# BK Monolith - where's the sub bass?



## The Storm (Dec 24, 2011)

Hi all
I purchased my BK monolith subwoofer around 2006 after reading a test of it by Ilkka from a posting on this site. 
The problem is, i haven't used my sub for maybe 2 yrs and I've just bought a new AV receiver. It's an Arcam AVR400. I'm not getting anything out of sub, perhaps just a very very little vibration when i put my hand under the sub. I know there is nothing wrong with the amp as it's was taken out of the box in front of me and demonstrated working perfectly with a B&W PV1 sub.

I bought some new cables recently as the other ones were causing the sub to hum when ever they were close to electric cables.

the Arcam is connected correctly from its SUB pre-out to one of the terminal on the sub.
I have the following settings :
Set ALL speakers to small
Set cross over to 80Hz on the amp
Phase set to zero
Frequency Contour to MAX and then clicked on the dial
High Level Gain Zero
Low Level Gain 11 O'Clock 

I have run a SPL test/adjusted spl. from all speakers incl sub is 75DB, and also physically measured my speaker distances and adjusted accordingly.

what is it that I'm doing wrong? Please can you help with this as I wasn't expecting to watch movies over Xmas without a sub!
If something has failed then I'll have to speak to BK Electronics in the new year.
I was also considering the B&W ASW610 / Rel T3 if fixing it is too expensive.

someone please help this is sooo depressing.

Regards, Shaz


----------



## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

When you run your test tones, is your sub working?


----------



## The Storm (Dec 24, 2011)

yes it rumbles and the spl level meter sways.


----------



## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

So it's not a connection problem. By frequency contour, are you referring to the sub's internal crossover, and you've set it to bypass? In your AVR, you've set subwoofer to "yes" or similar? You are getting some sound from the sub during program material? What processing mode are you using during playback?


----------



## The Storm (Dec 24, 2011)

> By frequency contour, are you referring to the sub's internal crossover, and you've set it to bypass? 


Yes it's a dial on the sub itself, the manufacturer advised these settings.

>In your AVR, you've set subwoofer to "yes" or similar? 

exactly, i've set it to YES

>You are getting some sound from the sub during program material? 

it's almost nothing, when i put my hand underneath the sub there is a slight movement

>What processing mode are you using during playback?

i will check that later and message you back.


----------



## The Storm (Dec 24, 2011)

eugovector said:


> You are getting some sound from the sub during program material? What processing mode are you using during playback?


Sorry for the delay in writing back, xmas 'n all that! 

There has been some improvement since the last time I posted.
I re-ran setup and then sorted out the distances again. This didn't make any difference.

I have been advised that with Arcam AVR receivers the EQ setting is by default switched to off.
I enabled it. (pic attached). Things have definitely improved a lot - the 5 speaker have gelled together nicely.
The bass isn't as devastating as it used to be when I had it connected to my Denon AVC11SR receiver.

Can I also bring the following to your attention, see pic - sub_level1 
When adjusting speaker levels I can't adjust this level any lower than -10DB
on my SPL meter the reading is 81DB, the low level gain dial on my sub is set quite low-hardly 25% on the dial.
Could this be the source of the problem?

I'm not sure what dolby volume is , pic attached dolby_volume1
I have enabled it but haven't changed any of the settings.

Whilst playing a blu-ray from my ps3 it says either Dolby 7.1 or 5.1 and sound is coming from all speakers inc sub. The sub is much more responsive.

What should I do next?


----------

