Two Inoperable Subwoofers That Constantly Hum, Need Help

[panteragstk]

If it is both subs, RCA cables have been swapped, and the receiver power cable/or sub power cable is good then I would check the RCA on the receiver to make sure it isn't damaged. (sorry if this has been suggested, I didn't think it had). Are the subs hooked up via y cable, or passthrough from one sub to the other? (again, sorry if that has been answered).

 

[slipperybidness]

If it is both subs, RCA cables have been swapped, and the receiver power cable/or sub power cable is good then I would check the RCA on the receiver to make sure it isn't damaged. (sorry if this has been suggested, I didn't think it had). Are the subs hooked up via y cable, or passthrough from one sub to the other? (again, sorry if that has been answered).

2 Subs
Multiple Cables
Time to investigate the AVR

 

[DIGITALBATH]

If it is both subs, RCA cables have been swapped, and the receiver power cable/or sub power cable is good then I would check the RCA on the receiver to make sure it isn't damaged. (sorry if this has been suggested, I didn't think it had). Are the subs hooked up via y cable, or passthrough from one sub to the other? (again, sorry if that has been answered).

I am using a y adaptor and have tried just a single cable on the l, r channel, I even had the cable tested since I live close to blue jeans cables, they let me do it there.

I'm not sure how I can can test the sub pre out.

 

[panteragstk]

I am using a y adaptor and have tried just a single cable on the l, r channel, I even had the cable tested since I live close to blue jeans cables, they let me do it there.

I'm not sure how I can can test the sub pre out.

What do you mean the "l, r channel"? does that mean the front left and right RCA on the receiver, or the L,R input on the sub? If you mean the sub, try a different RCA out on the receiver just to see if the hum appears. Don't actually play anything (you did mention that it happens without anything playing). If it doesn't occur, you have a bad RCA jack on your receiver. If it does, then I dunno.

 

[markw]

He said he tried a few other cables, so I don't think the IC is the cause.

It's also odd that both subs went out simultaneously.

It's about time to start isolate the problem to an individual component instead of trying to troubleshoot the entire system as a whole.

IOW, start unplugging stuff.

Then, do the subs hum when plugged in with nothing connected?

Then. plug in one sub. Results?

Now, try the other sub. Results?

Plug somethig else into a sub (CD player,anything). Does the sub hum?

Repeat with the other sub

Got the idea?

 

[walter duque]

I would try to go to speaker input from your front left and right channel and then hook up your front mains to the output from you plate amp. Run it like a sub satellite system. That's how we used to run subs back in the old days before they had sub-out on the pre-amp section.

 

[DIGITALBATH]

I would try to go to speaker input from your front left and right channel and then hook up your front mains to the output from you plate amp. Run it like a sub satellite system. That's how we used to run subs back in the old days before they had sub-out on the pre-amp section.

I will try that, I uses to run it like that a long time ago.

 

[mtrycrafts]

With nothing plugged in there is no humming, as soon as you put and rca into line in, humming begins, and not a slight humming, a lou
d humming.

In your original message you wrote One thing I wanted to add is that if I place my hands on the amp back plate, I can get the sub to almost quit humming(or 90%).

Which amp is this, on the sub or the receiver? In either case, it seems that most likely you are reconnecting the ground in the RCA plug on one of those amps.
When you bumped the cable you could have pushed the fitting enough to break ground.
Also, you indicated the sub doesn't hum when the RCA cable is unplugged but does then you plug it in. Is the other end of the RCA cable also plugged into the receiver or not.

 

[DIGITALBATH]

In your original message you wrote One thing I wanted to add is that if I place my hands on the amp back plate, I can get the sub to almost quit humming(or 90%).

Which amp is this, on the sub or the receiver? In either case, it seems that most likely you are reconnecting the ground in the RCA plug on one of those amps.
When you bumped the cable you could have pushed the fitting enough to break ground.
Also, you indicated the sub doesn't hum when the RCA cable is unplugged but does then you plug it in. Is the other end of the RCA cable also plugged into the receiver or not.

This is on the back of the subwoofer, it will hum if it's not plugged in on the other end, and it will humm if its plugged into sub pre outs.

 

[adwilk]

Have you contacted an exorcist?

Wow.. this is a weird one. Plugging a cable into the sub thats not plugged into anything else will make it hum? Something is interfering with that cable.

Take the sub and a cable into another room and see if it hums. Take it to a friends house and see if it hums.

That was nice of BlueJeans.. maybe you can take a sub there and have them take a peek. Hope you get it figured out...

 

[DIGITALBATH]

Ok, well the speaker level inputs, or high level inputs work. I don't know why I didn't try that a long time ago, but that was great advice, it was cool to hear real bass again. I'm off to bed now.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Ok, well the speaker level inputs, or high level inputs work. I don't know why I didn't try that a long time ago, but that was great advice, it was cool to hear real bass again. I'm off to bed now.

I still think you have an issue in the sub amp's RCA plug not grounding properly, hence the hum and drastically diminishing if you move the RCA cable at the plug, apparently making ground contact.

 

[walter duque]

I still think you have an issue in the sub amp's RCA plug not grounding properly, hence the hum and drastically diminishing if you move the RCA cable at the plug, apparently making ground contact.

I think you're 100% correct on that one. Damaged RCA input.

 

[Jeff R.]

What about the fact it impacts both subwoofers??? Would that not point to the receiver output plug possibly being damaged??

 

[panteragstk]

What about the fact it impacts both subwoofers??? Would that not point to the receiver output plug possibly being damaged??

I could be totally wrong, but if it is grounding inside one sub, that could be transmitted back through the y cable to the other sub. Bad way of explaining it, but I'm pretty sure that's possible. Or I'm a moron, one or the other.

 

[j_garcia]

I already said it probably isn't the cable or the subs since both subs have exactly the same issue. It is the receiver or something else on the circuit.

 

[slipperybidness]

I could be totally wrong, but if it is grounding inside one sub, that could be transmitted back through the y cable to the other sub. Bad way of explaining it, but I'm pretty sure that's possible. Or I'm a moron, one or the other.

How I read it, 2 subs would do it, even if only hooked up 1 at a time. If that is the case, then it is highly unlikely that it is the sub, I would look at the sub out of the AVR

 

[panteragstk]

I already said it probably isn't the cable or the subs since both subs have exactly the same issue. It is the receiver or something else on the circuit.

Right, but he said that when he uses the speaker level input it works, and that even if the cable is unplugged from the receiver he still gets hum in both when the cable (any cable) is plugged in.

EDIT: looking back over his post it seems that if it is plugged into the subs it's fine, but when he plugs into the receiver is when the trouble comes in, so you are right, has to be the sub out on the receiver.

 

[DIGITALBATH]

Right, but he said that when he uses the speaker level input it works, and that even if the cable is unplugged from the receiver he still gets hum in both when the cable (any cable) is plugged in.

EDIT: looking back over his post it seems that if it is plugged into the subs it's fine, but when he plugs into the receiver is when the trouble comes in, so you are right, has to be the sub out on the receiver.

What puzzles me is why both subwoofers hum regardless of being plugged in. The Infinity I honestly used 1 time before all this happened. This makes me beleive that is something in the electrical system, unless a bad ground, rca can extend to wireless affect near objects.