Velodyne DD15 - worth repairing the plate amp?


The amp in my 2008 Velodyne DD15 is dead as a door nail. 

How good is this old marvel compared to today's offerings?

Worth investing another $500 (to have amp repaired, incl roundtrip shipping, tax, etc)? Or just use as passive sub?

How does it compete to modern subs, for example SBS SB-2000 or SB-3000 (both under $1k pre owned)?

kraftwerkturbo

Another option is to use a Velodyne SMS-1 with a power amp to replace the subwoofer plate amp.

Since my two DD-12 Plus are working fine I haven't visited Velodyne Acoustics GmbH in a while.

Early on they had links to internationally located service providers who seemed to have changed over time. It appears they're now using the RMA form method to begin service concerns.

 

@rwwear  You have to make sure the amp is for your model because they have to be programmed for different DD subs. The DD-15 and DD-18 use the same amp but different programming. And they all look alike. 

The fellow who helped me during my visit to Morgan Hill mentioned something about different model programing within the same series. 

To my knowledge DD Plus is the only processing were its Sweep Tones are played through both the main speakers and the sub/s as Auto EQ develops the subwoofers digital parameters to support the main speakers analog timbre and low frequency output all within the room. Afterwords the user can make further presets adjustments to taste.  

  

No the DD series has automatic room and main speaker EQ if you run the output into your preamp. But I never use the electronic xover in the sub for the main speakers. I want my mains to run full range without any other electronics to distort the signal.

Another option is to use a Velodyne SMS-1 with a power amp to replace the subwoofer plate amp.

That's a possibility but remember the DD has a 1350 watt amp and EQing a sub down to below 20hz requires exponential amounts of power.

My Eureka moment actually came when I selected 'small' for my front speakers (even so they are BIG floor standing speakers) and send everything below 50 to the sub. Not sure WHY it sound SO MUCH better, likely because the receiver does not have to deal with all the heavy lifting for the low octaves. Now I even run my Nautilus 804 as 'small',  the 18" in sealed enclosure driven by LT1300 (ICE design) sub amp does the heavy lifting.