SVS PC Ultra 13 (european version) stops working after 45 minutes

**jasjenl** · **01-13-08, 09:30 AM**

Hi,

I've posted about the following issue on AVS forum and I've already contacted LSound about it, but since there seem to be a lot of fellow SVS users here I thought I'd post this message here as well, to see if anyone has experienced something similar.

Since last friday I own a PC Ultra 13. I live in the Netherlands, Europe and since these cylinder subwoofers have just recently been officially been introduced in Europe there probably haven't been sold that many in this region yet. However, I'm already having a problem with mine: after it has been turned on for about 30/45 minutes it stops producing any sound. It doesn't matter if I'm actually feeding any signal to it during that period or that it is just sitting idle: after those 30/45 minutes it doesn't do anything anymore. The green light is still lit though and if I hold my ears close to the subwoofer and listen very carefully I can still hear some faint sound that sounds like fan noise, which I assumed was coming from a cooling fan in the amplifier (but from what I've heard this amp doesn't have any active cooling, so I'm not sure what noise I'm exactly hearing here).

Whenever this happens I have to turn off the subwoofer using the hard power switch, which by the way results in a rather loud 'popping' sound. Then, after waiting a while (last time I waited about 10 minutes) I can turn it on again and then it does work again (but again, only for a maximum of 45 minutes). By the way: turning the subwoofer on also gives a rather loud 'pop' noise (measured at about 95 db), but not as loud as the one when it was turned off (which sounds more like a kind of rattling sound).

Now I haven't been playing anything loud yet, I have only been playing at very moderate volume levels, so I doubt it has anything to do with overloading the amp or something. I also have the AUTO/ON switch set to ON, so it can't be that it is automatically going into standby mode. Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? And if so, how was it solved? I'm hoping I don't have to return the complete subwoofer...

**Ed Mullen** · **01-13-08, 02:10 PM**

Quote:

jasjenl wrote:

Hi,

I've posted about the following issue on AVS forum and I've already contacted LSound about it, but since there seem to be a lot of fellow SVS users here I thought I'd post this message here as well, to see if anyone has experienced something similar.

Since last friday I own a PC Ultra 13. I live in the Netherlands, Europe and since these cylinder subwoofers have just recently been officially been introduced in Europe there probably haven't been sold that many in this region yet. However, I'm already having a problem with mine: after it has been turned on for about 30/45 minutes it stops producing any sound. It doesn't matter if I'm actually feeding any signal to it during that period or that it is just sitting idle: after those 30/45 minutes it doesn't do anything anymore. The green light is still lit though and if I hold my ears close to the subwoofer and listen very carefully I can still hear some faint sound that sounds like fan noise, which I assumed was coming from a cooling fan in the amplifier (but from what I've heard this amp doesn't have any active cooling, so I'm not sure what noise I'm exactly hearing here).

Whenever this happens I have to turn off the subwoofer using the hard power switch, which by the way results in a rather loud 'popping' sound. Then, after waiting a while (last time I waited about 10 minutes) I can turn it on again and then it does work again (but again, only for a maximum of 45 minutes). By the way: turning the subwoofer on also gives a rather loud 'pop' noise (measured at about 95 db), but not as loud as the one when it was turned off (which sounds more like a kind of rattling sound).

Now I haven't been playing anything loud yet, I have only been playing at very moderate volume levels, so I doubt it has anything to do with overloading the amp or something. I also have the AUTO/ON switch set to ON, so it can't be that it is automatically going into standby mode. Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? And if so, how was it solved? I'm hoping I don't have to return the complete subwoofer...

Sorry you are having problems with your PCU. Sounds like a bad amp; L-Sound will arrange to replace it and provide you with detailed replacement instructions.

**jasjenl** · **01-13-08, 02:17 PM**

Quote:

Ed Mullen wrote:

Sorry you are having problems with your PCU. Sounds like a bad amp; L-Sound will arrange to replace it and provide you with detailed replacement instructions.

Thanks for your reply, Ed. I already suspected it would be something like a bad amp. So does this mean I will just receive a new amp and that I can replace the old one myself?

**Ed Mullen** · **01-13-08, 03:02 PM**

Quote:

jasjenl wrote:

Thanks for your reply, Ed. I already suspected it would be something like a bad amp. So does this mean I will just receive a new amp and that I can replace the old one myself?

Yes, the amp swap is easy and takes about 10 minutes. You'll need a #2 square drive bit and a bit extender to reach the top/bottom screws where the cylinder recess is the deepest.

**jasjenl** · **01-13-08, 03:06 PM**

Quote:

Ed Mullen wrote:

Yes, the amp swap is easy and takes about 10 minutes. You'll need a #2 square drive bit and a bit extender to reach the top/bottom screws where the cylinder recess is the deepest.

Ok, thanks. I'm glad I don't have to return the whole subwoofer

I will wait for L-Sound's instructions.

**Ed Mullen** · **01-13-08, 03:11 PM**

Quote:

jasjenl wrote:

Ok, thanks. I'm glad I don't have to return the whole subwoofer

I will wait for L-Sound's instructions.

Yes, we design all our subs to be completely modular, so field replacements of the amp or woofer are easy, thus eliminating the need to ship the subwoofer back to your dealer. Please contact L-Sound for availability on the amps, etc.

**Sonnie** · **01-13-08, 03:31 PM**

This is the kind of customer service you can expect from a quality company.

**jvanhambelgium** · **01-13-08, 03:47 PM**

Quote:

Ed Mullen wrote:

Yes, we design all our subs to be completely modular, so field replacements of the amp or woofer are easy, thus eliminating the need to ship the subwoofer back to your dealer. Please contact L-Sound for availability on the amps, etc.

Ed, IS there a fan in the amp ?? My PB13 does not make single sound ? Or is it a very tiny fan running only few RPM ???
I would think the amp is passive cooled ??
Or should one stress the amp some time before it engages the fan ?

Thanks!

**Ed Mullen** · **01-13-08, 03:51 PM**

Quote:

jvanhambelgium wrote:

Ed, IS there a fan in the amp ?? My PB13 does not make single sound ? Or is it a very tiny fan running only few RPM ???
I would think the amp is passive cooled ??
Or should one stress the amp some time before it engages the fan ?

Thanks!

There is no fan in the amp; the BASH design does not require one and the platform is cool-running.

**mike c** · **01-13-08, 10:53 PM**

for the overseas users ... does LSOUND have a stock of the new amps, or will they wait for a new amp from the US to arrive?

**Warpdrv** · **01-14-08, 12:56 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

This is the kind of customer service you can expect from a quality company.

You can say that again...

**jasjenl** · **01-14-08, 02:37 PM**

Quote:

mike c wrote:

for the overseas users ... does LSOUND have a stock of the new amps, or will they wait for a new amp from the US to arrive?

L-Sound is sending me a new amp tomorrow, so I suppose they have their own stock. It will be shipped by FedEx, I guess it will arrive sometime this week. Excellent customer service indeed

!

**mike c** · **01-14-08, 11:07 PM**

thanks for the info jasjen! that's nice to hear!

**jasjenl** · **01-18-08, 01:06 PM**

So I just received my new amp, but there aren't any instructions on how to replace the old one included. Is there anything I have to look out for or is it just as simple as screwing the old one out and sliding the new one in? How will the amp be connected to the driver then?

**Ed Mullen** · **01-18-08, 01:09 PM**

Quote:

jasjenl wrote:

So I just received my new amp, but there aren't any instructions on how to replace the old one included. Is there anything I have to look out for or is it just as simple as screwing the old one out and sliding the new one in? How will the amp be connected to the driver then?

Please email L-Sound or SVS Tech Support for the correct procedure. You will also need a #2 square drive bit for the screw heads. A bit extender helps to reach the top/bottom screws where the cylinder recess is the deepest.

**jasjenl** · **01-18-08, 01:14 PM**

Quote:

Ed Mullen wrote:

Please email L-Sound or SVS Tech Support for the correct procedure. You will also need a #2 square drive bit for the screw heads. A bit extender helps to reach the top/bottom screws where the cylinder recess is the deepest.

Ok, I've already emaild L-Sound about this (just a few minutes ago, so I suppose I'll get an answer from them later today or otherwise tomorrow). There was a little big included that contained a bit-extender and a few screws, I assume that's what you mean?

By the way, I haven't gotten any instructions yet about what to do with the old amp, but I'm guessing they want me to send it back to them, right?

**Ed Mullen** · **01-18-08, 01:17 PM**

Quote:

jasjenl wrote:

Ok, I've already emaild L-Sound about this (just a few minutes ago, so I suppose I'll get an answer from them later today or otherwise tomorrow). There was a little big included that contained a bit-extender and a few screws, I assume that's what you mean?

By the way, I haven't gotten any instructions yet about what to do with the old amp, but I'm guessing they want me to send it back to them, right?

You probably have the drive bit itself, but an extender will allow your power drill or bit driver to reach those two screws more easily without hitting the edges of the cylinder.

**Ed Mullen** · **01-19-08, 06:59 AM**

Both L-Sound and SVS have emailed you the replacement procedure. If you don't see it, check your spam and junk-mail folders.

**jasjenl** · **01-19-08, 07:05 AM**

Quote:

Ed Mullen wrote:

Both L-Sound and SVS have emailed you the replacement procedure. If you don't see it, check your spam and junk-mail folders.

Thanks Ed, I got them and emailed both SVS and L-Sound about it. I'll keep you updated on my progress!

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