Leaving Sub Powered?

Tornado Red
Tornado Red Posts: 939
edited October 2013 in Subwoofer Hookup & Bass Management
I have a DSW550 in my HT and just added a DSW660. The new 12 incher produces a pretty good "thomp" when it powers up on auto. I can also hear the 550 when it powers up, but just barely (perhaps because of the smaller driver). It's also volume of the system related, i.e. it gets louder if the volume is up on my avr. My avr powers up at -35 volume, but I may have to increase it to get the subs to kick in. I have a dedicated power line, don't think it's an AC related issue or the cable to avr, I've swapped it out to no avail. I've read in other threads of people have the same problem on different subs, so I'm chalking it up to the "nature of the beast". The sub works great otherwise, it's just a small annoyance really. But in some of the other threads I've read, one of the solutions put forth by a few people is to leave the power on the subs all the time. I just wanted to get people's take on here as to how they thought about that. I'm not worried about a power consumption issue at idle, I'm more concerned about sub amp longevity. Any thoughts pro or con leaving the subs on all the time? Thanks for your input....
Post edited by Tornado Red on
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Comments

  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited October 2013
    Are sure it is not a sub problem, MY SVS or HSU does not do that.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    edited October 2013
    What did your AVR set the sub at? It could be you have the volume knob on the sub turned up too high. You want your AVR to set the sub between +/- 5 dB. The closer to 0, the better. I would double check that number before leaving a sub always powered. Actually I would probably walk over and turn them on myself, before leaving them powered.
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2013
    I leave mine powered on all the time. Mine would take a long time to pick up the signal when I had it on auto, so now I just leave it on.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
    edited October 2013
    We had this thread about amps on/off ages ago .I was really surprised to learn most here left amps on and I didn't and still do not. Then I look over to my Klipsch pwrd sub that I have never shut off w/ the exception of an impending lightening strike. Does this make me a hypocrit?
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,962
    edited October 2013
    leftwinger57 wrote: »
    Does this make me a hypocrit?

    lol.......only if your worried about your carbon footprint.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Tornado Red
    Tornado Red Posts: 939
    edited October 2013
    rpf65 wrote: »
    What did your AVR set the sub at? It could be you have the volume knob on the sub turned up too high. You want your AVR to set the sub between +/- 5 dB. The closer to 0, the better. I would double check that number before leaving a sub always powered. Actually I would probably walk over and turn them on myself, before leaving them powered.

    MCACC has set my subs to +1db and I'm not using "plus" in the Pioneer settings, I'm running the 660 at about 28-30 volume on a 0-40 scale. I do have a remote and can turn them on before I boot up the other stuff...if I remember. I'm getting old and....well, you know how it goes. I may drop CS here a note as well and get their take on leaving them on and on the issue of the sub itself.
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  • Tornado Red
    Tornado Red Posts: 939
    edited October 2013
    Just a final note on this. Polk CS figures this to be the cap charging/discharging and nothing to worry about. If it bothers me, they have no qualms about leaving the sub on all the time, as long as I don't mind paying the couple bucks a year that might cost. I believe that's the route I may go, thanks for your input all...
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  • blehmbo
    blehmbo Posts: 179
    edited October 2013
    Another option you may consider is a auto sensing/switched surge suppressor for the subwoofer. You could plug your AVR into the master outlet and put the subwoofer (set to always on) into one of the switched outlets. That way your subwoofer will be on/off with your AVR without having to worry about spending more on electricity or power on thumps during listening time.
    http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/product-series.cfm?txtSeriesID=866
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