I've been wanting to do this for a while, and I've finally done it. Question though, how safe is it? It's a very good switch, rated for 240V @10A. The patch cord between the switch and the sub is low resistance copper audio wire. The plugs have been crimped and soldered. I'm assuming it is a bad idea to switch the sub off while it's receiving signal, and that if I keep it off while under high power it may harm it. Am I right?
I crank down the bass in windows, and the actual volume switch on the sub, and I still get noise complaints [EDIT] Forgot to add: I live in an apartment, and due to my hours, I'm typically awake untill about 1-2AM (lately more like 4-5AM). So it's important to keep things "quiet"[/EDIT]
but i dont see the point in a 2.1 or 5.1 or whatever you have if you have the sub all the way off and then swtiched off. get some decent stereo speakers?? where did you pull that wire from which is switched? is it before or after the "amp" on that sub?
As I stated in a previous post, I shut it off at night when I can't blow the living **** out of my neighbors... I do have some good stereo speakers, I just enjoy my 5.1 a lot better. Believe me, I do use the sub during daylight hours. When this rig is cranked to about half way (speaker side, the computer itself is on max) I can hear and feal my system while standing beside the dumpster that sits on the otherside of the parking lot behind my building. Thats with doors/windows closed... Anyway, I pulled it after, as the amp is integrated on a PCB in the back which I was unable to pull off (the wires are so tight I couldn't remove it from the back of the box, would of had to break everything that is glued in the front half to get that bit out). The actual wire is the active, or signal wire.
hmm...awesome. i love that mod. myself, i dont need a switch like that, as the component stereo i run my audio through has a "turbo" mode that, when switched off, turns off the dual subs, allowing all the others in my house to sleep. which is a good thing, as my system is 460 watts, and can make my entire house shake, and can be heard clearly from the stop sign down the street when cranked up.
If you've placed the switch between the amp and the driver, depending on the type of amplifier they've used it probably won't be happy about that. I suppose if you used a SPDT switch and gave the amp a 4/6/8 ohm load while the sub was disconnected (wirewound power resistor) it would prevent damage.
That speaker may have serious inductance, which will cause arcing if the switch turns off while it carries current. The common cheap method to prevent this problem is a capacitor parallel to the switch contacts, but you can't do that because it will pass through AC current. If you know what the peak operating voltage at the speaker is you can put a surge arrestor in parallel to the speaker to limit the voltage across the switch to some value just above that peak. Mount the surge arrestor right at the speaker tabs. http://www.vishay.com/docs/29082/23225825.pdf
Heh, if that's the sub for the Z-680s, then I get the same complaints as you, my friend. I don't get noise complaints when I turn it down, though, so maybe you have thin floors or something... I live in a dorm, so I suppose the building was built to not have noise travel, heh.
Actualy, they're Z-640's, and they still kick a lot of ass sound wise... My friend has about 2000 watt's coursing through his system, cost him a few bucks, and when both of our systems are cranked, mine sounds a lot more clear (I'm talking craked to the point where when you are in the same building as the speakers, you can't even hear yourself scream). Anybody who disses logitech speakers because of their power, sucks. Anyway, as to the switch, I have absolutely no clue what you two are talking about If I have instructions I can do just about anything, but I honestly do not know what a surge arrestor is, nor a wirewound power resistor (well, on the second one I have some idea...).
