Sod's law

[Gordon Steadman]

These days, whenever I have a project not directly connected with the house, it has to fund itself somehow!!

I have had an REL Quake sub base unit for ages. I bought it to go with the Quad ESLs but decided it wasn't necessary.
Its been sitting in the loft ever since we arrived in France.

I have a few projects in mind so I thought I'd sell the Quake.

Hah!

Anyone know anything about these??

On the low level input and direct from the Mac its fine. Try on hi level from the Stereo20 where it always worked fine and Thump Thump. A small amount of movement in the cone but then as the level is advanced, the cone just locks and makes no noise at all, on any of the settings.

As usual, knowing nothing about technical matters, I opened it up to try and magically sense what could be wrong but the vibes weren't with me. Couldn't believe how simple it all looked in there though. Just a box, no wadding, with a very small amp board screwed to the back plate and the transformer.

So, any clues from anyone? It seems strange that it works on the two low level inputs but not on the high. I assume this means that the amp is OK? Maybe - perhaps?? Please!

[Firebottle]

That sounds weird Gordon, are you trying it with the Stereo20 still?
Will give it a look over with pleasure, but you'll have to teleport it over the 115 miles between us

Have you got a manual, with a schematic diagram possibly?

Alan

[Gordon Steadman]

Hi Alan,

It may have to wait!!!! Yup, I have the Stereo 20 as my spare now (shock horror) so I tried it upstairs. I only have the user manual which doesn't really give any technical help, no diagrams etc. Just goes on about the SET-SAFE system that protects against everything - almost!!

I'll play again tomorrow with the low input. I did that a few weeks ago and I am assuming that still works although it always possible that the whole thing has decided to die. Its been a problem with quite a few of my old things, they have been sitting unused for a long time and don't seem to appreciate been suddenly woken up. My CD recorder has decided to join in too!! Especially annoying as the Pioneer won't now read Recordable discs.

I'll get back to you.

Ho hum.

[Gordon Steadman]

Ah well, I had another play this evening, I hate it when things don't work.

The amp is fine I'm sure. ON low level from my DAC into the Quake it works fine. On that input, it bypasses the internal crossover which is ON all the time when High Level input is selected. So it looks like the filters are at fault!! I will try and find a schematic, perhaps write to REL for guidance too.

[Gordon Steadman]

AND......... I've just read the REL blurb and it says their filters are so secret that if you take the board off, it destroys all the components!!!

When I had a look inside, there is a plate over the back which has two soldered connections and it sandwiches quite a large portion of the amp block!!

I have written to REL for guidance