Breaking In My VTF-3 MK 2

[BenWatchnU]

Has anyone else noticed a slight smell while breaking in their VTF-3 MK 2?....Thanks in advance Ben

[bjurw]

That's the smell of the walls cracking in your home; perfectly normal in the break in phase! Seriously, I didn't notice any "smell" to mine at any time.

[menglish]

Has anyone else noticed a slight smell while breaking in their VTF-3 MK 2?....Thanks in advance Ben

I didn't notice a smell when I first used my sub. However, the other day I was taking some measurements at low frequencies (< 25 Hz) and noticed an odor. Hope I didn't fry it. Sounds ok so far

[BenWatchnU]

I didn't notice a smell when I first used my sub. However, the other day I was taking some measurements at low frequencies (< 25 Hz) and noticed an odor. Hope I didn't fry it. Sounds ok so far

I would describe my situation exactly like you did, it sounds great but their was a slight electrical burning smell to it!!

[Dr_Hsu]

I would describe my situation exactly like you did, it sounds great but their was a slight electrical burning smell to it!!

If you were testing at a very high level, you might have got the voice coil very hot. Should not be a problem.

[BenWatchnU]

If you were testing at a very high level, you might have got the voice coil very hot. Should not be a problem.

That would be the cause of the smell? I wasn't playing it at a very high level but I was playing the test cd you provided.

[Dr_Hsu]

That would be the cause of the smell? I wasn't playing it at a very high level but I was playing the test cd you provided.

That is just one possibility. How loud were you playing the test tones? What SPL reading were you getting, at what distance, and in what size room?

[Lwang]

Might just be components getting heated up and evaporating residual laminated insulation. I smelled it once when I was burning in my maggies with 250 watt of input over a one week period. The voice coil wires were hot to the touch and the inductors were burning to the touch, but nothing burned out from it.

As long as your amp is not clipping or bottoming out your sub for extended period, the components should not overheat.

I really smelled it once when I short circuited the output of my amp while pumping a really loud test signal to my speaker and noticed that it was making a "ziiip-ziip-ziip" sound. Didn't know what was going on until I saw a stream of smoke coming out of the amp. IT went on for around 5 sec before I could jump to the amp and switch it off. The amp survived the ordeal.

[Ddavidson]

Subwoofer amplifers also use glues on connectors and parts that may vibrate or come loose, I have found that sometimes some of the glue residue might have gotten close to areas that get warm. During the break in period this heat can stir up a reaction which can be taken as burning like smell.

But it settles after a shortish period.

There is little to fear as there really are very few hot areas (let alone really hot) on the inner workings of the new Bash amps so any new smell should disappear pretty quckly. If not contact Hsu by phone.


Ddavidson

[BenWatchnU]

Subwoofer amplifers also use glues on connectors and parts that may vibrate or come loose, I have found that sometimes some of the glue residue might have gotten close to areas that get warm. During the break in period this heat can stir up a reaction which can be taken as burning like smell.

But it settles after a shortish period.

There is little to fear as there really are very few hot areas (let alone really hot) on the inner workings of the new Bash amps so any new smell should disappear pretty quckly. If not contact Hsu by phone.


Ddavidson

The smell is no longer present, I was not using a SPL meter at the time so I'm not sure how loud it was playing. One thing I do know though is I have never played the sub past 12 o'clock, or the top area of the volume control. everything seems to work just fine, I was just being cautious and concerned when I asked the question. I guess I could check the sub against the other one I also purchased and have not even opened the box yet. I thought in my 20' by 25' 8' room I would need two of them and I surely haven't found that to be the case. One is doing just fine.

P.S. There was never any smoke present at any time.

[Dr_Hsu]

The smell is no longer present, I was not using a SPL meter at the time so I'm not sure how loud it was playing. One thing I do know though is I have never played the sub past 12 o'clock, or the top area of the volume control. everything seems to work just fine, I was just being cautious and concerned when I asked the question. I guess I could check the sub against the other one I also purchased and have not even opened the box yet. I thought in my 20' by 25' 8' room I would need two of them and I surely haven't found that to be the case. One is doing just fine.

P.S. There was never any smoke present at any time.

Normally the volume should not need to go past the 9 o'clock position. The amp in the VTF-3 Mk 2 has very high gain. If you need to turn the volume up to 12 o'clock, you should use two subs. I am not surprised that the voice coil got very hot if you were playing test tones with the subwoofer volume up at 12 o'clock (of course it also depends on how high a level you set on your preamp).

[Ddavidson]

It always pays to ask the question, especially when in any doubt.

Its really what this forum thing is all about.

Ordering two VTF-3's is a big first step, no one could argue that it will give you some decent headroom. I sure hope that you didn't just order two VTF's because you have been reading the spl drag racing figures that get quoted on certain public forums?

Very few people need/want to reproduce Dvd at reference level, and very few people have big enough rooms where a single VTF-3 cant deliver decent impact. If you believe the marketing drive by certain subwoofer groups you would swear SPL is king, but theres a whole lot more to good bass than sheer SPL capability.

Of course there are exceptions but the reality is that the majority of owners will never push that hard (for all but *perhaps* a brief and fleeting show off demo). You have already shown some great taste with your choice of the VTF-3's, they are effortless for HT, and yet totally neutral in their musical presentation.

Hype is one thing but reality is a VTF-3 playing your favorite song and you believing the artist is in the room with you. Enjoy.

Ddavidson

[menglish]

WHEW!!!

If the Dr. says it's ok...then it must be ok.

[BenWatchnU]

Normally the volume should not need to go past the 9 o'clock position. The amp in the VTF-3 Mk 2 has very high gain. If you need to turn the volume up to 12 o'clock, you should use two subs. I am not surprised that the voice coil got very hot if you were playing test tones with the subwoofer volume up at 12 o'clock (of course it also depends on how high a level you set on your preamp).

I'm using a Denon AVR-3600 receiver for my home theater system. With Sony DVP-7000 and DVP-7700 DVD players. The channel levels I'm using are as follows, Front Left +6, Center +8, Front Right +6, Surround Right +10 Surround Left +10 Subwoofer -4. I'm going to experiment turning down the subs amplifier level and turning up the pre amp in the Denon to try to keep all the levels in the same area. I must include that 90% of the time I listen to concert DVD's. I like my music loud for sure, my preferance is to keep my JBL 4312's (six of them), (two for the center channel, one on each side of my TV) around 92 decibels and my sub at 95 decibels during the concert. All the JBL speakers are at a height where the mid range speaker is at ear level while I'm seated in my listening position. I'm also certain that the subs amplifier was at a much lower level when playing the test tones and when I experienced the smell. I have placed the the sub in the front right corner of my room, I had experimented with it behind my listening couch but I really didn't like the bass boom I felt on my back during the concerts. I must reiterate that the sub is working well with no signs of trouble, I just had concerns about the smell..........Ben

[Dr_Hsu]

I'm using a Denon AVR-3600 receiver for my home theater system. With Sony DVP-7000 and DVP-7700 DVD players. The channel levels I'm using are as follows, Front Left +6, Center +8, Front Right +6, Surround Right +10 Surround Left +10 Subwoofer -4. I'm going to experiment turning down the subs amplifier level and turning up the pre amp in the Denon to try to keep all the levels in the same area. I must include that 90% of the time I listen to concert DVD's. I like my music loud for sure, my preferance is to keep my JBL 4312's (six of them), (two for the center channel, one on each side of my TV) around 92 decibels and my sub at 95 decibels during the concert. All the JBL speakers are at a height where the mid range speaker is at ear level while I'm seated in my listening position. I'm also certain that the subs amplifier was at a much lower level when playing the test tones and when I experienced the smell. I have placed the the sub in the front right corner of my room, I had experimented with it behind my listening couch but I really didn't like the bass boom I felt on my back during the concerts. I must reiterate that the sub is working well with no signs of trouble, I just had concerns about the smell..........Ben

Don't worry about it. Your sub should be in fine shape.