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Hi there
I've owned my Rel for 3 1/2 years without any problems. Last night when I was sleeping I heard what sounded like a banging on the wall or a popping sound. After checking the house and changing my pants, the sound was coming from the REL. The system was off, except for the REL which is always on. Any Ideas whats happening? Would like a idea before taking it into the dealer. I hope this isn't costly.
Thanks
Marty
Follow Ups:
...to build DIY stereo subs with sealed cabinets and use dedicated OUTBOARD sub amps. Any sub amp, plate or outboard, is far more likely to fail before the driver (or cabinet).Brian King, a regular and very knowledgeable contributor to this asylum, recently built for me a pair of beautifully-veneered sealed subwoofer cabinets with perfect flush mount driver cutouts.
The drivers are the ScanSpeak 23W-4557-T00, without the passive radiators. Great 2 channel music performance in sealed boxes as small as 1 cubic foot!
I use a pair of feature-rich Reckhorn A400 outboard sub amps (continuously adjustable phase, 0 through 270 degrees, single band parametric EQ, etc) at under $400 each.
For about the price of one "better" quality commercial sub I have a stereo pair, optimized for music.
And if an amp fries I just replace it, never touching the sub!
Parts Express also recently introduced a feature-rich outboard dedicated sub amp for under $400, so nice amp options exist.These subs have worked out so well that I can now get custom sealed cabinet main loudspeakers to match my Atma-Sphere M-60 OTL amps (via Rick Craig of Selah Audio).
Just my two cents, but I can't see a better way to go.
Thanks,,,Just found out it was 2 caps that are going. The cost is about $150cdn.
I use Maggies so finding a sub that can keep up with them is hard. The REL seems to do the best job of integration.
I had the same problem with my Strata and don't let any one tell you that this is not a common problem. My Strata failed just outside the 3 year warranty period but, fortunately, my dealer agreed to cover the cost of replacing the amplifier in the sub. At the time that my sub was being repaired, there were 3 other Stratas in the shop for exactly the same problem and my dealer explained that they had seen quite a few with identical problems. I would contact Sumiko and plead your case. IMHO, there should be some extended warranty offered on these subs - the failure rate is just too high.
Thanks Terry
Did the dealer give you a idea of the cost? One of the guys mentioned around $300
Thanks
Marty
I live in Canada and the cost of the amp, in $ CDN, as about $500. Considering the difference in the currency exchange and allowing for duties etc., that $300 amount would seem about right. However, I don't think this amount includes the labour to install the amp which would probably add another $100 or more.
"However, I don't think this amount includes the labour to install the amp which would probably add another $100 or more."The amp is super easy to install. If U can work a screw driver, U can install the amp.
All one has to do is remove the screws holding it to the cabinet, remove the amp, disconnect the 2 wires that connect the driver to the amp. Reverse procedure and your done.
Hell, replacing the caps would be easy as pie if one knows how to operate a soldering iron and has good soldering skills.
Cheers,
Sorry to hear of your REL problems.There have been a few Strata lll's that have developed issues over time and most issues end up being in the power amp section of the unit.
Try excersizing the pots/selector switches to make sure U don't have an intermittent contact somewhere as well as reseating the connections on the user interface panel.
If that does not work, I would contact REL or Sumiko and get them involved. I've included Sumiko's link.
Cheers,
~kenster
Thanks for the advise. I repositioned all the settings and reconnected the cable to the amp.I still was getting a crackling/popping sound. The dumb thing is I haven't changed anything on the REL for 2 years, let alone move it. As far as stressing it out, that's impossible as I don't listen to loud music,,,,,to say the least it's in couch potato mode. If it is the power amp section, do you think it would be an expensive repair??
Thanks
Marty
"If it is the power amp section, do you think it would be an expensive repair??"From what I have heard from other people who have had to repair Strata lll's with issues such as your having is that it costs around ~$300.
It's not that U have been stressing it out with music, it is that some of the electronic parts in the power amp section are being utilized near their full capacity and this can lead to component failure.
Like I mentioned before, call Sumiko and see what they have to say and go from there.
Cheers,
I just took alook at what my setting are and they would be considered in the low mid settings,,,,, I wonder what I could have done differently?
Thanks for your reply
Marty
"I just took alook at what my setting are and they would be considered in the low mid settings,,,,, I wonder what I could have done differently?"It is not what U did or how U utilized the sub, it is the way the power amp circuit was implemented.
It was designed to fit within a predetermined budget which includes parts cost vs. longevity vs. performance. There are numerous Strata lll's in service that have no issues at all but there are those few units, that due to electronic parts deviation from spec which would be called out in the circuit design as a +/- allowable deviation, will fail sooner than others. It is the nature of the beast.
Hope this helps,
Now that makes perfect sense.
Too bad the waranty expired 6 months ago,,,,,It's the best sub I've used with my Maggies,,,,,I hope the repair bill doesnt hurt too bad
Thanks for taking the time
Marty
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