[myriadcorp]

I have an old Paradigm Servo 15 from 1998. The amp went out in it. It was worth repairing cause it only cost a few hundred bucks to get it sent back to Paradigm for repair. I doubt I could find a sub for that price which equals the Servo 15. Sometimes it makes sense trying to repair. I had a SVS PB12+2 that had an amp go bad with one of the two 12 inch woofers. Repairing that with SVS replacements would cost almost the same as the new PB12+ from the outlet store. I sold the non working PB12+2 to someone for $150. I am sure they rebuilt it with different parts making use of it. Sometimes it makes sense repairing.

 

[bgtighe23]

Looks like it could fit right into Emotiva's new line of speakers!

 

[imagic]

I have an old Paradigm Servo 15 from 1998. The amp went out in it. It was worth repairing cause it only cost a few hundred bucks to get it sent back to Paradigm for repair. I doubt I could find a sub for that price which equals the Servo 15. Sometimes it makes sense trying to repair. I had a SVS PB12+2 that had an amp go bad with one of the two 12 inch woofers. Repairing that with SVS replacements would cost almost the same as the new PB12+ from the outlet store. I sold the non working PB12+2 to someone for $150. I am sure they rebuilt it with different parts making use of it. Sometimes it makes sense repairing.

Yes, I agree, it really depends on the value you get out of the repair. A couple hundred bucks spent to repair a Servo 15 nets you a better end result than spending $200 on a new sub would ever get you.

 

[imagic]

Looks like it could fit right into Emotiva's new line of speakers!

That's just a stock art photo of a sub I licensed from Adobe, but I agree 100%.

 

[gworrel]

I would disconnect the internal amplifier and buy a Behringer NU1000dsp. The Behringer amp has crossover and EQ capabilities and would likely work at least as well as the Canton built-in amp. Probably better. Even better might be to get an NU3000dsp and run this sub off one channel and you have a spare channel for running a second passive sub.

I have a Velodyne ULD-18 that had a rotted surround and amplifier that went bad. I had the surround replaced for $30 and use it with a different amp. It works great though it no longer has any of the original servo functions.

Of course sometimes the best course is to sell the item on the used market to someone who has the ability to repair it or the inclination to use it as I've described above. It is surprising sometimes how much you can get on eBay for items sold for "parts or not working."

 

[Chise]

Q: I have an old Canton AS20 Subwoofer I bought over ten years ago, and it hums. I checked everything and came to the conclusion that it’s the power supply. Canton told me it can exchange the amp (including the power supply) for about 100€+shipping.

The question is: Is it worth it? I paid 300€ (euros) when it was new, so I really would like to get it fixed, but how much does a comparable good Subwoofer cost today?

- Jannis Decker

A: The short answer to your question is no, the repair is likely not worth it. The price/performance ratio of subwoofers has improved considerably in the last decade, so finding a subwoofer that matches or beats the AS20’s specifications is not too tough.

Since you are located in Germany, the selection of brands available to you is a bit different than here in the US, but a quick look at Amazon.de reveals a number of options that could work. For example, Canton offers the AS85.2, which has a similar form factor as the AS20 but possesses significantly better specifications and costs 230€ (euros). For the 100€ cost of the repair, you could get a decent economy subwoofer like Yamaha’s YST-SW012 (100€), that still manages to match or beat the AS20 in terms of overall specs. If you factor in the cost of shipping your broken sub to and from the repair facility, shopping for a budget sub is an approach could wind up costing you less.

Another factor to consider is the warranty. If you buy a new subwoofer, it’ll be covered by the manufacturer. Plus, you’ll have the option of adding extended warranty, if you so desire. How long is the repair guaranteed for? My guess is not for very long.

Although I’ve mentioned a couple of specific subwoofers to consider, the reality is there are tons of options out there to choose from. My advice is to set a reasonable budget and browse through what’s available on Amazon, as well as any other retailers that serve the area where you live. Then, compile a short list of subwoofers that fit your budget and have garnered good reviews. If you can find a store to audition any of them, that's a plus. Optionally, you could post your list in the subwoofers, bass, and transducers forum for feedback.

One thing is for sure, in the time since you bought that AS 20, the performance of affordable subwoofers has improved a great deal. I don’t know exactly how much it would cost to buy a subwoofer that merely matches the performance of your current Canton, but I do know that if you were to spend 200-300€ on a carefully chosen modern subwoofer, you will find something that delivers superior performance when compared to your old sub.

I have old klipsch rw12 it will cost me 300.00 dollars to get fixed, A relative gave it me.

 

[N8DOGG]

I have an old Paradigm Servo 15 from 1998. The amp went out in it. It was worth repairing cause it only cost a few hundred bucks to get it sent back to Paradigm for repair. I doubt I could find a sub for that price which equals the Servo 15. Sometimes it makes sense trying to repair. I had a SVS PB12+2 that had an amp go bad with one of the two 12 inch woofers. Repairing that with SVS replacements would cost almost the same as the new PB12+ from the outlet store. I sold the non working PB12+2 to someone for $150. I am sure they rebuilt it with different parts making use of it. Sometimes it makes sense repairing.

You could just take the amp out and take it to a local electronics repair place. I'd put money on it's being under 100$ to fix and any decent repair place could fix it.

 

[imagic]

I would disconnect the internal amplifier and buy a Behringer NU1000dsp. The Behringer amp has crossover and EQ capabilities and would likely work at least as well as the Canton built-in amp. Probably better. Even better might be to get an NU3000dsp and run this sub off one channel and you have a spare channel for running a second passive sub.

I have a Velodyne ULD-18 that had a rotted surround and amplifier that went bad. I had the surround replaced for $30 and use it with a different amp. It works great though it no longer has any of the original servo functions.

Of course sometimes the best course is to sell the item on the used market to someone who has the ability to repair it or the inclination to use it as I've described above. It is surprising sometimes how much you can get on eBay for items sold for "parts or not working."

That's a good idea, and in fact it is something I once did with a Sony sub I once had where the amp fried. But, that Canton AS20's specs say it has a 60 watt amp (120 peak) so actually an iNuke NU100DSP would in fact be far more powerful. I'm simply not convinced that the AS 20 is a sub worth saving.

Here are the Canton AS 20 specs (from CNET)...

Amplification type: active
Woofer size (inches): 8
Nominal (RMS) output power: 60 Watt
Max (RMS) output power: 120 Watt
Response bandwidth: 33 - 140 Hz
Audio amplifier: integrated
Connectivity: wired
Recommended placing: floor-standing
Controls bass, subwoofer phase

 

[cholmes1]

Hello,

I have an older KSW 10 that I was hoping to upgrade pair with my HSU VTF- 1 MKII.

1. Are there any modifications worth doing to a KSW 10?

2. Even with 'mods' will it likely be so different in capabilities that it is not worth altering?

Thanks and great article.

 

[asharma]

Mirage BPS-400 repair?

Hi folks:

I have 2 of these puppies in my theatre room...they are 110 lb beasts!!! One was bought new, one was bought used. They are approx. 15 years old and go reeeeeaaal deep! On the volume dial, a scale of 1-10, on the one I bought new, to run it at 75 db, the volume dial is set at about 1.5. On the used one, I can barely move the dial off zero to hit 75db (ie. Dial is VERY sensitive to any movement). Also when I go to re-calibrate in a day or so, the used one has fallen to 68db. I would like to get it fixed...any advice would be appreciated...is it worth fixing? These beasts were the king in their day and I'm wondering just how much I would need to spend to replace....thanks folks...

 

[imagic]

Hi folks:

I have 2 of these puppies in my theatre room...they are 110 lb beasts!!! One was bought new, one was bought used. They are approx. 15 years old and go reeeeeaaal deep! On the volume dial, a scale of 1-10, on the one I bought new, to run it at 75 db, the volume dial is set at about 1.5. On the used one, I can barely move the dial off zero to hit 75db (ie. Dial is VERY sensitive to any movement). Also when I go to re-calibrate in a day or so, the used one has fallen to 68db. I would like to get it fixed...any advice would be appreciated...is it worth fixing? These beasts were the king in their day and I'm wondering just how much I would need to spend to replace....thanks folks...

Sounds like you fit under the "take the plate amp to a local electronics repair shop" but maybe someone in the forums knows how to DIY that one. It does seem like something worth trying to fix, but that's just my guess.

 

[asharma]

Sounds like you fit under the "take the plate amp to a local electronics repair shop" but maybe someone in the forums knows how to DIY that one. It does seem like something worth trying to fix, but that's just my guess.

Thanks, given the specs on these beasts, any idea what I would pay today to get close to the performance? Perhaps prices have fallen with functionality increasing. I would also be interested if anyone can chime in from a DIY perspective. Thanks again

 

[GLBright]

Seems like a lot of dead subs lying about, including mine, a DefTech PF1500 that's at least 15 years old. It sold for $1K (no discounts) then. The amp died a couple years ago so I replaced it with a Dayton plate amp. Now it's died too. I keep wondering if I should even bother again or just trash and replace.

 

[KBMAN]

MY SUB WILL JUST NOT DIE...
I've certainly put my Epik Tower to it's paces, and then-some....If it does fail, I will most certainly replace the amp; the cabinet alone is quite a hefty design (I still brag about its 6" flared port)....The sub is coupled with an Antimode 8033...If the woofer dies, then that could be more tricky as could be the case with most subs and their proprietary woofer designs...just my .02

 

[John Sully]

I have an old Velodyne HGS-15 whose amp blew. Velodyne still supported it as of about 2 years ago so I did an exchange for about $200. It would be impossible to get a sub with specs comparable to this beast for $200, so it was way, way worth it. Kudos to Velodyne for still being able to supply parts for a 10+ year old sub, they saved me about $1000.

 

[dwoliver]

The other thing to consider is the condition of the speaker. Is the cone suspension in good shape? These can be repaired too. As far as the hum goes, it's probably just the filter capacitors in the power supply, a local electronics shop can handle that.

 

[Sal1950]

How long before the driver surround turns to dust and then it'll need another repair?
Hsu Reaearch STR-2 on sale for $329 USD

 

[KBMAN]

How long before the driver surround turns to dust and then it'll need another repair?
Hsu Reaearch STR-2 on sale for $329 USD

Good Question...I used to have speakers rebuilt for my customers when I was still in the business 15 years ago. Most, if not all foam surrounds in their day, turned to dust. Now that the 'foam' is of better quality these days, I think it still can be an issue of moisture/environment that can prematurely degrade the foam surrounds over time. BTW, I just 're-surrounded' my own woofers for my paradigm atom bookshelf speakers...After 15 years they are brand new again

 

[iKerry]

Q: I have an old Canton AS 20 Subwoofer I bought over ten years ago, and it hums. I checked everything and came to the conclusion that it’s the power supply. Canton told me it can exchange the amp (including the power supply) for about 100€+shipping.

The question is: Is it worth it? I paid 300€ (euros) when it was new, so I really would like to get it fixed, but how much does a comparable good Subwoofer cost today?

- Jannis Decker

A: The short answer to your question is no, the repair is likely not worth it. The price/performance ratio of subwoofers has improved considerably in the last decade, so finding a subwoofer that matches or beats the AS 20’s specifications—8" driver, 60 watts RMS, 33 Hz to 140 Hz frequency response—is not too tough.

Since you are located in Germany, the selection of brands available to you is a bit different than here in the US, but a quick look at Amazon.de reveals a number of options that could work. For example, Canton offers the AS 85.2, which has a similar form factor as the AS 20 but possesses significantly better specifications (10" driver, 25Hz to 200 Hz frequency response) and costs 230€ (euros). That alone should offer a big hint how far subs have come since you bought that AS 20.

For the 100€ cost of the repair, you could get a decent economy subwoofer like Yamaha’s YST-SW012 (100€), that still manages to match or beat the AS 20 in terms of overall specs. If you factor in the cost of shipping your broken sub to and from the repair facility, shopping for a budget sub is an approach could wind up costing you less.

Another factor to consider is the warranty. If you buy a new subwoofer, it’ll be covered by the manufacturer. Plus, you’ll have the option of adding extended warranty, if you so desire. How long is the repair guaranteed for? My guess is not for very long.

Although I’ve mentioned a couple of specific subwoofers to consider, the reality is there are tons of options out there to choose from. My advice is to set a reasonable budget and browse through what’s available on Amazon, as well as any other retailers that serve the area where you live. Then, compile a short list of subwoofers that fit your budget and have garnered good reviews. If you can find a store to audition any of them, that's a plus. Optionally, you could post your list in the subwoofers, bass, and transducers forum for feedback.

One thing is for sure, in the time since you bought that AS 20, the performance of affordable subwoofers has improved a great deal. I don’t know exactly how much it would cost to buy a subwoofer that merely matches the performance of your current Canton, but I do know that if you were to spend 200-300€ on a carefully chosen modern subwoofer, you will find something that delivers superior performance when compared to your old sub.

If you’ve got an AV question, please send it to Scott Wilkinson ([email protected]) or Mark Henninger (imagic, [email protected]) via PM or email.

Hi imagic,

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this among the many replies, but, the surround, whether it's foam or a rubber-type compound, probably needs to be replaced.