Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater My EP500 saga

If you want to test the EP500 and eliminate that as a problem here's something you can try:

If you have an iPod or other MP3 player get yourself a 3.5mm to RCA adaptor cable. Turn the volume ALL THE WAY DOWN on the MP3 player. Set the gain/volume on the sub to about 1/4-1/3 of maximum. Make sure the sub is OFF then plug the MP3 player into the sub using the cable. I typically connect the left channel but I don't think it really matters. Turn on the sub and MP3 player then play a song with some good bass in it. Slowly turn the volume up on the player.

You should be able to turn the volume up pretty high on the MP3 player with the sub set at 1/4-1/3 but increase it slowly. With an EP500 you should be able to FEEL the bass from it. Especially in your small room.

If the EP500 works fine then it's an issue with your receiver's subwoofer line-level pre-out. IF you still get very little output with the MP3 player cranked up you can try turning up the EP500. If you need to get past 1/2 with the EP500 before you really feel it slamming then there's probably a problem with the EP500.

Right now the channel levels are all at 0 and I still have to put the volume past 12 0 clock Im not kidding. When I emailed axiom to see if this is normal (which I knew it wasnt just wanted to see what they said) JC came back and said they lowered the gain control. Its like I have to crank it past 12 with ME RIGHT NEXT TO IT IN A SMALL BEDROOM just to notice it. And if I crank it all the way it still doesnt shake my room but the bass that comes out on some parts only is a little distortion present. Something is wrong because my EP175 was actually louder. I am going to compare it to another sub and with another amp. I can watch I whole movie with the volume ALL THE WAY UP if it isnt an action movie. Even an action movie on full volume only has a little distorted parts and it doesnt even shake the small room a little. I am watching The Hulk right now with the volume ALL THER WAY UP and it doesnt even shake my small bedroom. Yup something is wrong somewhere. I always had the volume on the EP175 all the way up which leads me back to the amp.

My new Oppo player has direct analog output at 5.1 can I just plug the sub out put into the sub? For that test?

Those channel levels you speak of are very important. You will have a channel level for each of your speakers and subwoofer. If they are all set to 0, go into the subwoofer channel level in your receiver and increase it from 0 to +2 (the receiver manual will be of great reference). Then play around with the 500 volume knob and see if you notice any difference beginning at the starting position to the 12 0'clock position and beyond if need be. If there is a noticable difference and it is not satisfactory enough increase this setting to +3 or +4, try again and come back to us with your thoughts.