might have some...I'll try it and update you. It's hard for me to imagine a spray making such a significant difference, though. : 3

Edit: Damn. He doesn't have any. He gave me an antiseptic towlette. XD

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Okay, great! I think my dad might have some...I'll try it and update you. It's hard for me to imagine a spray making such a significant difference, though. : 3

Electronics are a magnet for dust and dirt. It gets into things so a good cleaning can do a lot of good. It may not work but it is a cheap and easy thing to try before breaking out the soldering iron.

 

[SunnyOctopus]

Electronics are a magnet for dust and dirt. It gets into things so a good cleaning can do a lot of good. It may not work but it is a cheap and easy thing to try before breaking out the soldering iron.

Hmm...alright. How much do you think the replacements will cost if the spray doesn't work? Also, uhh...should I get the Radioshack brand and save a few dollars?

EDIT: Also, are there any cheaper cleaning methoids? Q-tips and water, or something? I can really be too liberal in spending. v.v
EDIT2: I cleaned the crossover a little bit with by sticking my fingernail in it and taking out some funny feeling stuff, and now I can turn the volume knob without any problems, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with my cleaning. Still super directional, though.
EDIT3: I asked my Facebook friends if they had any and one of them did! : D

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Your sub is "directional" or more common term here - locatable due to high x-over. You KRK's can go down to 49 +/- 1.5db. you should have no issue x-over at 80Hz which is about point where sub stop being easily locatable ...
Try first to use cheap air can to get rid of dust.

 

[SunnyOctopus]

Your sub is "directional" or more common term here - locatable due to high x-over. You KRK's can go down to 49 +/- 1.5db. you should have no issue x-over at 80Hz which is about point where sub stop being easily locatable ...
Try first to use cheap air can to get rid of dust.

I find it really localizable even when the crossover is set to 50hz.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I find it really localizable even when the crossover is set to 50hz.

That and the crackles makes me think the x-over control failed ....
just my 2c

 

[SunnyOctopus]

That and the crackles makes me think the x-over control failed ....
just my 2c

So you think I should use contact cleaner too?

EDIT: Also, I'm using my the crossover on my computer, so shouldn't the crossover on the sub make no difference?

 

[Alex2507]

Hmm...alright. How much do you think the replacements will cost if the spray doesn't work? Also, uhh...should I get the Radioshack brand and save a few dollars?

It's hard to save a few dollars on a product that only costs a few dollars.

EDIT: Also, are there any cheaper cleaning methoids? Q-tips and water, or something? I can really be too liberal in spending. v.v

Just unplug it before you turn the garden hose on it.

EDIT2: I cleaned the crossover a little bit with by sticking my fingernail in it ...

The spray is about 10 bucks. I know you got 10 fingers but the spray is magical.

Regarding the issue with the sub being directional, placement might be a factor. If it's stuffed into a corner or up against bookshelves, walls or desks there might be reinforcement of a frequency as much as an octave higher (I'm guessing) than what you are crossing over at depending on the sub, slope and room modes. I only know what about half of that means but to get real help, post a pic of the setup/placement.

Seeing your mention of using a crossover in a computer has me thinking that you might get some good help over in that HTPC forum where they might want to know stuff about your sound card and other computer stuff.

Start with the advice that's been offered regarding the spray and go forward from there.

 

[SunnyOctopus]

It's hard to save a few dollars on a product that only costs a few dollars.



Just unplug it before you turn the garden hose on it.



The spray is about 10 bucks. I know you got 10 fingers but the spray is magical.

Regarding the issue with the sub being directional, placement might be a factor. If it's stuffed into a corner or up against bookshelves, walls or desks there might be reinforcement of a frequency as much as an octave higher (I'm guessing) than what you are crossing over at depending on the sub, slope and room modes. I only know what about half of that means but to get real help, post a pic of the setup/placement.

Seeing your mention of using a crossover in a computer has me thinking that you might get some good help over in that HTPC forum where they might want to know stuff about your sound card and other computer stuff.

Start with the advice that's been offered regarding the spray and go forward from there.

Okay, thanks. I'll try it. The sub is directional everywhere. I've seriously tried every spot in my room. D;

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Imo only three logical conclusions could be made out your responses so far:
1) Your pc x-over settings don't really work and pc sending full bandwidth signal to sub and then low-passed at sub.
2) Sub is wired incorrectly
3) Sub's amp is the faulty part

 

[SunnyOctopus]

Imo only three logical conclusions could be made out your responses so far:
1) Your pc x-over settings don't really work and pc sending full bandwidth signal to sub and then low-passed at sub.
2) Sub is wired incorrectly
3) Sub's amp is the faulty part

It feels like the crossover is just a volume control for the subwoofer. It sounds the same no matter what I set it to except different volumes, the frequencies do however get cut from my main speakers. If I set the subs crossover to 50 and increase the crossover on my computer to something higher than 50 the volume on the subwoofer increases. I don't understand that.

I have a stereo 3.5 to rca converter in the sub jack of my soundcard that goes into the output of my sub.

If the sub's amp was faulty, what would I do?

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Imo only three logical conclusions could be made out your responses so far:
1) Your pc x-over settings don't really work and pc sending full bandwidth signal to sub and then low-passed at sub.
2) Sub is wired incorrectly
3) Sub's amp is the faulty part

It feels like the crossover is just a volume control for the subwoofer. It sounds the same no matter what I set it to except different volumes, the frequencies do however get cut from my main speakers. If I set the subs crossover to 50 and increase the crossover on my computer to something higher than 50 the volume on the subwoofer increases. I don't understand that.

I have a stereo 3.5 to rca converter in the sub jack of my soundcard that goes into the output of my sub.

If the sub's amp was faulty, what would I do?

Check your crossover using test tones. Play a 40htz and then 400htz tone and if the sound coming from your sub are both about the same volume there's a problem with the x-over.

 

[SunnyOctopus]

Check your crossover using test tones. Play a 40htz and then 400htz tone and if the sound coming from your sub are both about the same volume there's a problem with the x-over.

http://www.audiocheck.net/testtones_index.php
I ran that sweep through only my sub and it sounded exactly the same regardless of what I set the sub's crossover too. I heard audio through the subwoofer through the entire sweep. That tells me something is wrong. Am I right? What is it? Crossover problem, right? What do I do? v.v

 

[SunnyOctopus]

Great. _-_

I put on Bausch and Lomb ReNu on the knobs and turned them alot and then the crackling actually stopped but it sounded the same so then I put more and now it won't even turn on anymore...

Please help me. ;-;