Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Augh! Too much scaling!

Watching the Rush in Rio DVD with my kids, and getting the piacture right is a pain in my ass. Finally set the Oppo 970HD to output 1080i, the TV to Natural (native is 720p), and Zoom on the Onkyo 809. You'd think at least one of these devices would be smart enough to figure out that if there are black bars, the aspect/zoom isn't right. Esp since the DVD outputs in 16:9 widescreen. Yeesh.

Why are you having the Onkyo do "something"? Is the native DVD 4:3 or 2.35:1 or something?

Nope, but that's the only way I can get it not to look 2:35:1 (ie, squashed vertically with black bars top and bottom.

Also, my EP350 appears to be cursed. It was working fine earlier this week when I ran Audyssey, but it ain't working now, even with the old iPhone direct to sub connection. Best guess is that the input jack is screwed up. Sadly, I don't have an XLR connection to test with. Should have bought the higher end Onk, eh?

Anyone know if I can use something like this with an Axiom sub? If, as I think, the unbalanced 1/4" connector is broken internally, getting a new 1/4"->RCA adapter from Axiom isn't going to help. But the XLR connector should be fine. I know it's not idea, I know I wouldn't be getting balanced audio, but WOULD IT WORK?

Ken,

One thing to note, if you connect the XLR cable to the subwoofer, you will loose about 6db (i think).. I tried using balanced cables with my EP600, and the volume was ALWAYS super low, even when the volume on the sub was turned all of the way up.

Long story short Andrew said that there is a different gain between the RCA connector and XLR, the gain for the XLR is significantly less than the RCA. So, now both of the 600's use RCA's.


So, it might work, but you will loose a LOT of output, due to going with the XLR connection on the axiom amp.

Ken, did you try unplugging the sub for awhile to reset it?

Nope, haven't tried that, but this is a 350, so no DSP to reset. I'll give it a shot, though.

Ken, i think it is unlikely that the RCA connection would randomly fail. You could always pull the amp out of the cabinet, and inspect the solder joints associated with the connector. It is possible that the connector failed but i think it is unlikely.

Never said anything about "randomly..."

Rats. Doesn't seem to be the jack. The high-level inputs don't work, either, and there's a hum that varies (sometimes) with the volume.

Ken. Not sure how this helps, but I recall a post by Alan some time ago where he mentioned there is some DSP in the EP350 as well.

Gad, I hope so. I can't afford a new sub right now. And not for awhile.

Yeah, Ken; checking the amplifier by using the high level connection would have been my first thought rather than suspecting the input connection, which should be pretty reliable if not abused.

If you haven't done the magic(sometimes)unplug/replug, try it of course, but the health of the sub amp appears to have taken a decided turn for the worse.

Sounds like you have a semi decent excuse to buy a bigger sub...

I ... ain't got no mo----ney...

Ken,

Visa, Mastercard, Discover... They will give you monies for almost free. Why put off tomorrow what you can enjoy today? It's the American way

Ken, if the line-level RCA input is damaged--I've noticed it happens fairly frequently with Axiom sub owners--you can use the line-level RCA output as an input. They are paralleled so it works.

FredK, there is some EQ boost used in the EP350, but I don't think it's a DSP EQ. Just a bit of analog EQ, if memory serves. .

Alan

This is one that has the XLRs, not the RCAs--there's no second RCA jack on it.

Ken, does your amp have the universal connector?
Is this the amp your sub has?
http://www.axiomaudio.com/gallery_display2.html?image=small_sub_amp.jpg&title=EP350%20-%20Back

Why not try something like this? This would allow you to use the phono plug. This would also be a pretty inexpensive option to see if the connector is bad, you may also be able to get one from a local radio shack or other electronic store.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/190607131040?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Oops!
I haven't kept up . . .

Ah...on my EP500, the LINE IN RCA jack is starting to sag a little bit. So I can plug it into the LINE OUT?

Thanks for the tip.

hsb

I notice most subs end up against a wall which usually ends up pushing the rca cable and causing damage to the amp. On monoprice i found a right angle adapter for rca that really helps with this problem.

.44 cents each

the price of gold must be very low!

;-)

Hansang- yes that is correct.

Hi Dak, yeah, that's the one i've got. Sadly, the high level inputs aren't working either, and there's a hum that increases (sometimes!) with volume, so it's not jus the input jack, unless that's bunged to the point that it's overriding the other inputs and just humming.

call brent see how much a new amp would be, a replacement amp for my 600 was cost effective, i think they gave me a 2 or 300$ credit for my old amp.

Yeah, I was planning on it.

Ken, did you also try the disconnect and touch the RCA plug tip procedure mentioned in the latest sub trouble shooting blog, to see if there's any driver cone response?

I don't think I tried that. I do get a thump sometimes when I turn it on, but I'll go back and check the article again.



<update>
Not a dad-gummed thing.

I suppose that still leaves open a possibility that the wire from the amp to the driver has come loose.

Not really. Like I said, I do get a thump sometimes when I turn it on, and there is a definite hum that comes from the driver.

Okay; if the hum(and thumps)is from the driver and not the amp itself, the driver is connected, and we're pretty much reduced to a bad amp.

If that happens to mine, I feel I'd need to upgrade to a an EP500. I know you said money was a problem. But I really feel that during a couple of places in TRON Legacy that's it's more than my EP350 can handle. (Stop watching the movie?, Nooooooooooooooooo.)

Hi Hansang,

Yes, you can just use the line-out RCA output as in input on your EP500.

Regards,
Alan

Axiom comes through again! Brent's sending a replacement amp.

Covered under warrantee?

Indeed.

Learn something everyday! Thank you all.

Great news Ken!

Tell the kids they'll be able to go to college after all!

(I was beginning to think you would forfeit that for an EP800)! :-)

EP350 has been fixed, works great now. Thanks, Brent!

So, it wasn't thunder today?