Buzzing noise from THTLP ** SOLVED **

[DaveMacKay]

I’ve had a pair of THTLP subwoofers for a couple of years. They’re wonderful.

When I first set them up, I had used REW to choose the best positions for them in order to maximize SPL and then used REW and MSO (Multi-Sub Optimizer) to dial them in. They sounded OK but I had enormous seat-to-seat variation in my listening positions.

Recently I went through that set-up process again, but this time I strove to make the seat-to-seat variation as small as possible. This led to new placement for the subs (from the left-front and right-rear diagonal corners to the two corners at the front of the room). I re-ran the EQ using REW and MSO. The result was MUCH improved.

However, shortly after relocating the THTLPs, I started to notice a buzzing sound. It took me a while, but I was able to locate it as coming from the right-front subwoofer. I moved things out of the way so that I could get to the sub. I used hot glue to make sure that loose wires weren’t moving about and took off the base so that I could tighten the screws holding the driver in place. Convinced I had done all that could be done, I put my system back together so that I could test to see if the buzzing was gone.

It wasn’t.

After some more investigation — and no small amount of head scratching — I found the cause of the buzzing. It turned out that the buzzing wasn’t coming from the THTLP — it was coming from the HVAC (air conditioning) duct in the floor near the subwoofer. At low frequencies the duct was resonating and making a buzzing noise. I ended up eliminating the problem (for now) by stuffing a towel in the duct, thereby damping it.

Now that I’ve found and fixed the source of the annoying buzzing, I can’t help but find the whole exercise to have been funny. I hope it amuses you too.

[Seth]

I'm guessing any and all wall art in that room and probably every other room in the house are all secured with cushy two sided tape or otherwise secured in place with lag bolts LOL

Glad you got it sorted Dave

[Tom Smit]

I am REALLY glad that you found the source of the buzz, Dave. Hopefully, you'll be able to fix the buzz in a proper fashion since the weather hasn't been that warm, of late.