Elemental design A5-350 owners need your input

[robc1976]

Okay, first thing I want to say is Elemental design is bending over backwards to help me with the below issue but need some opinions.

Got the sub and the 500 watt amp would not work, called Elemental design and that amp is being ordered so they sent me a 300 watt amp this morning and it doesn't work?? I worked for about 10 seconds with a Audyssey test tone then I turned down the volume a bit and went to turn it back up and it no longer works??? I was wondering if my Denon reciever is campatable with the subwoofer (A5-350). I am trying to just figure this out...never seen anything like it.

All spekers set to small
Lowpass filter set to highest to cancel it out for Audyssey.

[Ironsave]

Check if Auddesy set your sub db level to like -12 or something really radical like that.

If so; manually raise it.......

If not; I would start by disabling the Auddesy EQ. (Factory reset if necessary).

Now see if the sub amp works again.

Is there a way to manually set the EQ (should be). If so; do it. Set your speakers to 60 hz crossover and set the sub for 60 or 80. SET THE FRONTS TO SMALL. Somereceivers disable a sub output if they are set to large.

Now see if the sub amp still works.

Now rerun Auddesy. See if the sub is now not working. If it is now not working (but was before) check the above settings mentioned.

Another possibility is a faulty sub out RCA jack on the receiver.....

It is highly unlikely you received 2 bad amps......

Good Luck.

[Indyjeep]

Could it be something in the sub itself damaging the amp when or after it plays? Or maybe power outlet? But the amp RCA out is definitely a possibility but I would think it wouldn't send a signal at all let alone once or twice. And even with the audessey setting the sub at -12 db you would still get something. Because of my setup and small room that's what it did for my rw-10d but there is still plenty of bass coming from it.

[JasonJCarney]

My guess is a bad sub preout. Try moving it around while your sub is supposed to be on and see if it works that way. I had a bad RCA sub preout and it only worked if I held it down. Did eD test the 500watt amp you sent back?

[BluBitRates]

Also , i do not necessarily condone this but you can turn your sub to 1/5 level (on the actual sub itself) and then touch the end of an attached sub cable with the skin of your finger. It should give an audible tone/hum letting you know the sub and amp are atleast some what functioning.

[robc1976]

My guess is a bad sub preout. Try moving it around while your sub is supposed to be on and see if it works that way. I had a bad RCA sub preout and it only worked if I held it down. Did eD test the 500watt amp you sent back?

My other sub works on that line...I eve switched it to the other pre-out and it still doesn't work.

[robc1976]

Check if Auddesy set your sub db level to like -12 or something really radical like that.

If so; manually raise it.......

If not; I would start by disabling the Auddesy EQ. (Factory reset if necessary).

Now see if the sub amp works again.

Is there a way to manually set the EQ (should be). If so; do it. Set your speakers to 60 hz crossover and set the sub for 60 or 80. SET THE FRONTS TO SMALL. Somereceivers disable a sub output if they are set to large.

Now see if the sub amp still works.

Now rerun Auddesy. See if the sub is now not working. If it is now not working (but was before) check the above settings mentioned.

Another possibility is a faulty sub out RCA jack on the receiver.....

It is highly unlikely you received 2 bad amps......

Good Luck.

I agree it is highly both are bad, has me really confused, I have the sub lpf for LFE at 120htz. And the trim level was at +5 on audyssey......when I turned the trim level down the sub went down like normal.....when I raised the trim level I got nothing?? Sounds crazy. The reciever is a brand new 3311Ci and my other sub works perfect on it....lot smaller though LOL!! What has me confused is it worked withn the test tone then when I turned down the trim level and went back up it stopped.....maybe a short???

[robc1976]

Also , i do not necessarily condone this but you can turn your sub to 1/5 level (on the actual sub itself) and then touch the end of an attached sub cable with the skin of your finger. It should give an audible tone/hum letting you know the sub and amp are atleast some what functioning.

I know it gets a signal because my other sub works perfect on the same pre-out

[robc1976]

Check if Auddesy set your sub db level to like -12 or something really radical like that.

If so; manually raise it.......

If not; I would start by disabling the Auddesy EQ. (Factory reset if necessary).

Now see if the sub amp works again.

Is there a way to manually set the EQ (should be). If so; do it. Set your speakers to 60 hz crossover and set the sub for 60 or 80. SET THE FRONTS TO SMALL. Somereceivers disable a sub output if they are set to large.

Now see if the sub amp still works.

Now rerun Auddesy. See if the sub is now not working. If it is now not working (but was before) check the above settings mentioned.

Another possibility is a faulty sub out RCA jack on the receiver.....

It is highly unlikely you received 2 bad amps......

Good Luck.

I want to make sure we are on the same page LOL!!

1. Speakers set to 60 Htz (all speakers correct?) I have them at 80Htz...will cahnge them to 60 Htz....wondering how this would effect the sub??? Not saying you are wrong, just trying to learn LOL!!

2. You said to set the sub to 80 htz...."do you mean the bass setting"? I have the SW mode set to LFE (get this when speakers are set to small). I then have the "LPF for LFE set to 120Htz (suggested by Audyssey) is this what you suggest setting to 60 htz??

3. All speakers are set to small....I always did this because there is no need for bass to come out of my speakers when my sub will do the job LOL!!

4. Should I disable the Audyssey EQ?? My speakers will not sound great if I do....I rather not do this and if this sub requires that I will return it LOL!!

[JasonJCarney]

Let me get this straight.....u have rf82ii's right? 8 inch woofers right? And you set your speakers to "small"? Why?

[BluBitRates]

people set their rf-7 to small. My last older pioneer elite receiver would not even give the sub a signal if the front speakers are set to large

[StephenM]

Let me get this straight.....u have rf82ii's right? 8 inch woofers right? And you set your speakers to "small"? Why?

Hi Jason,

That would be the technically correct setting; large is meant to mean full range, not necessarily physically large. La Scalas for example are very large speakers, but they don't go down to 20Hz, and thus shouldn't be set to large.

[JasonJCarney]

Lol...yeah I understand what "large" means. The point is why would you buy 82's when your crossing them over at 80hz? Why not just buy 62's or rb81's? Any subwoofer company will tell you to get 2 SUVs and put them at different corners if the room to smooth out the sound. When you set your speakers to small you are taking away their ability to produce bass. Put your sub near the back of the room and set your floorstanders to full band and the bass will even out a bit. I don't know anything about lascalas but I do know a little about reference. Klipsch designed the 7ii's with a 30hz low crossover setting. Why would u set them at 80hz?

[JasonJCarney]

IMO you shouldn't waste money on $3200 speakers with 10 inch woofers if your going to cross them over at 80hz. What's the point ? Of course they look beautiful but your barely using those giant drivers. If your short on power than I can see how that would make more sense. But if you can afford rf7ii's then you can probably afford an amp. Your just not taking full advantage of the speakers when you cross them that high. I do 100% HT so maybe if your using them for music at full band I understand.

[StephenM]

The point is why would you buy 82's when your crossing them over at 80hz? Why not just buy 62's or rb81's?

Just because a speaker is specified to put out 80Hz at 3dB down is not an indicator of the quality at which it does so. A larger speaker will tend to be able to output lower frequencies, ie the 80Hz range, with less distortion while having more output capability. And of course, one shouldn't forget that a crossover does not equal a brick wall.

But if you can afford rf7ii's then you can probably afford an amp.

In the same vein, if you can afford RF-7IIs, you can probably afford a subwoofer or two that outperforms them in the 20-80Hz range. Not to say that it hurts anything to try different XO frequencies (I cross at 40Hz personally), but it is unlikely that 80Hz will yield significantly less performance in a reasonably balanced system.

[JasonJCarney]

So are you saying that therf7ii's don't put out quality sound at say 40hz? If that's what you are saying then I disagree with you. Good cross overs should be a brick wal + or - 3am as always. I agree that if you don't have the power from your avr/amp then setting the xover higher seems more prudent.

[JasonJCarney]

The point is why would you buy 82's when your crossing them over at 80hz? Why not just buy 62's or rb81's?

Just because a speaker is specified to put out 80Hz at 3dB down is not an indicator of the quality at which it does so. A larger speaker will tend to be able to output lower frequencies, ie the 80Hz range, with less distortion while having more output capability. And of course, one shouldn't forget that a crossover does not equal a brick wall.

But if you can afford rf7ii's then you can probably afford an amp.

In the same vein, if you can afford RF-7IIs, you can probably afford a subwoofer or two that outperforms them in the 20-80Hz range. Not to say that it hurts anything to try different XO frequencies (I cross at 40Hz personally), but it is unlikely that 80Hz will yield significantly less performance in a reasonably balanced system.

I'm not saying a quality sub will not outperform rf7ii's at 30 hz. What I'm saying is that using the 10 inch drivers to their full capability (full band) with your sub to the rear of your LP will improve your bass in a HT setting. Setting your xover to 80hz is not taking advantage of your awesome klipsch speakers. That's why klipsch sells their THX system. Those are set to 80hz and used with2 subs.

[StephenM]

So are you saying that therf7ii's don't put out quality sound at say 40hz? If that's what you are saying then I disagree with you. Good cross overs should be a brick wal + or - 3am as always.

RF-7s surely do put out good quality at 40Hz. However, a couple of SPUDs probably put out better, and will take strain off the RF-7s and their associated amplification, likely improving sound over the rest of the audio band.

And no, most crossovers are not brick walls. Most high pass filters for mains run at 24dB/octave slope from what I've seen (although I've seen some that are 12 or 18dB/octave as well). As such, if your mains are crossed at 80Hz, they are still expected to produce reasonable output at 40Hz when driven to high volumes. If they're crossed at 40Hz, then they're expected to put out reasonable output at 20Hz, which won't make even the vaunted RF-7s too happy at high volumes.

Again, this isn't to say that setting the XO to 40Hz is an awful thing to do; I do it myself, and in the end it's about what sounds good to you. But, I wouldn't call it a waste to set it to 80Hz either.

[StephenM]

That's why klipsch sells their THX system. Those are set to 80hz and used with2 subs.

Think of it this way: how much more headroom (and less distortion in the 80Hz on up band) would you have using RF-7s versus the THX speakers? That's a big draw of the RF-7s, even if you don't plan to cross them over low.

[Indyjeep]

I think it's a short in the sub. Maybe the way the subwoofer itself is wired. If the amp isn't designed to go to a certain impedance and the sub is wired incorrectly that could definitely cause the issue. Or possibly speaker wire is damaged. Can you access the wire?