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| What
subwoofer do
I need for my system? |
There are numerous factors
that come into play when choosing a subwoofer for your system. Room
size, response and size of the main speakers and listening preferences
are all elements in deciding what subwoofer to select. Also what is
considered “loud” by some users might be considered moderate by others.
In subwoofers not only is the size of the driver a factor in each
design, but also the excursion capabilities of that driver, enclosure
size, amplifier power, and equalization, just to name a few. So while
we would like to be able to give you a rule of thumb to go by, it's
just not applicable.
Take some bass-heavy CDs to your local dealer
and put the candidates to the test. After rattling the showroom for an
hour or so you'll have a pretty good idea what size subwoofer you
actually need.
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Where
can I buy Sunfire products?
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Go here
to find a dealer local to you.
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Set Up
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| How
do I install my
subwoofer so it sounds best? |
Since no two rooms and
audio systems are alike, this can be a difficult question to answer. In
most cases, the subwoofer will sound best when placed in a corner of
the room. The corner helps to reinforce the sound produced by the sub.
In most stereo systems, the subwoofer will blend with the main speakers
better if it is located along the front wall behind the main speakers
or in either corner near the main speakers. This is generally true in
home theater as well although surround sound gives you more leeway in
placing the subwoofer.
In some cases where the listening room is small or a certain shape, The
subwoofer may not sound best in the corner. The bass may have a booming
quality and seem to reproduce one note louder than all the others. This
is the volume of air in the room resonating in the same way a coke
bottle will resonate when you blow across the mouth of the bottle. Try
moving the sub out of the corner of the room and placing it along the
front wall about a third of the way out of the corner.
An effective trick is to place the sub in your listening
chair and play your favorite powerful bass recording. With the sub
reproducing the bass, kneel down and listen at various positions around
the room. You
will notice that the bass will sound better at some places than at
others. When you have found the position that sounds best, put the sub
there. You will then get that great bass sound at your listening
position.
We recommend that whenever possible you use the line-level RCA input
jacks on the subwoofer. This connection allows for less distortion and
less susceptibility to picking up stray radio-frequency interference.
We recommend the speaker-level inputs only for those whose receiver
does not have any preamp output or subwoofer output jacks.
The Sunfire sub has a built-in high pass crossover feature which makes
life easier for audiophiles with small mini-monitor or bookshelf
speakers. You connect your sub inputs to the preamp outputs as
mentioned above. You will also connect your power amplifier input
cables to the high-pass outputs on the sub, instead of to the preamp
output. The high-pass output will then limit the low bass in the signal
going out to your power amp and speakers to about 70 Hz and above. This
connection method relieves your power amplifier and speakers of the
work of reproducing those power-hungry bass frequencies and turns that
chore over to the component that can do it best- your Sunfire subwoofer.
Setting the volume control on the sub can be done most accurately with
a decibel (dB) meter, although most of these meters do lose accuracy in
the low bass. Very good results can be achieved by ear. Find a
recording
that has good bass both in the lower range of your speakers and in the
upper range of the sub. Bach pipe organ recordings are great for this.
Then adjust the sub volume control for the most seamless transition
from the bass of your speakers to the bass of the subwoofer. For most
speakers, the volume control on the sub will end up in the seven
o'clock to nine o'clock position. You may find that you must turn the
sub volume down a bit more on some recordings.
It is normal for the sub to make a small "putt" sound when it wakes up
from or returns to its sleep mode. The status LED is always lit,
but it glows brighter when the sub is active. It is also normal to
sometimes see a spark when plugging the sub into the wall; the large
filter capacitors draw current and begin to charge the moment the sub
is plugged in.
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| Can
I install my subwoofer
in a cabinet? |
You can install your sub
in a cabinet, and we have even designed an Architectural version of
our
subwoofer which is easier to install in a cabinet. When installing the
sub in a cabinet, please insure that the cabinet is built rigidly or
the sub will make it buzz or rattle. You will want to allow at least
three
inches of clearance between the sub's drivers and the walls of the
cabinet. If the subwoofer is placed in a very large cavity, the volume
of air in that cavity may resonate in the bass range; this will produce
a boomy, one-note bass quality. You will want to attach the sub to the
cabinet with a non-invasive method such as Velcro or adhesive tape.
Never drill into the subwoofer cabinet.
It is not feasible to shield the enormous magnet structure of the
subwoofer so precautions should be taken to physically isolate it away
from your TV. Rear projection TVs are most susceptible to stray
magnetic fields. Keep your sub at least two feet away.
Please note that bass vibration from the sub can disturb the tracking
of phonograph turntables, CD players, and DVD players placed in the
cabinet near the sub.
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| Should I use both the left and right inputs
on the subwoofer? |
If you are using a stereo
preamp with no sub output then yes. You will need to get two Y-adaptors
to split the signal, one feed from the L and R output of the preamp
would go to the amplifier and the other would go to the L&R line
level input on the subwoofer.
If your preamp has a Sub output (often labeled LFE or Low Frequency
Effects) then no, you only need to connect the left input to the
subwoofer.
LFE or Low Frequency Effects is the “.1” channel in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1
surround sound systems. If you have a sub selected in your system any
LFE
signal goes to the subwoofer. The sub may get bass from other channels
as well however, depending on the “size” of speakers selected in your
set-up. For stereo sources the LFE or sub output has both the left and
right channel's low frequencies summed together. This why you only need
to connect the left input to the subwoofer.
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How
do I keep my subwoofer from moving around on the floor?
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Sometimes on slick
surfaces such as hardwood or tile floors the subwoofer will tend to
crawl due to vibration. Normally this only occurs at higher listening
levels with heavy bass. This can usually be remedied by using the
larger (3/4") rubber
feet. Another thing to try is placing a small square of non-skid carpet
or matting under the sub to absorb some of the vibrations.
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| Technical |
| Why
does my system
have a loud hum after I installed my subwoofer? |
It sounds like you are experiencing a ground-loop in
your stereo/ home theater system. Ideally, your system should be
connected to ground at one and only one point. This is difficult in a
modern system since many components come with grounded or three prong
power
cords. The third prong on the grounded cord makes a connection between
the ground of the component (usually the chassis) and the zero-volt
ground in the home's electrical system (usually a metal rod driven into
the ground, hence the term ground). All of the components in your
system have their grounds linked together by the interconnect cables in
the system.
A ground loop occurs in an audio system when you have two or more
ground connections that are at slightly different electrical voltages.
The two different grounds "fight" each other and an audible hum is the
result.
The Sunfire subwoofer can aggravate this condition because it too has a
grounded power cord. We use this cord for safety reasons and do NOT
recommend that you disconnect the ground prong on the cord to eliminate
the hum. Also, the fact that the subwoofer reproduces the bass range
powerfully means that an existing hum problem that was previously
unnoticed may be painfully revealed when a subwoofer is added to the
system.
To verify that you do indeed have a ground-loop, disconnect the
interconnect cables going to the sub with the sub on and its volume
control turned-down (you will hear a disconcerting thump if you unplug
the cables with the volume up). Turn the volume control back up to its
normal position. If the hum is gone, you have a systemic problem like a
ground loop. If the hum persists, there may be a problem in your house
wiring or possibly in the subwoofer itself.
It should be noted that ALL audio amplifiers, including the one in our
subwoofer, have some degree of background hum. You should not be
concerned if you can hear a hum with your ear to the sub. You should,
perhaps, be concerned if you can easily hear a hum from your listening
position.
If the interconnect cables in your system are old or of mediocre
quality, a hum can be produced by a broken connection in the audio
cable
itself. Replace any cable that is very old, kinked, or fits loosely in
the audio jacks.
If you have verified that you have a ground-loop in your system, the
next step is to look for all of the other ground points in your system.
This involves a bit of detective work. We already know that the sub
hums when it is connected to the preamp/processor/receiver. Does that
component have a grounded cord? Does that components owner's manual
recommend disconnecting the ground connection on the plug? (by using a
so-called cheater plug)
If your preamp/processor/receiver does not have a grounded cord, then
the other ground connection creating the ground loop must be attached
to one of the source components. The ground loop can be tracked to a
single source component by unplugging all of the interconnect cables
(audio and video) from the back of the preamp/receiver. Then reconnect
the cables from each component one at a time until the hum returns. It
should be mentioned that all RCA type cables will make a loud hum when
they are pulled halfway out of their jacks; to avoid this, make all
connections/disconnections with the volume turned down. This can be a
lot of work especially with many connections in a home theater system,
but we need to track
down the other ground connection that is causing the loop.
In most cases your detective work will track
the hum down to your VCR, TV, Cable TV box, or Satellite Tuner. This is
because your cable TV or satellite system is working with a different
ground system that the electrical one in your home. If you do indeed
have satellite or cable, you may want to try disconnecting them where
they connect to your system before you go through all the detective
work of disconnecting your source components. We find that in 90% of
home theater systems, the ground loop is caused by cable TV or
Satellite TV connections.
Try disconnecting your cable TV cable at the point where it comes out
of the wall. Be thorough, there may also be a connection to your TV and
from your TV to your audio system.
If you find that the hum disappears when the cable or satellite are
disconnected, then you must get a device
which separates the cable TV /satellite ground from the one in your
audio system. These devices are usually referred to as Cable TV ground
isolators or video ground isolators. These units are available from any
good home theater service department, or from Sunfire Corporation.
It may be harder to isolate your satellite TV system since it uses a
different cable. However, ground isolation interconnect cables are made
which can be used between the satellite tuner and the audio system. A
small transformer in the audio cable separates the ground on one end
from the
ground on the other. Radio Shack and others carry these isolators.
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| What is the power
consumption of my Sunfire subwoofer? |
Many
Sunfire owners may wish to use a power conditioner to further protect
their audio system from power
spikes and surges. There are many excellent brands of line conditioners
on the market.
It is important that the consumer buy a power conditioner large enough
to supply all the current that his power amplifier, subwoofer and other
components may require. Using too small a
line conditioner can sound worse than none at all. The easiest way to
calculate this is to use the value of the line fuse in the Sunfire
component. A Cinema Grand Amplifier has a 10 amp line fuse. We multiply
10 amps times 120 volts to get 1200 volt/amps or watts. However, 1200
watts is the absolute maximum the amplifier will consume, in normal
operation we can multiply this times 0.7 to get our normal power
consumption of 850 watts. A True Subwoofer Mark IV has a 6.25 amp line
fuse; times 120 volts produces 750 watts. Times 0.7 equals 550 watts
normal power consumption. When in doubt, always get the next larger
size of conditioner; it is better to have some left-over current
capability than not enough.
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Why
is my subwoofer rattling?
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Be sure to check for anything that has worked its way
loose on the amplifier plate such as the binding posts. Also make sure
there is sufficient clearance for the excursion of the driver(s),
usually three inches or so. Noises can sometimes be deceiving,
especially
when listening to loud levels with heavy bass, check that the rattle is
indeed coming from the subwoofer and not something else in the room.
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Service and
Repair
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How do I get my
Sunfire product serviced?
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If you
suspect your Sunfire
product has a problem, please do everything you can to confirm it
before calling for service. This includes reading through the Troubleshooting Guide
of your user's manual. A large
percentage of products returned for service are tested by our
technicians and coded "NTF" or No
Trouble Found, which usually means the problem lay somewhere else in
the system. If you have determined you need to return your Sunfire
product for repair go here for
instructions.
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What
is the warranty period?
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The warranty period for
all subwoofers is two (2) years from the original date of purchase.
We cannot determine
from the serial number when the unit was purchased, only your dealer
would possibly have that information. We can determine when the product
was manufactured and will warrant the product from that date, however,
there is sometimes a significant lag time between the manufacturing
date and the purchase date.
Please note: Sunfire warranties are transferable should it be sold or
given as a gift.
All repairs by the Sunfire Service Department carry a one (1) year
warranty.
For subwoofers, the entire unit must be returned (no parts or
subassemblies) to warranty the repair.
Full terms of the warranty are included in each User's Manual with the
unit.
Extended Warranties:
Sunfire does not offer extended warranties to customers directly,
however, some dealers offer extended warranty programs for products
they sell. Please contact your Sunfire dealer
where the unit was
purchased for details and procedures for service.
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Repair cost for out of
warranty service:
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All Sunfire subwoofers are $275.00, this includes all parts, labor
and
return shipping. You must pay for any initial shipping charges to the
factory. You can estimate the shipping costs here. Complete
instructions regarding returns and service are in the factory
service section.
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