Appendix A: Service Information

Warranty Service

Details concerning Warranty Service are spelled out in the Warranty section on page 15.

If you think your TAPCO SW•10 has a problem, please do everything you can to confirm it before calling for service. Doing so might save you from the deprivation of your subwoofer and the associated suffering.

These may sound obvious to you, but here are some things you can check. Read on.

Troubleshooting

No Power

•Our favorite question: Is it plugged in?

•Make sure line cord is securely seated in the line cord socket and plugged all the way into the AC outlet.

•Make sure the AC outlet is live (check with a tester or lamp).

•Is the POWER switch in the ON position?

•If you are certain that the AC outlet is live and there is still no power, it is possible the fuse has blown.

To remove and replace the fuse:

1.Disconnect the power cord from the IEC socket.

2.Remove the fuse drawer by prying it open with a small screwdriver. It will slide all the way out.

FUSE

3.Remove the fuse and replace it with an equivalent-type fuse.

115VAC unit: 1.6 amp slo-blo (T 1.6 A H/250 V)

230VAC unit: 800 milliamp slo-blo (T 800 mA H/250 V)

4.Replace the fuse drawer by pushing it all the way back into the IEC socket.

If two fuses blow in a row, then something is very wrong. See the “Repair” section on the next page to find out what to do.

No Sound

•Is the INPUT SENSITIVITY control turned up?

•Is the signal source turned up? Make sure the signal level from the mixing console (or whatever device immediately precedes the subwoofer) is high enough to produce sound.

Bad Sound

•Is the input connector plugged completely into the jack?

•Is it loud and distorted? Reduce the signal level at the mixer.

•If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the preamp stage. If it sounds bad there, it’s not the subwoofer.

•Too much bass or not enough bass? Move around the room and see if the bass response changes. It’s possible your listening position coincides with a room mode where the low frequencies either become exaggerated or nulled. If so, try moving the subwoofer to a different position, or moving your listening position. Also, try switching the polarity switch.

Noise/Hum

•Check the signal cable between the mixer and the subwoofer. Make sure all connections are secure. These problems usually produce crackling noises or hum.

•If connecting an unbalanced output to the SW•10 balanced input, make sure the shield is connected to the unbalanced ground and to pin 1 of the XLR.

•If a CATV cable is connected to the system, try disconnecting it. If the hum goes away, call your cable carrier to check for proper grounding of the cable.

•Make sure the signal cable is not routed near AC cables, power transformers, or other EMI sources (including wall warts and line lumps!). These sources usually produce hum.

•Is there a light dimmer or other triac-based (SCR) device on the same AC circuit as the subwoofer? Dimmers cause buzzing noises. Use an AC line filter or plug the subwoofer into a different AC circuit.

•If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged in. If it sounds noisy there, it’s not the subwoofer.

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