Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
With any HT system speaker calibration is a given. I really like the way it sounds in HT with bass management but it's less than stellar in other two channel systems.
Sunfire True Subwoofer Mark II
- Thread starter Romeo Wolf
- Start date
With any HT system speaker calibration is a given. I really like the way it sounds in HT with bass management but it's less than stellar in other two channel systems.
Listen to JoeESP9, he speaks the truth, and has for decades.
The Sunfire stuff (and everything Carver has had his hands in) seems to be unreliable and poorly manufactured compared to other products. I've run across 6 Sunfire subwoofers in the field, and all have been broken. There's one kicking around here that I got talked into taking. Not sure if it'll get repaired.
Enjoy your sub while it works. Experience has shown that powered subwoofers with plate amplifiers have a useful lifespan of between 5-15 years, and as such, going with passive subwoofers, external power amplifiers, crossovers, and processing is a more rewarding path.
The Sunfire stuff (and everything Carver has had his hands in) seems to be unreliable and poorly manufactured compared to other products. I've run across 6 Sunfire subwoofers in the field, and all have been broken. There's one kicking around here that I got talked into taking. Not sure if it'll get repaired.
Enjoy your sub while it works. Experience has shown that powered subwoofers with plate amplifiers have a useful lifespan of between 5-15 years, and as such, going with passive subwoofers, external power amplifiers, crossovers, and processing is a more rewarding path.
whoaru99
Epic Member
I understand, but I'm not so sure the OP does considering they simply cranked the sub level to +15 in the settings. That's why I posted it.
As I said, from talking with Rita. These literally shake the components to death such that they break down internally. Pull the plate amp and add a block-off and your problems are solved.
I made simply a "square" of 1"x6" with the plate on one side and 1/4" mesh on the other and a pair of "slats" on the bottom for support.
I made simply a "square" of 1"x6" with the plate on one side and 1/4" mesh on the other and a pair of "slats" on the bottom for support.
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jazzmans
Super Member
Not to argue but...
My 30-40 year old Carver amps (I currently have 7 in constant useage, with three backups) would disagree with your premise. Do they require regular maintenance? yes. are they reliable if it's done? yes. most defintely
those plate amps in the sunfire are NOT carver designed amplifiers, they're (bash) amplifiers and they do benefit from being removed from the enclosure.
My definitive supercube III is on its third plate amp so far. Next time it dies, I'll build a separate enclosure for it.
As to synchronizing the true sub with a stereo system, the solution is in the post I quoted before, turn it DOWN and turn the crossover network in the sub DOWN. Keep turning it down until you stop noticing the sub is on, then you're close. As I said before, this is years and years of experience talking.
Romeo Wolf
Super Member
Just a correction: I never touched the sub level knob when it was being set up. My father was the one setting it up for me, and for some reason she had cranked it to 0Db (not +15Db, I shoulda checked). I didn't really notice it was turned up that high until our next-door neighbor knocked on the door.
I was the one to turn the sub level down to an acceptable level for apartment use
whoaru99
Epic Member
Just a correction: I never touched the sub level knob when it was being set up. My father was the one setting it up for me, and for some reason she had cranked it to 0Db (not +15Db, I shoulda checked). I didn't really notice it was turned up that high until our next-door neighbor knocked on the door.
I was the one to turn the sub level down to an acceptable level for apartment use
Ok, well, point still remains. A calibration is always a good place to start.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
FWIW I got the Sunfire some 15 years ago and it was second hand. Countless hours of use and its outlasted two TVs and one AVRs. My other subs however are passives with external amps which makes lots of sense.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
RW:
If you have an iPhone the available SPL apps are all fairly accurate for setting subwoofer levels. If you have an Android phone there are plenty of apps. Unfortunately there's no telling how accurate they are. Unlike iPhones the hardware is usually different from different manufacturers. That's part of the lower price you pay for an open system from many manufacturers.
However, you can get firmly in the ball park using only your ears.
If you have an iPhone the available SPL apps are all fairly accurate for setting subwoofer levels. If you have an Android phone there are plenty of apps. Unfortunately there's no telling how accurate they are. Unlike iPhones the hardware is usually different from different manufacturers. That's part of the lower price you pay for an open system from many manufacturers.
However, you can get firmly in the ball park using only your ears.
What speakers are those? Are they Athena's?
They are Athena AS-F2. Unfortunately you may not receive a response from @Poultrygeist as he was last seen around these parts on Dec 14, 2022.
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Romeo Wolf
Super Member
UPDATE: As of January 2026 my father has replaced the Sunfire True Junior (mk II) and her Bose Acoustimass 5 with a Klipsch 10" ported sub, and has moved both the Sunfire & Bose into my room. I forget which model the Klipsch is but it's one of the units with the bottom-firing woofer and giant port at the back. It's been doing her a solid for movies & music so far. Much louder & more thunderous than the Bose could ever dream to be.
As far as the Sunfire it started sounding awful and would engage less frequently as time went on, and eventually it got to the point where it would only play the subsonic frequencies and nothing higher. I haven't tested it myself to hear the symptoms, but I would imagine this is a classic case of the sub shaking itself to death and probably needing to be rebuilt.
At some point in the future I'll probably do what @toddalin did with his Sunfire and separate the amp from the rest of the enclosure.
As far as the Sunfire it started sounding awful and would engage less frequently as time went on, and eventually it got to the point where it would only play the subsonic frequencies and nothing higher. I haven't tested it myself to hear the symptoms, but I would imagine this is a classic case of the sub shaking itself to death and probably needing to be rebuilt.
At some point in the future I'll probably do what @toddalin did with his Sunfire and separate the amp from the rest of the enclosure.
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Romeo Wolf
Super Member
I sold the Sunfire to Aaron at Mississippi home stereo for the cost of the drivers alone since he wasn't sure if the issue would be fixable.
Haven't gotten around to testing the bose yet. I do know the bass & treble knobs are broken, as in they're loose or frozen. Need to figure out what's up with those eventually.
Haven't gotten around to testing the bose yet. I do know the bass & treble knobs are broken, as in they're loose or frozen. Need to figure out what's up with those eventually.
I'm trying to find a second one to match my first. But the original Signature models are hard to find. I know they are fixable for a cost and had my amp repaired a year ago. I don't know whether having no speaker attached and turning it on or having the leads short out killed it, but either can/will.
BTW, someone did actual O-scope testing and they found ~1,000 watts into 4 ohms before clipping
BTW, someone did actual O-scope testing and they found ~1,000 watts into 4 ohms before clipping
This is a great thread.
I really haven't warmed up to my sunfire sub.
I have maggies and do have the crossover frequency around 50 hz. I need to check the output level. My guess it is low but will play with it.
Thanks everyone for suggestions.
Edit: I turned down the sub volume and much better. Enjoying Miles playing on nefertiti.
I really haven't warmed up to my sunfire sub.
I have maggies and do have the crossover frequency around 50 hz. I need to check the output level. My guess it is low but will play with it.
Thanks everyone for suggestions.
Edit: I turned down the sub volume and much better. Enjoying Miles playing on nefertiti.
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