Naim NVi and sub-woofer - no signal?!!

Posted by: RobinS on 15 August 2013

Have been using my N-Vi with recently acquired sub-woofer (a BK XLS-200) with great success. DVD, CD plus digital playback via an Apple TV box, using the Dolby and Neo modes on the NVi.  However, all of a sudden, I am getting no sub-woofer channel.  All the other channels are working fine.   Using the speaker test mode, I did get sound from the sub-woofer but when I play music (from any of the sources), not a squeak (or woof)  from the sub.

 

Any suggestions for what might be going on?  Might I have done something daft....?!!

 

Many thanks

 

Robin

 

 

Posted on: 15 August 2013 by Richard Dane

I've moved this to the appropriate forum.  If the test is OK then that seems to indicate no issue.  Check your settings on the n-Vi.  Try a hard re-boot.  Also remember not all tracks have a .1 channel on discs. 

Posted on: 15 August 2013 by james n
Originally Posted by RobinS:

Have been using my N-Vi with recently acquired sub-woofer (a BK XLS-200) with great success. DVD, CD plus digital playback via an Apple TV box, using the Dolby and Neo modes on the NVi.  However, all of a sudden, I am getting no sub-woofer channel.  All the other channels are working fine.   Using the speaker test mode, I did get sound from the sub-woofer but when I play music (from any of the sources), not a squeak (or woof)  from the sub.

 

Any suggestions for what might be going on?  Might I have done something daft....?!!

 

Many thanks

 

Robin

 

 

It's a while since i've had my n-Vi but i'm IIRC to get LFE information to the sub from 2 channel sources you needed to enable bass mix. In the other surround modes there is a dedicated .1 channel for the sub. 

Posted on: 15 August 2013 by RobinS
Originally Posted by Richard Dane:

I've moved this to the appropriate forum.  If the test is OK then that seems to indicate no issue.  Check your settings on the n-Vi.  Try a hard re-boot.  Also remember not all tracks have a .1 channel on discs. 

Thanks Richard - understand your point re having a .1 track.  Will try a hard re-boot.  Its a regular feature with the NVi to get the CD to read!  But brilliant when it works

Posted on: 15 August 2013 by MDS

Robin

 

I don't if this will help but when I first got my n-Vi, a couple of years ago, I initially had trouble in getting the sub to work at times.  It was fine on 5.1 DVDs and TV transmissions but wouldn't work on PCM stereo broadcasts, CD play-back etc.  The bass mix was enabled.

At the time I was using five Focal Dome speakers and consequently had the speakers settings on "small".  My dealer made some enquiries and then obtained a Naim firmware update disc which had a fix for the sub not activating when the n-Vi was set to "small" front L & R speakers.  The firmware update cured the problem.  

 

MDS   

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by RobinS
Thanks - the hard re-boot seems to have done the trick.  Naim must have used MS Windows methinks.  Every so often its best to power it off completely and leave it for a while before re-booting!
 
Robin
 
Originally Posted by MDS:

Robin

 

I don't if this will help but when I first got my n-Vi, a couple of years ago, I initially had trouble in getting the sub to work at times.  It was fine on 5.1 DVDs and TV transmissions but wouldn't work on PCM stereo broadcasts, CD play-back etc.  The bass mix was enabled.

At the time I was using five Focal Dome speakers and consequently had the speakers settings on "small".  My dealer made some enquiries and then obtained a Naim firmware update disc which had a fix for the sub not activating when the n-Vi was set to "small" front L & R speakers.  The firmware update cured the problem.  

 

MDS   

 

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by MDS

Robin - glad to hear your n-Vi is back up and running.  I don't know if Richard's suggestion of a "hard re-boot" means turning the n-Vi off with the power switch at the back and waiting a few moments before powering up again. If so I have to do one about once a week because quite regularly the display tells me "system fault".  My dealer, who also has an n-Vi, says this is normal for the n-Vi.  

Still, it's a small inconvenience compared to the performance the n-Vi so I'm still happy with mine.

MDS  

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by RobinS
 
Yes, thats what I've been doing.  I've not got the 'system fault' symptom but mine loses the plot with the CD drive, refuses to recognise discs ad freezes.  Long experience with PCs helps......
However, as you say, when it works its brilliant and there is still nothing to compare with it.  I'm feeding the TV into it and also digital sources (Mac, iPhone) via Apple TV.  Works a treat with 5.1 through a full set of Linn  speakers
 
Just hope it keeps going!
 
Robin
 
Originally Posted by MDS:

Robin - glad to hear your n-Vi is back up and running.  I don't know if Richard's suggestion of a "hard re-boot" means turning the n-Vi off with the power switch at the back and waiting a few moments before powering up again. If so I have to do one about once a week because quite regularly the display tells me "system fault".  My dealer, who also has an n-Vi, says this is normal for the n-Vi.  

Still, it's a small inconvenience compared to the performance the n-Vi so I'm still happy with mine.

MDS  

 

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by Mike1380
With mine, I never put it in standby. It gets used every day to deal with even regular TV sound.
When I used to do the standby thing it was a weekly hard reset... permanently powered up it drops to maybe one hard reset a month.

Worth it though... just spent a great couple of hours watching Die Hard 2: Die Harder, which cannot seriously be a 23 year old film... please!?!?
Posted on: 17 August 2013 by james n

I was a very early adopter of the n-Vi and finally sold it on a year or so ago. Whilst picture and sound were well above the competition it was always a buggy, temperamental thing and probably my worst Naim experience. When the display failed, it went back to Naim for some remedial work and had its firmware updated. It came back a lot better but with a few different niggles which then required a weekly reboot. A great shame as we did get many happy hours of use from it when it was on song - it would normally let us down when we had the family over ( you spent how much on a DVD player !  ....)

Posted on: 18 August 2013 by RobinS
Sounds like a very similar story - mine's been back to Naim a couple of times.  But it does still produce a great picture and sound and the Apple TV has added digital input from iPhones, MacBooks and anything else on the network, which works a treat  
 
What did you replace it with?
Robin
 
Originally Posted by james n:

I was a very early adopter of the n-Vi and finally sold it on a year or so ago. Whilst picture and sound were well above the competition it was always a buggy, temperamental thing and probably my worst Naim experience. When the display failed, it went back to Naim for some remedial work and had its firmware updated. It came back a lot better but with a few different niggles which then required a weekly reboot. A great shame as we did get many happy hours of use from it when it was on song - it would normally let us down when we had the family over ( you spent how much on a DVD player !  ....)