Help me troubleshoot my setup for sub!! :(

[evilkat]

Equipment
========
Sub: Outlaw LMF-1 (brand new)
Rec: Yamaha RX2700 (brand new)
Audio Src: Computer (only src I have, apart from radio).
Sub interconnect cable from impact acoustics (brand new)


Problem
======

When I first got the receiver and sub, I could hear LFE from the sub. Ran YAPO on the receiver and after sometime, I realized that there was no LFE comming from the sub

I tried re-setting the receiver's speaker settings, but I still cannot get any output to the sub.

Config:
======

All Speakers = small
Crossover = bypassed on sub, set to 80Hz on receiver
Sub volume setting > half-way mark
Sub is powered on
Cable is connected on the receiver to Pre-outs: Sub and Sub-in on sub.

Test-tone for sub NOT audible from sub (other channels are okay). Can hear sub output from the fronts though, if I set bass-out to Fronts.

On the setup screen of the receiver, it shows no settings for the sub's phase or distance from the setup mic. It's like the sub doesn't exist!

Please help me figure this thing out as it's driving me batty.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[j_garcia]

Try going from one of the main channel preamp outs to the sub, turn off the bypass on the sub's x-over, just to see that the sub is in fact working.

Did you tell it SUB=YES in the speaker config? Bass should be set to sub only, not both.

 

[evilkat]

Try going from one of the main channel preamp outs to the sub, turn off the bypass on the sub's x-over, just to see that the sub is in fact working.

Did you tell it SUB=YES in the speaker config? Bass should be set to sub only, not both.

Bass out = SWFR only. Not both.

I removed both fronts and connected only the sub to one of the front pre-outs. No sound There's a little light on the sub that indicates that it's receiving an audio signal though!

I did this with the cross-over bypassed on the sub, and then flipped it so that the sub did an active cross-over. At both times, the cross-over knob was at the max setting in both cases. No sound in both cases.

Man this sucks. Don't tell me the sub I JUST bought is not working!!!

 

[Seth=L]

Try connecting a source other than the receiver to the subwoofer's low-level rca inputs. Using your computer directly connect it to the sub using a stereo out, but be sure that the volume is turned down very low on the sub for this test as you don't want to damage the driver.

If it is set to SWFR only it will only turn on when given a LFE signal from a 5.1 or some such source. 2 channel sources don't have an LFE channel. How is your computer connected to the receiver, since it is the only source you have it could be part of the problem.

 

[evilkat]

Well let me tell you what I did next.

I went ahead and used a stero-mini jack -> RCA converter and connected my computer speaker sub to the receiver and I got sound from it.

That eliminates both the receiver and the cable.

Then I tried using the computer outs directly to the sub as suggested and that gave me zilch too.

The little LED on the sub lights up to show that it's receiving an audio signal, but I don't hear ANYTHING from it. Tried 'rebooting' the sub a few times to no avail either.

I can't believe this, but I think I have a defective sub which was working when I bought it and dead now. Something in the sub's amp circuitry perhaps?

I have the sub plugged into a Tripplite with the rest of my equipment and it obviously turns on. I guess I'm going to have to talk to outlaw and see if i can ship this monsterous thing back.

Any other ideas guys? I would HATE to have to ship this beast

 

[Seth=L]

Check the fuses if you feel technically inclined. Also check the connections inside the sub to be sure the woofer is still connected to the amplifier, unless of course doing so will void your warrantee.

 

[Nick250]

I would reset the processor in the receiver which will set everything back to factory defaults. I suggest this since the sub worked before the YAPO, but not after. You will have to check manual for the reset process.

Nick

 

[evilkat]

Check the fuses if you feel technically inclined. Also check the connections inside the sub to be sure the woofer is still connected to the amplifier, unless of course doing so will void your warrantee.

I have no reservations tearing into any computer, but I've never screwed around with A/V stuff, and I'm not sure what the warrenty says. I'll take a look at it when I get home, but I think it's not a fuse issue, because otherwise, the sub wouldn't turn on at all right?

But as it is, the little Power LED indicator is on.

I would reset the processor in the receiver which will set everything back to factory defaults. I suggest this since the sub worked before the YAPO, but not after. You will have to check manual for the reset process.
Nick

I will try this once I'm home, but I would be shocked if that works, because clearly the receiver output sound to my computer sub without me having to manually reset the receiver...

I'll let you guys know how it went.

 

[Seth=L]

The sub probably has more than one fuse. There is one that is accesible from the outside of the sub. It is not likely damaged if your power light is on. If there is a blown fuse it is inside the sub on the amp plate. Often the internal fuses do not affect your indicator lights.

 

[Tomorrow]

My YPAO sets the sub volume quite low, even as measured by SPL meter. I have to manually increase sub output in the Yammy.

 

[Buckle-meister]

...the little Power LED indicator is on.

If you look in the receiver's menu at the various levels that YPAO has set for your speakers, you may find that it's set the sub's level way lower than the other speakers. If it has, the sub wont automatically 'kick in' because the receiver'll be sending it a really low signal. Turning up the subs own volume rotary wont change that.

The solution (if applicable), is simply to manually increase the sub's level in the receiver's menu to broadly match the other speakers and decrease the sub's own volume rotary.

Note: If the above is applicable, make sure you turn the sub's own volume rotary way down, as no doubt you've got it at maximum at present in an attempt to hear anything from it!

Hope this helps.

 

[j_garcia]

He said he used one of the main channel pre-outs and it still didn't work...so the theory that it is the level probably isn't it.

One question - does the sub have a dual input? L&R? Try using a Y splitter to both of them if it does. My HSU was like this - it would work, but once in a while it would turn off when little bass was going on. Using the splitter stopped that.

Did you buy it local? If so, I'd just exchange it for another and see if you get the same problem.

 

[Tomorrow]

On the setup screen of the receiver, it shows no settings for the sub's phase or distance from the setup mic. It's like the sub doesn't exist!

Evilkat,

The above tells me you have one of two problems. One...the sub is broken..and fortunately, this is not likely. Two, much more likely, your settings have gotten changed somehow, perhaps while you were exploring the new receiver options. If you are convinced that your settings are as you stated in the first post, then do the following.

Go to your receiver setup GUI, select 'manual setup', select 'sound', select 'LFE', and make certain that your setting is on "SPEAKER" and not "HEADPHONES". Return to 'manual setup', select 'basic', select 'speaker level', select 'subwoofer' and ensure that the setting is positive. I suggest you start with a +3(db) setting.

Give this a try and then let me know what happens. Good luck.

 

[evilkat]

If you look in the receiver's menu at the various levels that YPAO has set for your speakers, you may find that it's set the sub's level way lower than the other speakers.

I remember checking this as well. Sub's gain was set to -1.0 Db at the time. I messed with it, putting it as high as +6Db but remember not hearing the sound. I will douibly check it again just to be sure (because I can't remember now if I checked if the volume knob on the sub was way low or something).

One question - does the sub have a dual input? L&R? Try using a Y splitter to both of them if it does. My HSU was like this - it would work, but once in a while it would turn off when little bass was going on. Using the splitter stopped that.

I don't think mine does. Here is a pic of the back panel. It d oes have inputs for high-level inputs.

Based on the LED changing from red (stdby) to green (receiving audio signal) I would assume that it is indeed receiving a signal, and the jack itself is not at fault.

And no, I didn't buy it local. Outlaw is an internet only company, which is why I dread having to ship this 54lb monster back

Go to your receiver setup GUI, select 'manual setup', select 'sound', select 'LFE', and make certain that your setting is on "SPEAKER" and not "HEADPHONES". Return to 'manual setup', select 'basic', select 'speaker level', select 'subwoofer' and ensure that the setting is positive. I suggest you start with a +3(db) setting.

Give this a try and then let me know what happens. Good luck.

I am pretty sure the headphones selection was off. But never hurts to double check my settings!! I will check all the settings you mentioned above and see if I've messed something up in there! Maybe I have it on 'Night Cinema Mode' or something like that.

The trouble is, I *DID* hear sound on my computer subwoofer when that was hooked up, so I don't have much hope about the settings being messed up.

 

[Buckle-meister]

When I first got the receiver and sub, I could hear LFE from the sub. Ran YPAO on the receiver and after sometime, I realized that there was no LFE comming from the sub...

I'm very much in agreement with Rjbudz; whilst it is possible that the sub's broken, I think it highly unlikely. You wrote yourself that it was after running YPAO that things went awry. Everything points to YPAO having altered a setting that's different from what it was prior to calibrating.

Assuming that you've changed nothing, by accident or otherwise, on the back panel of the sub (besides volume)...

 

[evilkat]

I'm very much in agreement with Rjbudz; whilst it is possible that the sub's broken, I think it highly unlikely. You wrote yourself that it was after running YPAO that things went awry. Everything points to YPAO having altered a setting that's different from what it was prior to calibrating.

Assuming that you've changed nothing, by accident or otherwise, on the back panel of the sub (besides volume)...

Oh I've been messing with settings on the back of the sub in an effort to get the beast to work. I'll see if i can find a reset on the receiver. Does this mean that the receiver remembers settings on a 'per-sub' basis, since it worked fine with my puny little computer speaker sub?

I'll let u know once i get home.

 

[evilkat]

I reset the receiver and still get nothing from the sub. I also put in a Helpdesk ticket with outlaw. They suggested that I take the left front speaker's wires and hook em to the sub's high-level input and try to play something on it (setting the receiver's fronts to large, base out = front and xover = bypass). I did this but no sound was heard.

BTW, when I say things went awry after YAPO, I think I (although it's fuzzy now) I still heard base from the sub...but I can't be sure anymore. Running the YAPO was the last setting I know I changed for sure before I could definitively say I could hear no base from the sub.

At any rate, it's moot now. Even after the receiver reset to factory defaults, I hear nothing from the LFE channel.

I don't believe this.

 

[Tomorrow]

I reset the receiver and still get nothing from the sub. I also put in a Helpdesk ticket with outlaw. They suggested that I take the left front speaker's wires and hook em to the sub's high-level input and try to play something on it (setting the receiver's fronts to large, base out = front and xover = bypass). I did this but no sound was heard.

BTW, when I say things went awry after YAPO, I think I (although it's fuzzy now) I still heard base from the sub...but I can't be sure anymore. Running the YAPO was the last setting I know I changed for sure before I could definitively say I could hear no base from the sub.

At any rate, it's moot now. Even after the receiver reset to factory defaults, I hear nothing from the LFE channel.

I don't believe this.

Evilkat, factory defaults, nyet. Did you try the receiver settings I suggested?

 

[evilkat]

Evilkat, factory defaults, nyet. Did you try the receiver settings I suggested?

Sorry, yes I had done as you suggested, and headphone setting was not engaged.

Subwoofer level was set at as high as 6.5Db and still nothing.

 

[Seth=L]

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!

I just had the best idea. This test will confirm if the subwoofer does indeed have a problem or if it doesn't. This is ironclad, I am pretty sure it is anyway. I feel silly for not thinking of this before.

Your sub has high level inputs and outputs signified by speaker terminations. Connect the front left/right outputs of the receiver to the high level inputs on the subwoofer. You don't need to route the high level outs to your speakers to run this test, only do that if you really want to.

If you get no sound from the sub this way, then it has a problem and will likely have to be returned and serviced.