About a week ago, I picked up a new PN50A450 from Best Buy. It has the audio problem that others have mentioned some part of the case or chassis vibrates when the speakers play sounds at low frequencies (around 120-140 Hz).
This is actually my second PN50A450 with this problem. I had picked up the first one a few days prior, and exchanged it for the one I have now.
The problem is not simply that the speakers are trying to reproduce frequencies below their capability. Rather, they're hitting the resonant frequency of something in the case.
The problem isn't evident until I turn up the volume level high enough on the louder side of what you might normally use for a quiet room. For my DTiVo, perhaps 12-15. For local OTA HD stations, closer to 20. All of my EQ settings are still on the factory defaults.
Keep in mind that your levels may be different depending on the loudness of your audio source.
I initially noticed it while watching a program with a deep-voiced male speaking, but found a tone generator program to pin down the frequencies: NCH Tone Generator v1.03
(Google "freeware tone generator" to find this and others)
Run the program on a PC or laptop, and connect the audio to one of the TV's inputs. Note that the TV won't let you switch to an input unless it sees video there. I temporarily connected my laptop's audio in place of my satellite receiver's audio.
If you choose "Constant (Continuous)" tone, the program will let you change the frequency while it's still playing.
The vibration stops when I squeeze the bottom of the TV's cabinet underneath each speaker. Then I can crank the volume even louder and still not hear the vibration.
People have reported this problem in reviews on several different sites, leading me to believe it's a design flaw with this model. I suspect the reason more people haven't noticed is because A) many owners shut off the speakers and use a home theater system right out of the box, and B) others normally don't turn up the volume quite enough for the problem to be obvious.
I'd be very interested to hear test results from other PN50A450 owners. Do your built-in speakers do this? If so, at what frequencies? Be sure to mention your set's mfr. date.
If most PN50A450s do this, there would be little point in exchanging for a new one. Conversely, if a large enough percentage don't, then it would be worthwhile to do a swap.
BTW, my firmware version is 1016.1, with "compile date August 12, 2008." The TV's manufacture date is "September 2008."
[I had originally posted this message here in the Samsung PN50A450 Offical Owners Thread, but transplanted it here so the discussion doesn't get lost in the ongoing flood in that thread]
This is actually my second PN50A450 with this problem. I had picked up the first one a few days prior, and exchanged it for the one I have now.
The problem is not simply that the speakers are trying to reproduce frequencies below their capability. Rather, they're hitting the resonant frequency of something in the case.
The problem isn't evident until I turn up the volume level high enough on the louder side of what you might normally use for a quiet room. For my DTiVo, perhaps 12-15. For local OTA HD stations, closer to 20. All of my EQ settings are still on the factory defaults.
Keep in mind that your levels may be different depending on the loudness of your audio source.
I initially noticed it while watching a program with a deep-voiced male speaking, but found a tone generator program to pin down the frequencies: NCH Tone Generator v1.03
(Google "freeware tone generator" to find this and others)
Run the program on a PC or laptop, and connect the audio to one of the TV's inputs. Note that the TV won't let you switch to an input unless it sees video there. I temporarily connected my laptop's audio in place of my satellite receiver's audio.
If you choose "Constant (Continuous)" tone, the program will let you change the frequency while it's still playing.
The vibration stops when I squeeze the bottom of the TV's cabinet underneath each speaker. Then I can crank the volume even louder and still not hear the vibration.
People have reported this problem in reviews on several different sites, leading me to believe it's a design flaw with this model. I suspect the reason more people haven't noticed is because A) many owners shut off the speakers and use a home theater system right out of the box, and B) others normally don't turn up the volume quite enough for the problem to be obvious.
I'd be very interested to hear test results from other PN50A450 owners. Do your built-in speakers do this? If so, at what frequencies? Be sure to mention your set's mfr. date.
If most PN50A450s do this, there would be little point in exchanging for a new one. Conversely, if a large enough percentage don't, then it would be worthwhile to do a swap.
BTW, my firmware version is 1016.1, with "compile date August 12, 2008." The TV's manufacture date is "September 2008."
[I had originally posted this message here in the Samsung PN50A450 Offical Owners Thread, but transplanted it here so the discussion doesn't get lost in the ongoing flood in that thread]
This doesn't make much sense...I had an appointment initially setup for Nov 5 with the local guy...he called me that morning to reschedule since the parts they needed from Samsung were not in yet and that he would call me when they are in to set up a new date (I guess that was an all out lie). When he did show up on the 14th, there were no parts, he simply listened to the TV and told me a few possibilities (none of which included blaming the TV stand) and that he would get back to me...WTF.
