Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners My ep 500 is making noises still

Well, I put in the replacement amp from axiom. When I shook the old amp after removing it I heard a faint metallic rattle.

I put in the new amp and I think that this light metallic sounding rattle is gone, so all was not lost.

However, I hear a vibration noise comming from my sub still. During the test tones with the sub playing at 75 db from my listening position everything is fine. When I turn the volume up at the test tone screen fairly loud the noise starts. I will have to check again but I think the noise starts when the sub gets to about 85 db from my couch which is about 13 feet away.

The noise is no problem during most LFE scenes. Sometimes during movies of course there are extremely demanding scenes... Like on finding Nemo when the little girl is tapping on the glass.

I recorded this scene with my camera so you can hear the noise. I unplugged everything except the sub during the scene. It sounds a little different then this in person but you should get the idea.

I have the gain on my sub at 7 oclock on the sub and it is set to -10 db. This creates about a 76db sound when all my other speakers are playing about 75 db, so it should be calibrated properly.

I turned the main volume up after the 1st or second time playing the scene so you can hear it better.

During this movie I think my sub was playing at close to 90 db when sitting on my couch. This seems like a normal peak when watching movies at slightly above average levels....

Click on the link to hear the sound.
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/dblackm/?action=view¤t=MOV00155.flv


Is this just 'normal' enclosure vibration from the ep500? My sub is calibrated properly with my system, but there are still high peaks of lfe during movies which cause this noise to show up

I don't think the rattling noise that you are hearing is normal. It sounds as though there is a loose baffle or piece within the enclosure. I wonder if you can take out the driver on the front and take a peak. I would definitely ask the Axiom folks for input as well.

John

Being on dial-up, a "movie of a noise" is just an impossible concept for me, but there is no "normal enclosure vibration". I do have to disassemble my SVS every 6 months or so to tighten up whatever came loose recently, but there should be no noise coming from your sub other than what is on your media. You can get port "turbulence" and noise from overdriven woofers, but EP500s are probably less prone to those artifacts than pretty much any sub on the market.

Keep at it.

Someone with a faster internet connection please listen to the noise and comment

Something sounds loose. Could be a wire too close to the driver vibrating? Loose screw perhaps? Or driver suspension flapping?

I would remove the amp again. Pick up the enclosure and shake it to see if you hear anything. Also shake the amp to make sure that isn't the source. Look inside with a flashlight to see if the wires are too close to the driver. Also look at the driver suspension closely to make sure there is no minute damage anywhere. Tighten everything that you can.

Still makes a noise? Hang garlic and crosses in the room to ward off spirits and consult Randy.

ok, so I took out the driver and am replacing it just in case that is the problem.... Seems unlikely since the noise sounds like it is comming from the back.

Here is an image that I got from audioholics:


Look at the cable that runs from the amp to the driver. My cable is longer then that by a little bit and it actually sits on the top of the plastic amp boot.

Do you think that the wire is vibrating against the amp boot?

It doesn't seem like such a small thing could cause so much noise.... But it might be the reason. Also, it does not look like there is enough slack on the wire in the pic to be able to even remove the driver, so that may be abnormal.

Also there is no caulking where the side walls meet the back wall or where the side walls meet the bottom if there is suppose to be.

Also this sound only occurs when there is a large amount of LFE being sent to the sub and the volume is fairly loud. Is this just a limitation of the ep500... Am I trying to play it beyond it's abilities?

What do you guys think?

I had to replace both woofers on my brand new EP500s. Both had bad rattles. On one the voice coil came unglued from the woofer cone causing the rattle. On the other, when I moved the woofer in and out it would not operate smoothly, thus I assume that was causing the rattle. Must have been a bad batch from China. The great Axiom folks sent me two new woofers and now everything is just fine. In fact, probably too good. My whole upstairs rattles when the kids are playing Halo 3 downstairs.

Ter,

That sounds like a suspension problem to me. Axiom should send you a new driver.

Sorry, I posted before listening to the sound you posted. But on listening to it, it sounds exactly like mine sounded. A new driver will do wonders for you. I'm trying to watch football here and all I can hear is Halo 3 downstairs. Halo 3 really gives the system a workout. But wow does it sound good.

I had a slightly loose screw holding down a circuit board on my SVS PC+ 20-39. You would not BELIEVE the horrible noise it made on WOTW when the tripods were coming up through the ground. I tightened the screw down a quarter turn or so and everything was fine.

If the wire is touching the boot it will make a lot of noise. Do something about that as a first step.

I have to agree about Halo 3's sound. I was impressed every time I played it.