Troubleshooting
Subwoofer Hum
Subwoofer seems boomy or "slow"
Basic System Setup
For additional subwoofer troubleshooting refer to specific product pages:
Maestro
Titan
Force
Subwoofer Hum
·
If you have a problem with hum there are generally
three possible causes:
1.
Ground loops are the most common cause of subwoofer hum.
Turn everything off and remove all connections from the sub to the rest
of the system. Turn the sub back on. If the hum is still there, it might be a
problem with the sub or a bad cable. If the hum is gone, the problem is
probably caused by a ground loop elsewhere in the system, or improperly
connected household wiring.
2. Poor connections or RCA interconnects can cause hum. If you move the shielded cable that connects the sub to your system and you hear a change in the hum it is likely you have poor shielding or a defective RCA plug. Replace the cable.
3. Amplifier
damage is
the least likely cause of hum. However, if you have ruled out ground loops or a
defective connecting cable, it is possible that there is a problem with the
amplifier in your sub. See the following:
Occasional a Force or Titan will develop a slight mechanical hum. The windings on the transformer have heated up and cooled down and have shifted ever so slightly and now are causing the hum.
It is simple to eliminate the hum. First, unplug the amp and let it set 5 minutes to allow all the energy stored in the capacitors to dissipate. Remove the six screws that hold the amp to the cabinet. You will notice that the round, torroidal transformer is held in place by a bolt that runs through the middle of the transformer and is terminated with a Phillips head in the middle of the heatsink area on the outside of the amp. You will need to loosen the nut with a wrench while holding the screw with a Phillips head screw driver. With the nut loose, rotate the transformer about 1/4" to the right or left and tighten the nut down onto the transformer. Secure the amp back into the cabinet, plug it in and you are ready to go.
Connection options for hookup of ACI subs.
Subwoofer seems boomy or “slow”
ACI subs are renowned for accuracy and quality, tight, bass
response. So, this indicates something is wrong in the adjustments or placement.
Some people can do good adjustments by ear. Others find using a meter or
measurement system much quicker and easier. ACI supplies a CD for test tones to
assist in setup.
Probable causes:
-Subwoofer volume set too high
-Subwoofer crossover frequencies set too high
-Wrong phase adjustment- correct phase yields the highest
level of bass. Measure or listen at your normal listening position. Once phase
is correct, adjust level down if necessary.
-Non-optimum placement. Many of us are limited in where we
can place our subs. Luckily, one of the best places to place a sub is often in
or near one of the corners behind the main speakers.
Placing the sub in the exact middle of the room would likely be the worst
place. And placing the sub in the
exact middle of the wall between the main speakers is not a good idea. A better
placement would be around 1/3 of the distance along the front wall.
See also: Titan or Force manual for more detailed setup
explanations.
Basic System Setup
Two-channel speaker setup (stereo)
ACI
HT - multi - channel speaker
setup