Strange Subwoofer/Plate Amp problem

[wil]

Since owning the Evolution Acoustics MM7's, the right subwoofers plate amp has gone bad 3 times within the 16 months I've owned the speakers. I've replaced the plate amp twice so far, but they only function for a few months before going out again. I'm thinking this may be beyond bad luck with bad amps and that something in the Sub's circuitry is the issue.

Whatever the case, bad plate amp or a problem with the woofers electronics, it seems strange to me that the system works for a few months each time after replacing the plate amp before going out again.

Anyone have any ideas?

Unfortunately and sadly, with Jonathan Tinn's passing, I've been unable so far to reach anyone associated with Evolution to get their advice/help....

 

[Solypsa]

When the amp goes out is it during playback or you just walk in and no power?

 

[wil]

When the amp goes out is it during playback or you just walk in and no power?

I don’t know exactly when they have gone out as the subs are crossed very low and so it’s not obvious.
The power switch light on the sub does not go out.

 

[audiobomber]

Since owning the Evolution Acoustics MM7's, the right subwoofers plate amp has gone bad 3 times within the 16 months I've owned the speakers. I've replaced the plate amp twice so far, but they only function for a few months before going out again. I'm thinking this may be beyond bad luck with bad amps and that something in the Sub's circuitry is the issue.

Whatever the case, bad plate amp or a problem with the woofers electronics, it seems strange to me that the system works for a few months each time after replacing the plate amp before going out again.

Anyone have any ideas?

Unfortunately and sadly, with Jonathan Tinn's passing, I've been unable so far to reach anyone associated with Evolution to get their advice/help....

The plate amps that came in my subs both failed, then one replacement amp failed. The company was gone by this time, so I found and purchased two matching Dayton amps. One failed under warranty, one just beyond warranty. I noticed a pair of failed REL T5 amps were sold on DIYaudio.

I've given up on plate amps, they are unreliable IMO.. I bought a miniDSP crossover and a Crown XLi 1500 stereo amp for my subs. The miniDSP has far more sophisticated processing than a plate amp crossover, and the Crown sounds a lot better than the plate amps ever did.

 

[Solypsa]

Or a Powersoft amp with built in ( very good ) dsp

 

[wil]

Or a Powersoft amp with built in ( very good ) dsp

I had a couple of plate amps go out on my prior JL Audio subs as well.

In this case, it seems a little beyond the threshold of coincidence or bad plate amps when it goes out 3 times in a year and from the same sub every time. But I what do I know...

 

[Solypsa]

You know that a very high end speaker is having a lot of amp failures at your house

For me a real high end ( true low bass ) subwoofer using many low fs drivers needs a proper sub amp, which could be a plate amp but often they are a compromise.

@christensenleif@msn.com has some current Powersoft experience...

 

[Solypsa]

Btw if one of your drivers or some of the wiring were shorted I would think the failure would happen in minutes/hours not months...

 

[Solypsa]

@wil are you considering ditching the plate amps altogether?