I just ordered the A5-350 with LT/55 amp and noticed a lot of people in this thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=953081 having trouble with that amp. It makes me a bit nervous.

So how many that own this amp have had an issue and needed to call ED for support? Also if you own this amp vote if you haven't had any issues. Please post what receiver you have also. Just trying to get an idea how common the problem actually is. Thanks!

No problem and I'm using an HK AVR 135.

The sub does get into protection mode, but when it does it's playing at 115dB's (measuring at 112dB on the radioshack SPL meter) which is really loud and exactly what the sub should be doing.

I can get above reference level, and have my entire apartment shaking. The sub has superb sound both for music and movies, and the headroom to give it all the dynamic range it needs for my room - explosions at 20dB below reference has been known to frighten the women we may have over. :)

The amp is unregulated, so it has a lot of headroom to use, giving it high impact at high volumes (going up to like 800W). There seem to be a couple people who really have issues at low volumes, and then some that just seem to expect more from the sub or don't have it set up to get the most out of it (poor room placement or improper set-up).

To make it clear... everyone CAN put the sub into protection... it's designed to do that when you are driving it too hard and you're about to clip. Some seem to think there is something wrong if they can get it into protection mode period, but the sub is designed to let you use all of the headroom until there is no more, and then it shuts down. It's one of those designs that gives you some more control over what the sub does so you can get some more performance, but the user has to take care about how they use it.

Most people seem to have no problems, but a couple seem to have issues at low volumes, and we're trying to help them out (though the ones not fixed by an amp replacement probably just require some tweaking).

I really wouldn't be worried about getting this awesome sub.

I had mine go off on me only at loud levels is, but at other times it is fine. sub gain is about at 1 o'clock and sub level on my avr 0. I have a yamaha 363 and normally listen at -20 and between -30. Anywhere between -15 and -20, sometimes my go in protect but -15 and higher will mostely always go in protection. When i had the sub gain at around 10-11 o'clock, icouldve gotten -15 and higher but thats loud. The old lady of mines be trippin.

Well the results so far aren't very reassuring.

Metalheadisme, I have no problem with the sub going into protection mode at those output levels. However the problem with it going out at low volumes is what worries me. I wonder if I should just move up to the A7S w/ LT/1300. I really don't want a sealed sub though.

Well the results so far aren't very reassuring.

Metalheadisme, I have no problem with the sub going into protection mode at those output levels. However the problem with it going out at low volumes is what worries me. I wonder if I should just move up to the A7S w/ LT/1300. I really don't want a sealed sub though.

Well, just as a warning, be weary of reading here.... remember that people with a problem (perceived or real) are more likely to come here to talk about it. You can find yourself, like I did, looking for a problem where you don't have one. The A5-350 w/ LT550 is eD's most popular offering if I recall, so you're looking at ton of people with the subs and a handful here with issues.

If you look at a good number of people that have this issue, they measure 112dB (with a radioshack SPL, so add 3-4dB at low frequencies) in the near field at the sub and then experience something like a 10dB decrease at the listening position.... that is HALF the volume at the listening position. So when they see it go into protection mode, they are hearing half the volume the sub is outputting. This is a good example of how sub placement is critical, no matter what sub you get.

Either a sub amp will limit its output and headroom (less performance) or allow the amp to clip (better performance, but can damage the amp/speaker). This sub will go into protection mode when it detects clipping to protect the amp/speaker. Any sub of similar output capacity will reach the same type of output limit, but how it behaves will be different- some will just limit their power (when it's really loud and you turn it up 10dB more, the average volume rises but you lose the dynamic peaks - i.e. a car door slam is as impactful as the nuclear explosion in the next scene) and others will clip and sound like garbage (but that type of design lets you get more headroom and dynamic range out of the sub in general at all volumes). If a similar sub behaving in these ways reaches its limit at the same point and someone isn't happy with it (whether it be because they are losing so much output at the listening position because of poor placement or their room is too big), what you'll hear is along the lines of "I was expecting more" or "I think I need more sub." Well, with the LT550 amp going into protection at the same point another sub would just clip and sound like crap, the perception is more like "there's a problem because it went into protection." When the user is experiencing a big output drop at the listening position because of poor placement or their room being too big, then the perception is "there's a BIG problem because it went into protection at a low volume." Then there are those that are getting the desired output, but still think there's a problem with it going into protection when it reaches its output limit because they read people complaining here or are simply not use to that type of protective mechanism.

There are a few people that are having problems at genuinely low volumes at the near field of the sub, but these can mostly be solved by doing some tweaking (sub output levels on the AVR, adjusting some funky things automatic eq's may do, etc.), or getting an amp replacement from eD. These cases also seem few as they are happening at the input stage of the sub, not at the output stage where the amp is reaching its output capacity. But these types of problems aren't uncommon with any company.

Also, for those with no choice for proper placement, a few of us here are trying to see if we can milk more headroom out of the sub by doing a few things like applying some singal attenuation and subsonic filtering, but I guess we'll have to see how that works out.

I hope that helps address some of your concerns... I really wouldn't be afraid of getting the A5-350 w/ LT550 as long as you are willing to do some work to get out of it the superb performance this sub is capable of - finding proper placement and doing a little tweaking with your AVR sub levels and the sub gain - the same things you should do for any sub you get. In the end, having the sub go into protection when it reaches its output limit will help extend the life of your sub in general.

You're probably right and I will probably have no problem with the A5-550 but it is a big investment and I would rather not have to worry about the amp. If it works as it is designed then it shouldn't be an issue.

I wonder if the LT/1300 amp would fit and work in the A5 subwoofer or would that be total overkill?

I had mine go off on me only at loud levels is, but at other times it is fine. sub gain is about at 1 o'clock and sub level on my avr 0. I have a yamaha 363 and normally listen at -20 and between -30. Anywhere between -15 and -20, sometimes my go in protect but -15 and higher will mostely always go in protection. When i had the sub gain at around 10-11 o'clock, icouldve gotten -15 and higher but thats loud. The old lady of mines be trippin.

Have you calibrated your sub with an SPL meter? I know sometimes people go by ear at lower volumes and end up having the sub really hot... especially with a sub like this where the quiet parts are real quiet and the loud parts are real loud (large dynamic range). This would cause you to reach the sub's max output at a lower volume on your avr at a loud part.

Also, is the sub significantly louder near the sub than it is where you normally sit to listen? If so, you may want to try putting it in different spots so you get better output at the listening position.

You're probably right and I will probably have no problem with the A5-550 but it is a big investment and I would rather not have to worry about the amp. If it works as it is designed then it shouldn't be an issue.

I wonder if the LT/1300 amp would fit and work in the A5 subwoofer or would that be total overkill?

It is a big investment...... if you look through some of my older posts you'll see I went through the same turmoil when ordering and started a similar thread in fact - so I completely understand your position. :)

The amp will most likely work as designed- if it doesn't eD will replace it no problem, as a few here have experienced.

Like myself, you'll most likely find that if you take the time to calibrate the sub and find the right spot for it, the sub can both meet and exceed your expectations. :) (again, something you should do for any sub you purchase)

Oh, and about using the LT1300, it can't be done.... that amp is simply too powerful for this driver in this enclosure (many have already inquired about this, heh). Their LT amps are spot on with their RMS output and go way higher than that for dynamic peaks (for example, the LT550 can reach 800W or so of output using all of its headroom)- whereas you'll find the case with a lot of other plate amps that their RMS output is lower, and the stated power spec is the limit of their headroom. 1300W RMS and then extra for headroom is just too much for the A5-350.

But lets start with some basics.... what AVR are you planning to use and what is your room layout and size?

By the way, if you have any questions or concerns about your situation or the A5-350 w/ LT550, give eD a call and they'd probably be helpful as well.

Oh, and about using the LT1300, it can't be done.... that amp is simply too powerful for this driver in this enclosure (many have already inquired about this, heh). Their LT amps are spot on with their RMS output and go way higher than that for dynamic peaks (for example, the LT550 can reach 800W or so of output using all of its headroom)- whereas you'll find the case with a lot of other plate amps that their RMS output is lower, and the stated power spec is the limit of their headroom. 1300W RMS and then extra for headroom is just too much for the A5-350.

One thing I should note....but please don't call and ask for it.

A HAXO LXO 15 in the same box could take an LT/1300...it just soaks up the extra power though and doesn't really get you anything else. Oh, and it doesn't really sound as good either :(

I figured the LT 1300 would be too much for that sub oh well.

I have a pioneer VSX-1017 receiver and this is the layout of my HT room:
http://home.comcast.net/~dcolavecchi/layout.jpg

I figured the LT 1300 would be too much for that sub oh well.

I have a pioneer VSX-1017 receiver and this is the layout of my HT room:
http://home.comcast.net/~dcolavecchi/layout.jpg

A couple more questions.... how high are your ceilings, are the edges of your drawing walls or open to other areas, and is that position for your sub fixed or do you have some play? For example, if you have trouble finding a position in front where you get good output at your listening position, putting it behind the couch can help a ton.

I don't see much of a problem though.... my room is very much like yours in the layout and size of the listening area (it's about 14x14 or so) but like your layout, open to a kitchen and dining room on the left side, except that the area it's open to is a bit larger and I have ceilings that 11'. You just have to adjust the placement of your sub (and possibly your couches) so that you are not in a deadzone (like with any sub you would purchase). To give you an idea of important that is, if I get up from my couch and go a foot forward, I get a 10dB drop in volume. Strangely, that works out perfectly because I have a glass coffee table there and it helps minimize the rattling. :)

Oh, and one other thing.... the A5-350 can also double as a perfect side-table for your couch. :)

My ceilings are 8' and 3 of those sides are solid walls while on the south side there are stairs going up in HT area and then down in the kitchen area. I don't really have much choice where to place the sub. There is a door to outside in the SE corner behind the couch so I can't put it there even though I bet it would be better there. I hope it sounds good in the NE corner so I don't have to rearrange anything.

One thing I should note....but please don't call and ask for it.

A HAXO LXO 15 in the same box could take an LT/1300...it just soaks up the extra power though and doesn't really get you anything else. Oh, and it doesn't really sound as good either :(

I'll tell you what though, if you guys had a magical LT/750, myself and others would probably be all over that like a fat kid in a candy store. :)

I'll tell you what though, if you guys had a magical LT/750, myself and others would probably be all over that like a fat kid in a candy store. :)

haha that would be nice :D

My ceilings are 8' and 3 of those sides are solid walls while on the south side there are stairs going up in HT area and then down in the kitchen area. I don't really have much choice where to place the sub. There is a door to outside in the SE corner behind the couch so I can't put it there even though I bet it would be better there. I hope it sounds good in the NE corner so I don't have to rearrange anything.

With 8' ceilings the A5-350 should definitely fill that out nicely. It would probably be fine with taller ceilings like mine, but with 8' ceilings you should have plenty of output to spare.

As far as figuring out placement, it might be that you'd have to move the sub a foot this way or that way, or if that's not possible maybe move the couch a foot or so back or forward. You could try putting the sub where you want it and crawling around to see where it sounds best, or try moving your couch temporarily and putting the sub where the couch would be and crawling to see where it sounds best and then place the sub there.

Putting the sub in a corner though should definitely get you some good output.

With 8' ceilings the A5-350 should definitely fill that out nicely. It would probably be fine with taller ceilings like mine, but with 8' ceilings you should have plenty of output to spare.

As far as figuring out placement, it might be that you'd have to move the sub a foot this way or that way, or if that's not possible maybe move the couch a foot or so back or forward. You could try putting the sub where you want it and crawling around to see where it sounds best, or try moving your couch temporarily and putting the sub where the couch would be and crawling to see where it sounds best and then place the sub there.

Putting the sub in a corner though should definitely get you some good output.

Guess I will have plenty of time now to think about that now. Ahhh the 1-2 month wait for this sub is going to be torturous. :eek: I know it will be worth the wait though.

Guess I will have plenty of time now to think about that now. Ahhh the 1-2 month wait for this sub is going to be torturous. :eek: I know it will be worth the wait though.

I know, the anticipation during the wait is brutal, haha. It's all worth it in the end though! :)

Metalheadisme is mastering this A5-350 sub - great recommendations there. Everything he's said is spot-on IMHO - great product and company, takes some tweaking, etc.

I'm loving my A5-350. Perfect in my room, about 3,000 cf. or so. I love the near field placement, so if you can somehow manage that you'll be even happier I bet. We all have room limitations though.

eD has been great to deal with for me. They replaced an initial odd amp problem (seemingly unique to my amp), unrelated to protection mode very quickly. I have pushed the sub extremely hard without issue. I have mine paired with an Onkyo 705 and full 7.1 suite of eD speakers (see profile).

Metalheadisme is mastering this A5-350 sub - great recommendations there. Everything he's said is spot-on IMHO - great product and company, takes some tweaking, etc.

I'm loving my A5-350. Perfect in my room, about 3,000 cf. or so. I love the near field placement, so if you can somehow manage that you'll be even happier I bet. We all have room limitations though.

eD has been great to deal with for me. They replaced an initial odd amp problem (seemingly unique to my amp), unrelated to protection mode very quickly. I have pushed the sub extremely hard without issue. I have mine paired with an Onkyo 705 and full 7.1 suite of eD speakers (see profile).

That's the other thing.... if you're in the market for speakers, their HT speakers kick some serious butt and getting them in their package builder you get 15% off everything including the sub which was an awesome deal. :)

I've said this exact phrase a bunch of times but: My room dimensions aren't that far off yours (~15x15x8 open to small entranceway/hallway/galley kitchen) and I have an A3-300 that works very well. It is actually a bit more than I can really handle in my apartment but I wanted to give myself some extra power in case it goes into a larger room later.

another eD A5-350 right here without problems.
my set up as been professionaly calibrated.love it

Have you calibrated your sub with an SPL meter? I know sometimes people go by ear at lower volumes and end up having the sub really hot... especially with a sub like this where the quiet parts are real quiet and the loud parts are real loud (large dynamic range). This would cause you to reach the sub's max output at a lower volume on your avr at a loud part.

Also, is the sub significantly louder near the sub than it is where you normally sit to listen? If so, you may want to try putting it in different spots so you get better output at the listening position.

yes ive calibrated it using avia. ive just turn the dail up a little cause my old lady swears it me to lound so i listen to my main speakers at a considable level, but i like to hear the bass from the sub. but like i said said when i had it aroun 9-10mo'clock, i would have to get it real loud for it to shut off.

yes ive calibrated it using avia. ive just turn the dail up a little cause my old lady swears it me to lound so i listen to my main speakers at a considable level, but i like to hear the bass from the sub. but like i said said when i had it aroun 9-10mo'clock, i would have to get it real loud for it to shut off.

Cool, sounds like you're just running it a little hot and reaching the output limit at lower volumes, I bet right before it goes into protection its really shaking, haha. I know that right before I got mine into protection, everything was shaking and the glass in my kitchen was rattling like crazy.

I can see how most people would think something is wrong with the way this amp works.... it lets you run to the end of its headroom like running at a brick wall.... reach the end and BOOM protection mode, hah.

Cool, sounds like you're just running it a little hot and reaching the output limit at lower volumes, I bet right before it goes into protection its really shaking, haha. I know that right before I got mine into protection, everything was shaking and the glass in my kitchen was rattling like crazy.

I can see how most people would think something is wrong with the way this amp works.... it lets you run to the end of its headroom like running at a brick wall.... reach the end and BOOM protection mode, hah.

u r correct!!!!

By the way, just to throw something else out there for others wondering if this amp can handle the job it's designed for....

I don't believe I've seen another sub in this size/power/price class that is rated for more than 115dB max output. Other subs out there may let you turn the volume higher than the point that they reach 115dB output, but beyond that you're really just introducing distortion or at a certain point clipping (or the amp simply limits the output) from what I understand. The LT/550 will wait until the clipping starts, and then go into protect mode so you know (as if you wouldn't know from that lovely dog-taking-a-turd sound) and so your equipment is protected. Also from what I understand, because it is designed this way, it can keep all the available headroom for short periods of ridiculous output with lower distortion (and I have heard this at work and it sounds wonderful).

So, if the sub is putting out 115dB in the near field, but much lower in the listening position, it seems sub position is the only prescription what ails ya and that's something that wouldn't really change from this sub to a similar sub. Either that or your room is too big and you need more sub. :)

If the sub is hitting 115dB output but you want to go to a higher MV but it goes into protection mode, it's as simple as turning the sub down a bit. It would seem to me that this would also ensure that the SQ is preserved, not trying to make the sub go louder than it can handle- also holding true for similar subs.

Does it seem like a little extra work? Maybe, but the resulting sound quality you get out of this puppy is beautiful, especially at high volumes. I still think doing some eq'ing and filtering subsonics it can't reproduce might buy some extra headroom to give you more play, but as an enthusiast, I like the challenges of figuring out how something works, and the best way to utilize it to get the best performance. I couldn't be happier with mine. :)

By the way, just to throw something else out there for others wondering if this amp can handle the job it's designed for....

I don't believe I've seen another sub in this size/power/price class that is rated for more than 115dB max output. Other subs out there may let you turn the volume higher than the point that they reach 115dB output, but beyond that you're really just introducing distortion or at a certain point clipping (or the amp simply limits the output) from what I understand. The LT/550 will wait until the clipping starts, and then go into protect mode so you know (as if you wouldn't know from that lovely dog-taking-a-turd sound) and so your equipment is protected. Also from what I understand, because it is designed this way, it can keep all the available headroom for short periods of ridiculous output with lower distortion (and I have heard this at work and it sounds wonderful).

So, if the sub is putting out 115dB in the near field, but much lower in the listening position, it seems sub position is the only prescription what ails ya and that's something that wouldn't really change from this sub to a similar sub. Either that or your room is too big and you need more sub. :)

If the sub is hitting 115dB output but you want to go to a higher MV but it goes into protection mode, it's as simple as turning the sub down a bit. It would seem to me that this would also ensure that the SQ is preserved, not trying to make the sub go louder than it can handle- also holding true for similar subs.

Does it seem like a little extra work? Maybe, but the resulting sound quality you get out of this puppy is beautiful, especially at high volumes. I still think doing some eq'ing and filtering subsonics it can't reproduce might buy some extra headroom to give you more play, but as an enthusiast, I like the challenges of figuring out how something works, and the best way to utilize it to get the best performance. I couldn't be happier with mine. :)

Good point. You should cross-post this in the Official eD subwoofer thread too if you haven't already.

I've said this exact phrase a bunch of times but: My room dimensions aren't that far off yours (~15x15x8 open to small entranceway/hallway/galley kitchen) and I have an A3-300 that works very well. It is actually a bit more than I can really handle in my apartment but I wanted to give myself some extra power in case it goes into a larger room later.

yeah I had an A3-300 on order and then upgraded to an A5-350. I'm pretty sure I would've been happy with the A3 but for $200 more I am 100% positive I will be happy. I can always turn the level down on the A5 :)

Looks like its a 50/50 tie in the poll. I wish those who voted they had a problem would elaborate with a post.

Looks like its a 50/50 tie in the poll. I wish those who voted they had a problem would elaborate with a post.

Ditto - should be required. It's hard to tell what the problem is, if it was resolved, and if it really is a problem or calibration issue.

I'll tell you what though, if you guys had a magical LT/750, myself and others would probably be all over that like a fat kid in a candy store. :)

Try connecting an LT/550 and an LT/200. That should work great.

Edit: Sorry, this was a horrible joke. :(

Try connecting an LT/550 and an LT/200. That should work great.

Please, please, please don't.

I can imagine someone actually trying that :(

Edit:

Also, 1 amp on 1 VC and 1 amp on the other is also a very bad idea.

Please, please, please don't.

I can imagine someone actually trying that :(

Edit:

Also, 1 amp on 1 VC and 1 amp on the other is also a very bad idea.

Hahaha, I could only imagine the horror story if someone tried that.

http://www.icixsound.com/vb/showthread.php?t=35982

A good read for anyone interested.

Bumping thread to the top for polling. Interesting result so far...

Also, if you vote yes, please post what type of problem you've had and if it was resolved.

Interesting, I suppose, but not at all scientific enough to draw any rational statistical conclusions. This is first not a random selection of owners; second the amps have changed/been modified from the first production runs to current; third, the Q/C process has changed from the first production runs to current; fourth the environmental variables (equipment, rooms, user expertise, etc) is completely uncontrolled.

And that's just equipment. The poll options are too open to interpretation and there are not enough choices to further refine a user's response. The options are not operationalized.

Anyway, I'd hate for people to draw the wrong conclusions based on spurious correlations and inferences from the 18 respondents in this poll.

Interesting, I suppose, but not at all scientific enough to draw any rational statistical conclusions. This is first not a random selection of owners; second the amps have changed/been modified from the first production runs to current; third, the Q/C process has changed from the first production runs to current; fourth the environmental variables (equipment, rooms, user expertise, etc) is completely uncontrolled.

And that's just equipment. The poll options are too open to interpretation and there are not enough choices to further refine a user's response. The options are not operationalized.

Anyway, I'd hate for people to draw the wrong conclusions based on spurious correlations and inferences from the 18 respondents in this poll.

Yeah, I was thinking of starting another poll with a larger set of choices, but the variables are too numerous to not have the list of choices getting out of hand without covering all the bases.

If the people who voted as having a problem would explain, that'd be much easier.

And by the way, for those concerned about reaching protection mode when the sub is outputting 115dB (in the near field- if you get much lower volume at your listening position, you need to work on sub placement) and think there is something wrong with this, please check out craigsub's ranking thread, where in addition to performance measurements, output measurements are posted.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=768150

The Epik Conquest has the amp shut down when it reaches 116dB output, and this sub is in a class above the A5-350 (in both price and performance). Just trying to put it in perspective when people think the A5-350 has a problem when they get to 115dB output and it shuts down.

If you are having a problem where the sub is reaching protection mode at a low volume at your listening position but is really loud right next to the sub, you can fix that right up by working on your sub placement. Some easy and quick things to try out here (especially if you are limited in where you can put it) are to rotate the sub so the ports are facing a different direction and also lay the sub on its side to essentially make it front-fire and see if it sounds any better. Most likely, your listening position is in a null in your room, or it is possible that your room is too big.

Also, if you are looking for good instruction on how to calibrate your sub, this is a great explanation from SVS:

http://www.svsound.com/questions-faqs.cfm#meter

High performance subs require some effort to get working to their potential, so don't get dismayed. :)

If the people who voted as having a problem would explain, that'd be much easier.



Yeah I figured that when I started this thread that people with the problems would post but I guess not :confused:

no problem with my A5-350 with LT/550 , connected to a Onkyo 605.

The one downside of this thread is that there is no accountability. While its intent was good, anyone can hop into the thread and vote. This can create false numbers.

But im sure you guys realize that.

The one downside of this thread is that there is no accountability. While its intent was good, anyone can hop into the thread and vote. This can create false numbers.

But im sure you guys realize that.

That's just one of the flaws of taking this poll for face value, particularly when most who voted they had a problem are not describing it...

I'm willing to bet most people who think they have a problem just need to find better sub placement... that and I wonder how adding a marble or wood slab under the sub would change the room response.

Yeah, I was thinking of starting another poll with a larger set of choices, but the variables are too numerous to not have the list of choices getting out of hand without covering all the bases.

If the people who voted as having a problem would explain, that'd be much easier.

And by the way, for those concerned about reaching protection mode when the sub is outputting 115dB (in the near field- if you get much lower volume at your listening position, you need to work on sub placement) and think there is something wrong with this, please check out craigsub's ranking thread, where in addition to performance measurements, output measurements are posted.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=768150

The Epik Conquest has the amp shut down when it reaches 116dB output, and this sub is in a class above the A5-350 (in both price and performance). Just trying to put it in perspective when people think the A5-350 has a problem when they get to 115dB output and it shuts down.

If you are having a problem where the sub is reaching protection mode at a low volume at your listening position but is really loud right next to the sub, you can fix that right up by working on your sub placement. Some easy and quick things to try out here (especially if you are limited in where you can put it) are to rotate the sub so the ports are facing a different direction and also lay the sub on its side to essentially make it front-fire and see if it sounds any better. Most likely, your listening position is in a null in your room, or it is possible that your room is too big.

I was probably one of the biggest complainers about the A5-350. I tried my A5-350 in every possible location in my room and ran REW to find the best spot. So placement was not an issue for me. My room may be too big, but I dont know. I personally did not notice any difference in my response graphs, with the port facing different directions. AS long as the port is not blocked by something it should not make a difference. Low frequency should be omni-directional. The least amount of problems, I had was with the sub near-field. but it also had the most peaks and nulls on my graph.

All that being said, for the price, I think it would be difficult to find a better value for your money, unless you went the DIY route. My room is rather large, not huge, but large. It was probably too big for the sub. Engaging audessey on my Onkyo, rendered the sub almost useless. eD did the right thing, and is letting me return the sub for store credit. I will be buying components for a DIY project from them. So whether it was too high expectations on my part or a design flaw on their part, they are rectifying the problem. So I say buy with confidence. If you are worried, go bigger.

I was probably one of the biggest complainers about the A5-350. I tried my A5-350 in every possible location in my room and ran REW to find the best spot. So placement was not an issue for me. My room may be too big, but I dont know. I personally did not notice any difference in my response graphs, with the port facing different directions. AS long as the port is not blocked by something it should not make a difference. Low frequency should be omni-directional. The least amount of problems, I had was with the sub near-field. but it also had the most peaks and nulls on my graph.

All that being said, for the price, I think it would be difficult to find a better value for your money, unless you went the DIY route. My room is rather large, not huge, but large. It was probably too big for the sub. Engaging audessey on my Onkyo, rendered the sub almost useless. eD did the right thing, and is letting me return the sub for store credit. I will be buying components for a DIY project from them. So whether it was too high expectations on my part or a design flaw on their part, they are rectifying the problem. So I say buy with confidence. If you are worried, go bigger.

Low frequencies are omni-directional, but the difference is really in the room acoustics. Depending on your room size and acoustical properties, slight changes in the excitation (like position or port alignment) can produce vast difference in resonance. For instance, I have my A5-350 in a corner and my room has some reflective characteristics. Moving mine about 6" either way definitely changes the nulls and peaks in my room, and having the port facing one wall or the other does as well.

I don't have an external sound card for my laptop to run REW, but from using my spl meter and my ear with the frequency sweeps on the DVE blu-ray, the best spot for output unfortunately also produces a big peak in the mid 30Hz area and a big null in the low 50Hz area. Other spots have flatter response, but this spot gave the highest overall output at all frequencies (115dB at my listening position is brutal, hehe :))- maybe I'll get the eq2 at some point and flatten that out a bit. :)

I know you had that issue with Audessey overboosting sub-30Hz frequencies and chewing up all of your headroom. I'm glad to hear you got that all resolved with eD. Keep on truckin man and let us know how your DIY project comes out!

I'm still a A5-350 fan, but my LT/550 amp blew up, and I don't think it happened at high volume. I just went to use it one day, and nothing. Took the amp out and discovered that a capacitor had exploded. ED is sending a new amp (don't know how long that is going to take). Attached are a few pics.

I'm still a A5-350 fan, but my LT/550 amp blew up, and I don't think it happened at high volume. I just went to use it one day, and nothing. Took the amp out and discovered that a capacitor had exploded. ED is sending a new amp (don't know how long that is going to take). Attached are a few pics.

Man that sucks, first I heard of anything actually blowing up on the amp. I'm sure they'll have the new amp out to you very soon.

I have had mine for about 7 months and have had no amp issues at all.:cool: Edit, It is 8/23/08 and last night the amp blew up, not a happy camper.

I'm still a A5-350 fan, but my LT/550 amp blew up, and I don't think it happened at high volume. I just went to use it one day, and nothing. Took the amp out and discovered that a capacitor had exploded. ED is sending a new amp (don't know how long that is going to take). Attached are a few pics.

Same here , second amp that i got from them worked perfect like the first one , never got shut off while watching movies , volume about half way, one day when i tried to turn the movie on, sub never came On, i am waiting for a response from ED this is a A5 350 w LT550, 11 months old.

Blown capacitor on LT 550 amp which eD quickly diagnosed and replaced. This is paired with Onkyo 875 which I am working on getting calibrated correctly. (At times it will go into protect mode when pushed below -20, but this may be due to user error.)

My new amp will be here Wed, so the response/turnaround time was good. I took out the amp and saw the blown capacitor before I reached them on the phone and based on that, they sent out a new amp pretty quickly, even though Alex warned there may be a delay. (was only a couple of days).

I'm cautiously optimistic that I will not have problems with the new amp. The A5-350 sounds too good to be having ongoing problems. I've never experienced any problems with it shutting off while using it (just wouldn't turn on that one time!)

Same here , second amp that i got from them worked perfect like the first one , never got shut off while watching movies , volume about half way, one day when i tried to turn the movie on, sub never came On, i am waiting for a response from ED this is a A5 350 w LT550, 11 months old.

That is exactly what i have experienced, i was told the a new amp will be sent.


My new amp will be here Wed, so the response/turnaround time was good. I took out the amp and saw the blown capacitor before I reached them on the phone and based on that, they sent out a new amp pretty quickly, even though Alex warned there may be a delay. (was only a couple of days).

I'm cautiously optimistic that I will not have problems with the new amp. The A5-350 sounds too good to be having ongoing problems. I've never experienced any problems with it shutting off while using it (just wouldn't turn on that one time!)

Got the new amp today. I can see obvious modifications on one of the circuit boards (looks like a new big power resistor - I'm not sure). Works great. They included a return label to send the bad one back - no cost to me. My A5-350 is back in business.

That is exactly what i have experienced, i was told the a new amp will be sent.

Bottom Line: This amp SUCKS!!! DONT BUY IT. If it would not burn up, I would highly recommend it. I have the the A5-350 and I am on my second subwoofer and about to be (hopefully) on my third amp. The wooofer blew and I upgraded on that. So far, knock on wood, great sub! The amp then blew. One of the capacitors burned up. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking my house was burning down. The stench was so bad it woke me up in the middle of the night. And I sleep like a rock. My TV was not even on!

Well they sent me a new and "improved" amp. About 5 minutes ago, I was watching TV, a game with no bass. PLUS my dad was just in town and I turned the sub levels on the receiever way down so I could fall asleep. and i smelled that smoke AGAIN!

Now, of course, Ed has been great with their service. But two things:

THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS! and WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER MY ONE YEAR IS UP?

Im fed up with my sub. ALthough it sounds great and the price is good, I am tired of having my sub just start to smoke and then be out of commission for a week. Not to mention, if this thing catchs my house on fire! or even worse me!

If any one wants one...I'd love to sell it. It should have a brand new amp soon. I mean, seriously, do we just keep getting new amps? I was told the problem was fixed. Am I going to have to keep sending amps back over and over again? I will say that this time the cap looked ok. It was some smaller circuits that melted and burnt up. But gave the same stench.

mrrjw, What kind of receiver do you have?

I have a Pioneer VSX-1016. Im a professional electrical engineer and can tell you that the receiver has nothing to do with this problem. The first time it happened, nothing was even on. So, no signal was being sent to the sub from the receiver.

I have a Pioneer VSX-1016. Im a professional electrical engineer and can tell you that the receiver has nothing to do with this problem. The first time it happened, nothing was even on. So, no signal was being sent to the sub from the receiver.

Sounds like it might have something to do with the auto-on circuit maybe in combination with some power fluctuations or a residual noisy output from the receiver (which can occur even when the receiver is off). Hopefully they send you one that works right this time, but maybe you should set the sub to be always on instead of using the auto-on feature (so it's not constantly switching on and off when there is low level on the input - I know that the newer amps like mine take time to go off, but that some had amps which would go off very quickly with a low signal or lack of signal).

Also, are they sending you a brand new amp or just repairing your old one? I would request a brand new amp, one that they could send you with a box to return your broken one.

I'm wondering how recently those with issues got their amps and whether they have the 16Ov.2 driver or the replacement driver they used for a while.

I waited a VERY long time for my sub.

Finally got it... plugged it in and it played for about sixty seconds before the amp blew.

After reading the several posts about problems with this combo I opted to just return the sub. I was going to replace the amp, which eD said they would ship to me, but in the end I decided against it after reading about several other amps blowing.

I'll tell you why I went another way, and this is all my opinion so take it for what it's worth :)

I think they are a good company. They obviously care about their customers and are willing to help and try to correct problems. Problems happen and how a company reacts, to me, is a good indicator of their intentions. And I have no complaints there.

What is concerning is the lack of organization and communication they seem to have. I believe this is because they are understaffed... I could be wrong but that's my impression.
(Example, they have one guy that paints speakers. So when he's sick everything goes to a stand-still.)

As for the amp. There are PLENTY of arguments about whether it's good, bad, etc. And explanations about why it's designed a certain way etc. etc. etc.

At the end of the day this particular combo has problems. Whether it's user error (according to eD) or not... it has problems.

Will the one you get have problems? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you'll hook it up and it will be fine. But I like to hedge my bets so that's why I went another way.

Again... just my opinion so take it for what it's worth ;)

I waited a VERY long time for my sub.

Finally got it... plugged it in and it played for about sixty seconds before the amp blew.

After reading the several posts about problems with this combo I opted to just return the sub. I was going to replace the amp, which eD said they would ship to me, but in the end I decided against it after reading about several other amps blowing.

I'll tell you why I went another way, and this is all my opinion so take it for what it's worth :)

I think they are a good company. They obviously care about their customers and are willing to help and try to correct problems. Problems happen and how a company reacts, to me, is a good indicator of their intentions. And I have no complaints there.

What is concerning is the lack of organization and communication they seem to have. I believe this is because they are understaffed... I could be wrong but that's my impression.
(Example, they have one guy that paints speakers. So when he's sick everything goes to a stand-still.)

As for the amp. There are PLENTY of arguments about whether it's good, bad, etc. And explanations about why it's designed a certain way etc. etc. etc.

At the end of the day this particular combo has problems. Whether it's user error (according to eD) or not... it has problems.

Will the one you get have problems? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you'll hook it up and it will be fine. But I like to hedge my bets so that's why I went another way.

Again... just my opinion so take it for what it's worth ;)

Very true..... it seems to be hit or miss as to whether you have a problem or the sub/amp is great. I'm always left wondering if I had a different setup if my sub would work as well as it does... I think part of my great experience with the sub is the fact I use HK receivers, but who knows.

As it stands, my sub for the time being works fine and sounds terrific, and I would still recommend it to my friends. Several of my friends were already very impressed by it and want one. I warned them of the potential issues, and how I run my set-up, but most of them are good with audio equipment and not worried- especially for this type of sub at this price (most of them were also interested in the eD HT speakers and the ensuing 15% discount).

And that's why it's a shame that there seem to be people with these issues- it's such a great sub at a great value (especially if you get the package discount).

One thing I'm wondering though, is how many people with the issues (the amp dying) have amps that are pre-mod. Might be a case of those with the un-modded amps finally experiencing the issues that prompted them to make mods.

It's starting to feel like I'm playing Russian roulette buying this sub/amp. Maybe I should bite the bullet and upgrade to the A7-350, its just that thing is so huge.

Its only 6" taller. The footprint is pretty much the same. It is quite a bit more expensive. I would probably spend 200 more and get 2 A5-350s. I doubt the amps would run out of headroom running 2 of them.

Yeah but now you have to worry about capacitors and circuits blowing up when the amp is idle on the A5 too. I'm sure i would be happy with the output level on one. I will probably just get the A5 and try my luck.

Yeah but now you have to worry about capacitors and circuits blowing up when the amp is idle on the A5 too. I'm sure i would be happy with the output level on one. I will probably just get the A5 and try my luck.

I have a feeling those issues might be pre-mod, and if they are not, might just be faulty components- the types of things that should be remedied by a replacement amp.

Sounds like a couple cases of actual problems as opposed to people not being happy with the output level and going into protection. These things happen and I wouldn't be too worried about it.

I purchased an A5-350 when they were shipping with the first generation amplifiers.

After several months without issues, I had the same blown capacitor issue. I leave my A5-350 in "auto" mode 24/7. VERY smelly smoke came out from the amplifier and it took several weeks to air out the smell from the room. I wasn't home when this happened (all my other equipment was off) and I'm thankful that my place didn't catch on fire.

I notified ED and they shipped a replacement amp (the second generation)with a return label to return the blown amp. Total turnaround was about a week.

My A5-350 also burnt and Ed took about a week to get a new amp to me w/ the return label.

ya i bought mine in oct and it was working brilliantly until a couple weeks ago when the power just died along with a smokey smell. I took out the amp and the capacitor was indeed blown. I just reinstalled the new ones and it seems to be working fine now. I gotta give props to ED for fixing my problem with little stress, i told them and within 5 minutes they told me they would ship out a new one along with a return label to send back my old one. Hopefully this will be the last of the problems.

BTW for those reading debating about whether or not to get one, don't let this post scare you, it's well worth the money and ED stands by their product.

well i have received my replacement amp and i did not believe when i took the amp out the Plate of the Amp LT 550 was BENT, box was delivered by Ups , and it was intact on the outside, why in the world they will send out an amp with a BENT plate, i have sent pictures of it to rma email, we are very curious how this will be handled .

I emailed Alex to see if I should get a replacement. He said not until I have a problem. He also said it would not cause a fire, just a stink from burning off the heat sink. I would like to just replace it if the problem is a ''just a matter of time'' kinda thing.:confused:

I emailed Alex to see if I should get a replacement. He said not until I have a problem. He also said it would not cause a fire, just a stink from burning off the heat sink. I would like to just replace it if the problem is a ''just a matter of time'' kinda thing.:confused:

Sorry for not being 100% clear, but not all amplifiers have had issues, so its not just a matter of time thing, its more like, if you ever have an issue.

We have shipped out FAR more than 50 A5-350 subwoofers, and a small percentage have issues, and when they do, we get it taken care of right away for the customer.

Hey Alex or Chris can you give me an ETA on my A5-350 order #18089 please. I have emailed you guys many many times over the past couple weeks and haven't got a response. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe my emails aren't getting through and that you aren't just ignoring me. If I don't get an ETA by Thursday I will be calling and canceling my order. As I explained in the email I will be out of town for the whole month of August and if I can't get the sub by then I will need to cancel the order. It is currently still awaiting woodshop. Thanks!

Hey Alex or Chris can you give me an ETA on my A5-350 order #18089 please. I have emailed you guys many many times over the past couple weeks and haven't got a response. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe my emails aren't getting through and that you aren't just ignoring me. If I don't get an ETA by Thursday I will be calling and canceling my order. As I explained in the email I will be out of town for the whole month of August and if I can't get the sub by then I will need to cancel the order. It is currently still awaiting woodshop. Thanks!

Did you try calling them or the live chat? Those two methods are pretty good ways to get in touch with them, as they seem to not be great with e-mails.

Hey Alex or Chris can you give me an ETA on my A5-350 order #18089 please. I have emailed you guys many many times over the past couple weeks and haven't got a response. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe my emails aren't getting through and that you aren't just ignoring me. If I don't get an ETA by Thursday I will be calling and canceling my order. As I explained in the email I will be out of town for the whole month of August and if I can't get the sub by then I will need to cancel the order. It is currently still awaiting woodshop. Thanks!

While we do not discuss orders in public forums, I can assure you that a reply has been sent to your email.

I would suggest checking your junk mail to assure that nothing was missed.

While we do not discuss orders in public forums, I can assure you that a reply has been sent to your email.

I would suggest checking your junk mail to assure that nothing was missed.

Strange, I check the junk email every day and didn't see anything. I tried calling a couple times but couldn't get through, I will keep trying. Thanks for the reply.

Strange? When I call I get Alex or Chris on the phone 3rd ring. I have talked to both in the last two weeks. phantomf are you getting buyers remorse whats the problem tell us. You do not need to worry it will be worth the wait. If not ask for a refund and go on with your life why all the negative?

rmlowz

Sorry for not being 100% clear, but not all amplifiers have had issues, so its not just a matter of time thing, its more like, if you ever have an issue.

We have shipped out FAR more than 50 A5-350 subwoofers, and a small percentage have issues, and when they do, we get it taken care of right away for the customer.

No problem I guess I misunderstood also........:cool:

Strange? When I call I get Alex or Chris on the phone 3rd ring. I have talked to both in the last two weeks. phantomf are you getting buyers remorse whats the problem tell us. You do not need to worry it will be worth the wait. If not ask for a refund and go on with your life why all the negative?

rmlowz

same here , i get thru all the time from canada, very professionals when it comes to customer service, i got an warranty amp that got bent by shipping company, i sent them pictures, i talked to Alex, they have sent a new one out, we are without a sub for about an extra week, but they are dealing with the problems very well. and yes they are well Worth every Penny.

Strange? When I call I get Alex or Chris on the phone 3rd ring. I have talked to both in the last two weeks. phantomf are you getting buyers remorse whats the problem tell us. You do not need to worry it will be worth the wait. If not ask for a refund and go on with your life why all the negative?

rmlowz

What you think I'm lying or something about calling? Just because you got through when you called means everyone can? I even tried their online support 3 times and it just times out after 2 minutes for me saying that the support is currently unavailable, and yes it was during business hours. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow.

I have no buyers remorse, I just want an ETA because I need the sub by August which I didn't think would be a problem when I ordered it.

Yeah every time Ive called I gotten an answer.

I called and got through. I downgraded to the 350 amp and it should ship out tomorrow. :D

It really depends on what time you call. If its busy, its not uncommon for Chris and I to both be on the phone and not able to pick up the 3rd line. The other time you might not get an answer, is if one of us are gone to lunch, and only one person is here answering the phone.

We dont have caller ID, so I dont want you to feel like we are ignoring your call. :)

Its only 6" taller. The footprint is pretty much the same. It is quite a bit more expensive. I would probably spend 200 more and get 2 A5-350s. I doubt the amps would run out of headroom running 2 of them.


Dude,

What does having two have to do with anything? Mine blew when nothing was even on.

Dude,

What does having two have to do with anything? Mine blew when nothing was even on.

Dude,

I was referring to the amps going into protect mode prematurely. If you had 2, the amps would not be have to be pushed as hard to reach the same db. I did not realize capacitors were blowing up.

My A5 shipped today and should be here Monday. I will report back how it sounds with the smaller 350 amp. I figure if 350 watts is good enough for the MFW-15 the the A5 should be alright too.

I dont know if this has been discuss or not, but today I went and bought a y splitter and put it on my ed a3-350 and I can get it very very loud with it. I unplugged it and just put the subwoofer calble in itself and at -15 on my yammy 363 and it would go in protect. Only at what seems to be a punch bass. With the y splitter at the same level, I can turn the sub level up all the way on the avr and a little louder and nothing at all. May be this can help a few people. I have tripped it with the y but was borderline max which wat it suppose to do. Remember, I was completely satified how it was, loud enough for me, but I was just curious.

I purchased my Ed A5-350 in October and on07/03/2008, the dreaded smell when I went up to watch a movie. I contacted Alex and found the capacitor blown. They are out of the amplifiers and they said sorry in about a month they will ship a new amplifier. That's a long time to be without. Hope someone gets this resolved sooner.

Are the LT/1300 amps any better or are they blowing capacitor just the same as the LT/550s? Also does the LT/1300 have the protect mode? I am realy thinking of picking up one of these LT/1300 amps but I just about scared off by all these problems people are having.

Ok I've had the sub for a couple days now and had a chance to test it out with a few movies and some music. First I would just like to say holy crap this thing is huge. I tried to make a mental picture of what it would look like before I got it but I was still just in awe when I first opened the box. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the finish but it looks really good IMO.

The first movie I tested was Cloverfield and let me tell you this sub just completely rocks. The scene where the military goes storming down the street with the rocket launchers and tank shooting at the monster was just insane. I thought my house was going to start crumbling down haha. I also checked out the movies 300 and transformers and they were equally as impressive. The sub is excellent for music as well.

I really cant see how the LT/550 amp could be any more beneficial for this sub. I was able to put the amp in protect mode once but it was so loud at that point that I would never have it close to that level. Plus I don't have to worry about my amp melting down in the middle of the night :D

Overall I'm extremely impressed and completely satisfied with this sub. Thanks eD it was worth the wait.

Ok I've had the sub for a couple days now and had a chance to test it out with a few movies and some music. First I would just like to say holy crap this thing is huge. I tried to make a mental picture of what it would look like before I got it but I was still just in awe when I first opened the box. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the finish but it looks really good IMO.

The first movie I tested was Cloverfield and let me tell you this sub just completely rocks. The scene where the military goes storming down the street with the rocket launchers and tank shooting at the monster was just insane. I thought my house was going to start crumbling down haha. I also checked out the movies 300 and transformers and they were equally as impressive. The sub is excellent for music as well.

I really cant see how the LT/550 amp could be any more beneficial for this sub. I was able to put the amp in protect mode once but it was so loud at that point that I would never have it close to that level. Plus I don't have to worry about my amp melting down in the middle of the night :D

Overall I'm extremely impressed and completely satisfied with this sub. Thanks eD it was worth the wait.

That's really good to read.

Same here , second amp that i got from them worked perfect like the first one , never got shut off while watching movies , volume about half way, one day when i tried to turn the movie on, sub never came On, i am waiting for a response from ED this is a A5 350 w LT550, 11 months old.

I'm in the same boat here, my second amp worked fine for 8 months or so, then the other day I noticed the sub wasn't on, no power light. I have never had problems with it while in use either. Receiver is an Onkyo 805. Once again though, ED's customer support is always great, I called them up and they are shipping a replacement as soon as they get some in stock. I just took the amp out and it looks like the same problem as last time, if looking at the amp internals, there are some fried resistors on the far right side of the main pcb. I also noticed one of the smaller capacitors on the left side of the main board was bulging pretty badly at the top, but it didn't explode like others have previously posted pics of. From what Alex said on the phone they have worked with Keiga to get this issue resolved, he said they have redesigned the amp to eliminate the section that was causing problems. Don't let this issue stop you from getting an A5-350, it is an awesome sub, and their customer support is among the best I have dealt with.

I got my A5-350 in Sept. 07. I think it was one of the first 15 or 20 they built. After a couple of months I woke up in the wee hours and found the house smelled of burning plastic. I sniffed all around the house looking for the source but didn't figure out that it was the sub until the next day. Elem. Des. was very responsive and I got the replacement amp within a few days. (thanks guys)

Since I got the new amp installed I've been flipping the sub's power switch OFF when I shut down the AVR. I probably don't need to do that, but hey, who knows, it might help. I really like my sub, and I don't want to spend another day without my big black baby in the living room. I love her so, I don't know what I'd do without her.

are these subs going into protection when level matched with system, and playing at ref. levels?

are these subs going into protection when level matched with system, and playing at ref. levels?

Not my A5-350, not never, and I like my LOTR loud. I am comfortable with the volume at 95 dB, when I'm stone-cold sober. After a few toddies, it sounds good up around 100 dB (ref. level '0' on my volume control)

Right after I got my sub installed, I rented the U-boat movie (U-571). I kept replaying the inevitable scene where the depth charges explode close to the submerged sub. It felt good, so I kept nudging the gain knob around just to see what it'd do. It got my heart to pounding, but finally the sub (woofer) kicked out, tripped, overload, self preservation. At the time I didn't have a SPL meter, so I don't know what the level was, but believe me it was way up there. The point is - with all channels calibrated/level, I don't think you can take the whole system up loud enough to trip out the sub.

Well I bought the A5-350 back in summer 08 and got it with the LT350 amp because the LT550 was on backorder. I was satisfied for a while but it was going into protect mode way to easy with the 350 amp. I upgraded to the LT/550 amp in November when it was available again and supposedly fixed and I loved the new limits the amp would goto before protect mode. Well yesterday it quit working. I would power it on and the light would stay red. I checked the fuse and it was ok. So I pulled the amp out and sure enough there is a small resistor or something on the board that is completely burnt up. I have been powering the thing off every time it's not in use and when I turned it on the receiver wasn't even turned on yet. Guess I will be calling ED tomorrow and I'm sure they will take care of it but I'm really disappointed to say the least that it only lasted 4 months.

Fortunately, for me, I returned the sub woofer and bought an Outlaw Audio sub which has worked flawlessly for almost a year now ;)

I called ED today and was told I would get a call later in the day from a tech to confirm the problem. Guess what, didn't get a call back and they close right about now. Nice customer service ED! :mad:

Imatk, wish I did the same right about now and waited for the MFW-15