Subwoofer "boing" at start of songs?

[NeilAH]

I have a Rel Q200e, which is several years old, but in good condition. I have connected it to several amps, with the same problem (currently a stereo Yamaha via only high level Neutronik connection):

When the sub turns on it has always given a loud boing. But recently it seems to "wake up" with a boing at the start of each song, or worse, when the bass kicks in through a song. Is my set up wrong or could the sub be failing? I have used the beginners setup here, the manual's set up for the Rel and think I have followed them correctly but am at a loss.

Any tips to isolate the problem would be great - googling for "boiging sub" is not helpful, as you can imagine.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[j_garcia]

If it didn't do it before and now it does, it could be an amplifier issue. It could be more identified as "sub 'thump' on turn on" and that might give you better results. If it always did it, then it could just be the nature of the design of the amp in that sub that it does not have a "soft" turn on.

it does seem like what happened to mine before the amp failed, mine started to have louder thumping before it died completely due to leaking capacitors.

 

[lovinthehd]

Does it behave the same way using its line level input? Could well be a failing amp....I've had one that started making odd sounds before crapping out entirely.

 

[NeilAH]

Yeah, it's not so much the "thump" when it turns on (it always did it, as you say: no soft turn on) but it almost goes to sleep between songs and wakes at the start of each song with a "boing/thump".

And I am pretty sure I am using the line level inputs - that's how the neutronik cable was described to me (straight from the speaker attachments, not from the LFE out).

But it sounds like the sub may be on its way out - oh well it has served its time I guess.

Thanks for the help.
Neil

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah, it's not so much the "thump" when it turns on (it always did it, as you say: no soft turn on) but it almost goes to sleep between songs and wakes at the start of each song with a "boing/thump".

And I am pretty sure I am using the line level inputs - that's how the neutronik cable was described to me (straight from the speaker attachments, not from the LFE out).

But it sounds like the sub may be on its way out - oh well it has served its time I guess.

Thanks for the help.
Neil

Could be the auto turn on circuit is going bad if it has such.

No, you're using the high level input if you're using the speaker terminals to speakon connection, line level would be using the rca input on the sub and a pre-out from your sub pre-out (or other type of pre-out perhpas depending on your gear). Neutrik is a brand of connector, and its a speakon type connector into the sub. I'd still try that way to see if the behavior is the same. Not much of a fan of Rel's connection advice except in the case of old 2ch gear that has no better option myself.