congrats. Easy to install

southsider wrote:

The instruction on how to install the replacement Amp comes with the email from Chet when you order it.
Chet is a great guy I replaced two of the Amps on my Triton 3s already.

Hi!
What were the "symptoms" your Titrons had?
I'm experiencing lack of bass... but if I set the volume knob to max volume, I can feel the radiators vibrating which means they're working... Weird... This has happened in both speakers at the same time!
Already hooked up the speakers to an integrated stereo amp and the problem persists so I think I can be sure the issue has to be related to the speakers right? Amp section maybe (?)
Thanks!

P. S. Took some readings which I think support what I'm thinking (first one was taken when I got the speakers, the second one was yesterday. Same equipment, same positioning, nothing has changed in the living room):

Hi Edimc,

My amp failure symptoms were low frequency noise coming from only the speaker with the amp problem. It has been fine since the amp replacement.

I am assuming your upper plots show before (normal) and the lower show after the problem, right?

The left and right plots are very consistent, which makes me think it's not a problem with the speakers. Also, it's virtually impossible that both amps would change in the same way like this. (The plots also suggest you have a very symmetrical room, unless you moved the speakers to the same location.)

Here are some possibities to explore:

1) Have you changed the source component? Sometimes, these can have different low frequency response. (Not likely here, but I'm just asking.)

2) Has there been a change in the power being delivered? Different power cables? Different power outlets? Has there been a change in the power to the source component? Low frequency response sometimes needs a lot of power. So a drop in line voltage or an increase in upstream resistance could cause the power supply in the source component or amp to starve at low frequencies.

3) Have you moved the speakers in the room? You can get very different bass response depending on where the speakers are placed relative to the walls and listening position.

4) Have you moved your listening position? The relative perceived strength of the bass can be sensitive to where you are located in the room. Have you moved forwards or backwards or side to side?

5) Have you changed the room acoustic treatment? More sound absorption?

6) If I understand correctly, you switched to a different integrated amp, and the problem persists. So it's not the amp. It could possibly be an upstream source component, but this would require both channels to change in the same way. Not likely.

The big peak around 30 Hz or so is still there in both sets of plots, just at a lower level. Peaks like that tend to be dependent on the room shape and size (room modes). The peak is just lower on the bottom set of plots. This behavior makes me think it's speaker or listening position that has caused the change. Bass frequencies, like that peak, can be very sensitive to where you sit in the room.

Hope this helps,

Charlie

Hello!
Thanks for your input @charliehatch

Yes, the first plots where the first measurements I took when I got my Anthem receiver.
Everything looked/sounded fine.
Nothing has changed from that day to today... same speaker positioning, same MLP, no changes in the room, same power outlets being used (each speaker is connected to it's own power outlet)...

My room is rectangular and although the listening area is more towards one of the sides, the MLP is perfectly centered with the speakers. These measurements were taken with the speakers each one in it's due place

"The left and right plots are very consistent, which makes me think it's not a problem with the speakers. Also, it's virtually impossible that both amps would change in the same way like this. (The plots also suggest you have a very symmetrical room, unless you moved the speakers to the same location.)"
That was my initial assumption. But then I connected the speakers to an integrated stereo amp and it's behaviour was the same - weak bass. Audible, but weak...


1 - Yes, I tried listening songs using my Zappiti, my laptop and via Play-fi. Same results...

2 - No. Everything is connected in the same way and to the same power outlets from the beginning...

3 - No

4 - No

5 - No

6 - Yes the peak is there. But we're talking of a 15 (ish) db difference... that's MASSIVE...

EdiMC,

Sounds like you've covered most of the possiblities.

I was thinking about this some more, and my favorite theory is that there's something wrong with the power going to the speakers. If you have a bad wiring connection upstream from the outlet somewhere, it could cause high resistance, and you could get a voltage drop that could starve the speaker amplifiers.

If you have a voltmeter, I suggest you find a power outlet that is nearby and on the same circuit as your speakers. Then measure the voltage at that outlet with no load, and then with the speakers trying to reproduce some bass. Do you see a big voltage drop when the speakers try to reproduce bass? That points to a problem in the wiring upstream somewhere. (Of course, if the problem is between the speaker power outlet and the one you're measuring, you might not see a change.)

You could also try switching the circuit breaker off and then on again. Quick and dirty, and it might work if the breaker is the problem.

Definitely most odd...

Charlie

@EdiMC

Just offering some additional data points for you to consider, in addition to the excellent recommendations from charliehatch.

1 - whatever hardware/software you're using to create those graphs, has something (like a software setting, etc.) changed?

2 - not sure what model you have, but I can tell you that in the case of both the T1 and the TRef, when the (each) speaker is initially powered on, the blue light flashes *exactly* 25 times in approximately 1 second intervals.

3 -*after* the (T1 or TRef) speaker goes out of standby mode (blue light off), if you then deny the speaker of power (unplug, however so) the blue light flashes *once*, after approximately 30 seconds.

4 - Check the blue light. It is there for a reason. Especially important would be to compare the blue light operation of one of your speakers to the other. They should operate precisely the same way. For instance, when powered on, both speakers simultaneously should begin to flash the blue light at the same (within a millisecond or so) time. Same when you deny power to the speakers. Both should flash once, at the same (within a millisecond or so) time. Yes, you may need another person to help you observe this (one watching one speakers blue light while another watches the other speaker).

5 -EDIT - another blue light related test...when playing music the blue light is illuminated. If you stop sending music (signal, power via the speaker wires) to the speakers, the blue light will go off after approximately 25 minutes. (Sure, if you have super abnormally high RFI interference the light may never go out). What you want to observe here is whether or not the light goes out within seconds, or a minute or two, of no signal. To me that would be abnormal. Again, pay attention to both speakers as the light should go out on both at the same time. Once both lights are out, then proceed with #3 (above).

None of the aforementioned is a better judge than your ears. But if the blue lights on both speakers are functioning normally and the same way, I think it unlikely the problem would be with the speaker(s).

Best.

Hal