I bought a pair of SBS surround speakers 2nd hand but unused. https://svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm

I set up the two speakers as surround speakers for a Sony STR-DG510. The surround speakers are setup with Monoprice 16 gauge speaker wire with 34ft runs ( I understand that this is not ideal).

I used an Audio Test DVD v2.0 that I downloaded to calibrate the speaker levels with a Radio Shack meter.

My reference level is at 63 volume on the receiver (74 is max volume).

With the volume at 63 I ran a 30-300Hz sweep on the right surround (Sweeps are encoded at -10dB Per Channel). During the sweep the speaker made a different noise and I looked at the receiver and it said PROTECT. I immediately turned off the receiver and stopped the test. I then restarted the receiver and went to the level calibration. The right surround was significantly softer than the left and not as full. I then ran a 90Hz test tone with no output. From this I have concluded that the 5.25" woofer is not functioning.

I sent an email to SVS with the above information.

Did I do anything wrong? I am assuming that protect mode came on as a result of the woofer no longer working.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Daniel

.................2nd hand but unused.What does this mean?


My reference level is at 63 volume on the receiver (74 is max volume).What do you mean by this? How did you measure "63" to be your "reference level", exactly?


During the sweep the speaker made a different noise and I looked at the receiver and it said PROTECT. I immediately turned off the receiver and stopped the test. I then restarted the receiver and went to the level calibration. The right surround was significantly softer than the left and not as full. I then ran a 90Hz test tone with no output. From this I have concluded that the 5.25" woofer is not functioning.It is simple enough to figure out if that particular speaker is malfunctioning by disconnecting it and switching it to another channel on your receiver. Have you done this? A completely blown woofer is pretty obvious. Also, if you switch a different speaker to the channel on which the speaker you think is malfunctioning is currently wired, but the problem remains on that channel, then that would indicate that the problem lies not with the speaker, but perhaps with the receiver.


Did I do anything wrong?Maybe.


I am assuming that protect mode came on as a result of the woofer no longer working.Your receiver can go into PROTECT mode for a number of reasons. A blown driver, particularly a tweeter, can cause this behavior. But it can also happen if there is a short in your speaker wiring. It doesn't really sound like this is what has happened to you, but make certain that there are no stray strands of wire at the back of the speaker and receiver that may have caused this. It can also happen due to heat, but this doesn't really seem like what has happened to you, either.

So you were blasting a small bookshelf speaker with a test tone starting at 30hz at 10dB from reference and you wonder if you did anything wrong??? :D

The speaker was purchased by the owner a little under two years ago as part of a 7.1 set. He ended up only setting up 5.1 and the speakers just sat in the box besides for possibly testing to ensure they work.

I calibrated the speaker levels using the test DVD v2.0. At the volume set at 63 all speakers read 85db on my radio shack meter after adjusting the individual channels. I just reviewed the DVD and I see that it was a -20db. So based on this it looks like I did set it incorrectly. At a volume of 63 I assume is actually 5 db above reference.

So this would mean that I ran the sweep at 95 db.

I switched the speakers with the same affect. The speaker is softer and sounds different with the calibration test tone.

I obviously won't be running the sweep again but could you please explain why it should not be done? I thought these were high quality speakers and isn't this how measurements are usually taken for making EQ adjustment?

I found out that the speakers were originally purchased for 1/6/06 hence they are not covered under warranty. The seller had said they should have about a years left... I would have purchased them from some one else had I known this.

I talked to SVS and they said the woofer needs to be replaced. I ordered a new one at a cost of $67.96 ($23 + $44.96 shipping).

So morale of the story: Confirm that there IS remaining warranty when buying used and don't run high volume sweeps...

I obviously won't be running the sweep again but could you please explain why it should not be done? I thought these were high quality speakers and isn't this how measurements are usually taken for making EQ adjustment?

You abused high quality speakers, albeit not intentionally. A surround speaker typically isn't expected to handle frequencies below 80 Hz, and for good reasons. 30 Hz is actually very deep bass, and a 5" or 6" driver generally can't reproduce it at levels above about 75 dB. You greatly exceeded the handling capacity, voice coil heat dissipation, and cone excursion of the speaker.

Also note that if a speaker's power handling claim is 100 watts, that's probably midband. No 100 watt speaker will handle 100 watts at 30 Hz...nor should it. And surrounds almost always have a midrange and a tweeter; no woofer. Why weren't you running them "small?"