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Thanks for all of the welcomes and repair tips. Sorry I have been busy with other things haven't had a chance to check back on this board.(One of them being repairing an old Franklin Ace computer) Now I can get back to working on the sub. So far I have only replaced the two 2200 uf capacitors. That seems to have gotten rid of the hum. But now when I try to drive it with an audio signal I only get loud pops every now and then. I'm going to read through the tips that wrf posted. The sub appears to be in good physical condition and I would say I am the first one to have opened it since it was new. Like wrf suggested, I think I'll start replacing all of the low voltage caps.

Unfortunately we don't have a schematic for the TS MK IV. We have them for the TS EQ and the TS Junior, but no MkIV. Here's a thread that offers several tips. In general, the TS MK "X" subs are full of bad capacitors. Problems with hum, auto on/off, strange pops and clicks are common. A good policy is to replace them all except the two big ones mounted to the front panel. If you want to cherry pick, a good place to start are the low voltage power supply caps in the corner of the bottom board, mounted next to all the hot resistors. There are also four smaller caps clustered together on the preamp board, that are among the first to go. BE CAREFUL. The big high voltage supply caps hold a charge for a VERY long time. Best to check them and discharge them before touching anything. They can and will deliver a serious shock that can blow the tips off screw drivers, burn body parts and leave you with numb hands or fingers. Here's a post that may help. There are other, look around.

Hello Steve, and welcome to thecarversite.com. We're glad you're hear. There is a lot of information here, much technical know how, and a pretty good bunch of folks that are happy to help. I have no experience with Sunfire subs, but hopefully someone here that does will chime in. There are some threads regarding Sunfire sub repair, so maybe this link will help: https://thecarversite.com/search/?q="sunfire subs"&quick=1&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy Once you get to Novice status, please consider uploading some pics of your gear in the Members Systems area. We all like pics of all kinds of audio gear. In the meantime, kick your shoes off, turn up the music, and welcome aboard.

Peter is a writer that passed away. He is respected by Bob Carver and is science based. Bob recommended Peter to me. Here is a good introduction to Peter. Enjoy! I agree with what Peter says about vacuum tube products overall as they were, but Bob has improved them significantly since Peter wrote this. Gone are the high heat and high maintenance and soft bottom end due to the common tube amp voltage sag. Definitely not your fathers tube amps. https://www.ecoustics.com/articles/ten-biggest-lies-audio/

Hello All, I have owned a Sunfire HRS-8 Sub for about 4 years. I was so impressed with it's performance that when a Sunfire True Subwoofer MKIV came up for sale on the Goodwill auction site I had to take a chance on it. Unfortunately when I plugged it in it has a very loud hum. After spending some time searching the internet for repair help I came across this site. I already have several of the electrolytic caps on order. But I have not had much luck finding a schematic for this beast. I would very much appreciate any help from anyone that has gone down this road before.

It would be special if several of Bob’s processing ideas were in one box. That would make a statement about Bob being correct for decades of his processing inventions.

When I hit the lottery this will be on the list. I wish 😀

I thought Ethan Winer addressed the wire issue nicely with this YouTube post:

Having worked with Eaton on some aircraft systems, they are above the audiophile engineering BS.. Science based company, no bull.

The first Triplite product that I bought was a long time ago from a surplus store. I believe that it was an isolation transformer. The metal case was heavy as way the rest of the unit. The unit did not ever give trouble, but I never found it to improve my audio experience either. Years later, I bought another unit but it was for keeping the AC voltage at a steady level per many different windings of a special transformer. Perhaps it did its job, but the relays were almost constantly changing at times. Well, so much for having that sort of contraption in an audio system. Apparently a volt or two caused a relay to click to another secondary, and who knows maybe that is a good thing for computers. There are a very few audio tweaks that actually could be heard, but then are they improving the sound or just changing it? With the Korg SP1 tube, I believe that it is the biasing of the tube that causes it to produce different amounts of distortion of the music second harmonic. Some (me included) like the added distortion in some cases, so it would be one of the few tweaks that I would stand behind. If this is what you like to hear in audio, then right or wrong be damned. You have the say so. Of course Bob proved that the sound of his amplifiers could be changed to sound like many others being produced at that time. I still love the idea that someone can walk into a situation and be confident of the outcome. Man, I would have loved to listen first hand at that event.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Carver Site!

Welcome to the Carver Site!

Hello and welcome to the site. I had a MK4 Sunfire that was fine in my house but when plugged into a friend of mine he had a bad hum. Try different rooms on different circuits and see if it makes a difference. He eventually found a circuit that was quiet.

Welcome, @Steve Snow, glad you found us. That's a good sub - and worth fixing, if it is not catastrophically damaged. Hang around a while, and add some content. We love pictures!

Hi Steve, Welcome to TCS.. Enjoy!

Hi Steve Welcome to the site!!!! Great to have you.

Welcome to the site! There are few members that have dug deep in to the Sunfire subs. Keep searching the site. Be patient for someone to respond... it's summer

I learned the hard way. I had 2 -M400s and a C1 in the late 1980s. My brother in law hooked me up with guy selling them used. I loved that Carver system. It was out of my budget if not for finding a crazy good deal from a (once) wealthy guy with a coke issue, selling cheap. Sad but true. Had that system a couple years and kept reading audio magazines and specifications like they are a science of their own.. Resistive load test numbers. So the Adcom GFA 555 had better numbers than the Carver. If I could sell the Carver I could get the new Adcom that should sound even better.. I sold the Carver gear, went to Columbia A/V and bought a new GFA 555 and Adcom preamp I don't remember the model # . Damn that was one of the biggest disappointment of my life.. I sold the Carver and was stuck with the Adcom.. I couldn't afford to get the Carver back again for 20 years, while raising kids and living the dream. Every time I turned on that Adcom, I kicked my own ass for 20 years. This is why we sell with the in-home Carver Amp Challenge. People have to hear Bob's work. Reading test numbers and reading audiophile magazine reviews of the "special" amp of the month, bit me in the ass to put it bluntly. The media in my case was more harm to my enjoyment of the hobby than good. The GFA 555 review was worse than worthless for me. It cost 20 years of enjoyment. You have to hear audio products for yourself because the media is not in the business of looking out for you.. If an audio company won't let you hear it without charging a restocking fee, if the sonic value is not there. I walk away. Why pay a $1000 restocking fee on a $5000 product. We want customers to compare with no restocking fee. Its best for Bob Carver and the great customers.

Thought that was James Hetfield for a moment.