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Official Epik Subwoofer Thread - Page 636

post #19051 of 19461
1/31/13 at 1:41pm
Well it seems the only real way to fix this is getting a new amp. I saw a few suggestions but I ave no idea on how to go about doing this since I ahve never been inside one of these things. ANyone know of a good beginner guide on how to swap out the amp? and what would be some good options to switch it out with?
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post #19052 of 19461
1/31/13 at 2:18pm
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=301-510

Any thoughts on this amp?
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post #19053 of 19461
1/31/13 at 2:18pm
I've had my Dragon for 3 years now and still working fine (fingers crossed). After reading the last few post I guess if my amp or driver goes out I am screwed. This is just insane Chad you gotta take care of your customers old and new.
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post #19054 of 19461
1/31/13 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ComptonHPD View Post

Well it seems the only real way to fix this is getting a new amp. I saw a few suggestions but I ave no idea on how to go about doing this since I ahve never been inside one of these things. ANyone know of a good beginner guide on how to swap out the amp? and what would be some good options to switch it out with?

I'd pop the amp out and measure the resistance (from the drivers) first. You'll need a multi meter but you can pick a decent one for $25 or so.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0MA-004E-00015&ParentOnly=1

Set it to measure Ohm(low scale) and test the two wires that would normally connect to the amplifier.

Once you know this information it will tell you two things.

1)If the driver coils.motors appear to be ok
2)What the minimum resistance a new(generic)amp will "see" once its connected.

Also, what is the amp plate size on your subwoofer? (in inches, height and width).

Thanks,

Tom V.
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post #19055 of 19461
1/31/13 at 3:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fallenrider View Post

Awesome! Do you have any pictures by any chance? Also, are you using any form of eq?

I'll try to get some and post them. Don't have any of the process itself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hksvr4 View Post

krakhen: maybe you should send Epik the bill. This might bring some attention to him.

Ive been following this thread ever since I joined. I've owned the Epik Dragon and Legend. Both amps failed on me. The amp on the Dragon lasted well over the 2yr warranty until it stopped working. Chad was nice enough to send out a replacement with out any issues. Then I purchased the Legend. That amp lasted about 3 months. The replacement lasted another 3 months. "Auto" wasn't working and hot enough to fry chicken. Then he sent me a brand new legend all together. Then I sold the brand new legend because I didn't want to deal with it. Months later I decided to sell the Dragon with the band new amp because I didn't want to deal with Epik anymore. I have been really happy with their products up until they failed. Usually Chad or Karen will respond but that can take days if not weeks but now it's months. I'm not sure what's going on with them but this is the worst I've seen in a long time. Another thing I want to mention is, when I spoke with Chad over the phone regarding the amp replacements, he denies anyone else having these issue and that it was only my subs and it could even have been the electrical circuit in my house.

For full disclosure, as you can see in my location details I'm in Panama and the warranty is void per the Terms and Conditions. But, I did ask politely if there was anything they could do for me or if they had spare amps from a new cooler batch I could buy from them just for the convenience of using one designed especifically for the Legend and never received an answer.

Their products are really interesting and have a great price/performance ratio when everything goes fine and don't need responsive support. Empires seem to be much more reliable but the Legend's amp is it's Achilles heel.
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post #19056 of 19461
1/31/13 at 4:51pm
I have (4) Epik Empires. I have had no issues with any of them. I have had them for about 9 months. I hope Chad figures his s**t out just in case I run into any issues in the future. Here's to hoping...
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post #19057 of 19461
1/31/13 at 9:48pm
I'm going to attempt to take the broken amp out of my Legend and seal it up/ use an external amp when I get some time. It would be pretty sweet however if I could get an amp that fits the enclosure so it doesn't end up looking like a hack job. cool.gif

You never know, maybe I'll get a call back from epik next week. I definitely will keep calling mon-fri and hope to get "lucky".
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post #19058 of 19461
1/31/13 at 11:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mannoiaj View Post

I'm going to attempt to take the broken amp out of my Legend and seal it up/ use an external amp when I get some time. It would be pretty sweet however if I could get an amp that fits the enclosure so it doesn't end up looking like a hack job. cool.gif

You never know, maybe I'll get a call back from epik next week. I definitely will keep calling mon-fri and hope to get "lucky".
You'd be better off disconnecting the amp and drilling binding posts to the amp plate. That way it's still sealed properly.
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post #19059 of 19461
2/1/13 at 6:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamliner View Post

You'd be better off disconnecting the amp and drilling binding posts to the amp plate. That way it's still sealed properly.

+1. Doing this, you can still use a plate amp it would just be external, or you can go with an external amp. The real key is getting the right amp.

It is a shame that folks are having to do this and that Epik has basically gone MIA.
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post #19060 of 19461
2/1/13 at 8:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ack_bk View Post

+1. Doing this, you can still use a plate amp it would just be external, or you can go with an external amp. The real key is getting the right amp.

It is a shame that folks are having to do this and that Epik has basically gone MIA.

Another trick is to use the speaker level posts already on the amp. This way nothing looks modified. You'll need to disconnect a couple things internally though. That might be very easy...or not. It depends on the amp layout.

If anyone with a legend amp posted good pictures of the back I'm sure many would offer suggestions quickly.

Tom V.
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post #19061 of 19461
2/1/13 at 3:29pm
I recently discovered that one of my Empires is not working. I took basic steps such as trying different inputs on the subs and processor, using different cable types, swapping cables between the subs. The lights on the amp do come on to green, but I still get nothing out of the sub. Do you guys have any other suggestions that I should try?

I too have not received a response from Epik. I have tried email and phone several times.
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post #19062 of 19461
2/1/13 at 7:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamliner View Post

You'd be better off disconnecting the amp and drilling binding posts to the amp plate. That way it's still sealed properly.

Not sure about the Legend but the Empire's amp is boxed in separately from the rest of the enclosure. I'd pull the amp off and see if the Legend is the same; I imagine it is. If so, you shouldn't have to worry about it being sealed, but if you decide to try using a different plate amp on it, you might still want to use some sealant along the wire holes and any interior seams to be safe.
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post #19063 of 19461
2/1/13 at 7:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlafrenz View Post

I recently discovered that one of my Empires is not working. I took basic steps such as trying different inputs on the subs and processor, using different cable types, swapping cables between the subs. The lights on the amp do come on to green, but I still get nothing out of the sub. Do you guys have any other suggestions that I should try?

I too have not received a response from Epik. I have tried email and phone several times.

I'd pull the amp off and make sure nothing looks loose. Guess you could check the fuse too; unscrew and pull off where the power cord plugs into (it's behind that). If everything looks OK, I might try swapping amps with your other Empire to try to isolate the problem to the amp or something else. I've had the amp blow on mine but the light went dead and wouldn't light up at all.
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post #19064 of 19461
2/1/13 at 7:29pm
sounds like another eD is in the making
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post #19065 of 19461
2/1/13 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by benunc View Post

Not sure about the Legend but the Empire's amp is boxed in separately from the rest of the enclosure. I'd pull the amp off and see if the Legend is the same; I imagine it is. If so, you shouldn't have to worry about it being sealed, but if you decide to try using a different plate amp on it, you might still want to use some sealant along the wire holes and any interior seams to be safe.
I can confirm the Legend's amp is not separated from the rest of the enclosure.
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post #19066 of 19461
2/2/13 at 9:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by benunc View Post

I'd pull the amp off and make sure nothing looks loose. Guess you could check the fuse too; unscrew and pull off where the power cord plugs into (it's behind that). If everything looks OK, I might try swapping amps with your other Empire to try to isolate the problem to the amp or something else. I've had the amp blow on mine but the light went dead and wouldn't light up at all.


Be careful here. It's not likely but POSSIBLE something may be amiss with the driver(s) in the unit with the failed amp. If one of the driver coils show the amp a "short" it might be the root cause of the amp failure. Putting a good amp in the "bad" enclosure could end up with two non working amps. Putting the non working amp in a different enclosure for a test is okay though. Also, if the LED illuminates its not the fuse.

Tom V.
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post #19067 of 19461
2/2/13 at 3:43pm
Tom, is there any truth to the rumour that when you run out of subs and decide to go on a sabbatical, that Chad will handle customer support for your company?
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post #19068 of 19461
2/2/13 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chu Gai View Post

Tom, is there any truth to the rumour that when you run out of subs and decide to go on a sabbatical, that Chad will handle customer support for your company?

biggrin.gif
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post #19069 of 19461
2/2/13 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chu Gai View Post

Tom, is there any truth to the rumour that when you run out of subs and decide to go on a sabbatical, that Chad will handle customer support for your company?

I heard that Alex Lindeman is filling in biggrin.gif

Just make sure you wire the money to him...
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post #19070 of 19461
2/3/13 at 7:20am
AV123, Deja vu
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post #19071 of 19461
2/3/13 at 7:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by centauro74 View Post

AV123, Deja vu

I hope not...

My 3 HT setups in my home consist of AV123 speakers and subwoofers from elemental designs and epik.

No one should ever purchase a single thing that I recommend ;; eek.gif
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post #19072 of 19461
2/3/13 at 8:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mannoiaj View Post

I hope not...

My 3 HT setups in my home consist of AV123 speakers and subwoofers from elemental designs and epik.

No one should ever purchase a single thing that I recommend ;; eek.gif

Maybe some of us can pool some money and convince you to buy some Bose gear... biggrin.gif:D
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post #19073 of 19461
2/3/13 at 8:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mannoiaj View Post

No one should ever purchase a single thing that I recommend ;; eek.gif
Change your screen name to George Costanza.
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post #19074 of 19461
2/3/13 at 11:14am
Man this really sucks it hard. I recently sent Chad this email on Jan. 22:

Chad (or Karen),

I hope that the new year has been good to you guys. Any word on when you might expect the next set of Empire’s be ready to ship? I am VERY anxious on getting my second one.

I wanted to tell you what a great product that I think you have in the Empire. It is everything that I was hoping it would be and is unbelievably solid. As per my paragraph above, I will not hesitate to purchase a second one when they are ready. That said, I have some concerns about the perceived customer service issue that is being discussed on AVS Forum and Audioholics. I am not versed in running a business, regardless of size, and I am sure that there are a litany of issues that surround you everyday as a small business owner. However, it is somewhat disheartening to read about either former or potential customers who have tried for sometime (sometimes weeks) to get a response from Epik. Clearly this is one sided, as the internet is a great way to bitch about something, although in this case, your silence is anything but golden.

Please understand, this is not a complaint from me in ANY way. I have had no issues communicating with you or Epik. In fact, when I bought my first Epik, you helped with the setup on the phone. That has never happened to me as a consumer (still goes a long way with me). I am just hoping you can find 10 minutes in your day to post something on the Epik page on AVS (19k posts so far) to give people some insight as to the direction of Epik or at the very least, alleviate some customer service issues.

At any rate, please hurry up with the Empire’s! Something tells me my HT isn’t complete without duals! smile.gif

If this keeps up, its very likely that I will try and sell my Empire and get a VTF15 or go all in and end my sub needs for the next decade and get a SubM.
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post #19075 of 19461
2/3/13 at 11:53am
A friend was considering an Epik sub but given their inability to answer basic customer emails I can't believe people would consider Epik as opposed to a quality organization like Rythmic (even if the cost is slighly more) if one were to buy equipment for the long term
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post #19076 of 19461
2/3/13 at 2:17pm
Good one.
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post #19077 of 19461
2/4/13 at 9:16am
How are we in Febuary with nothing in stock still...?
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post #19078 of 19461
2/4/13 at 9:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blake18 View Post

How are we in Febuary with nothing in stock still...?

not sure, but I am getting more discouraged by the day. Longing for a 2nd Empire, but if nothing happens by March, I think I will sell my Empire and go with a VTF15 or a XS30, Or i suck up to the wife and go with a SubM or Cap S1
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post #19079 of 19461
2/4/13 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ratm View Post

not sure, but I am getting more discouraged by the day. Longing for a 2nd Empire, but if nothing happens by March, I think I will sell my Empire and go with a VTF15 or a XS30, Or i suck up to the wife and go with a SubM or Cap S1

Not sure I would sell it if I were you. Why not add a second similarly powerful sub from a different ID brand? You would go MUCH further performance wise that way.
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post #19080 of 19461
2/4/13 at 12:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blake18 View Post

How are we in Febuary with nothing in stock still...?

Oh come on! Do you ask that question of Santa Claus or the Easter bunny?
Think of the anticipation and excitement you have knowing that one day the McRib sandwich will once again be available.
Would the Olympics be as exciting if we watched it every single day?
Don't you love it when that special someone takes their time?

Mystery can be one life's enjoyments so relish the anticipation with Epik.
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