B & W 801 Series II red warning light on

Is there a reset button or anything? (woofer wont work do to safety shut down)....
Can take them to my repair guy but thought Id try here first, these suckers are super heavy LOL

 

I think that would mean that your amp is supplying DC to the B&W, so it keeps the protection circuit active and the woofer relay open. There is no reset, relay should close if there is not enough signal to trigger the protection. It's powered by the audio signal, hence the APOC acronym (audio powered overload circuit). If there is DC on the speaker, that would indicate a problem with your amplifier. Do you have any kind of meter to measure voltage at the output of amplifier?

BTW, I had a friend with some of these, and back int he 90s we rebuilt the crossovers with some much better film capacitors and a few other changes, including removing the APOC circuit, similar to what you can get for pretty big bucks from North Creek Music, and it was pretty startling how much the sound was changed, very much for the better, really opened them up. But that's a pretty big job. First, you need to get them working

 

Im shipping them off to have them repaired.

 

But the problem is likely the amp, not the speaker, that was my point.

 

not with the 801 protection circuit, as they have a history of problems due to the circuit, and not caused by amplifier issues. A lot of owners also bypassed the APOC, especially on the midrange section.

 

OK, but wouldn't you check the amplifier first before shipping a huge set of speakers off someplace to have them repaired? If the amp is DC coupled, the problem could be with the preamp too. The LED can't light and relay open unless it's getting enough power from someplace. If it was me, I'd make a measurement, or hook it up to a different preamp/amp set first.

 

The power for the circuit comes from the audio signal from the amp.

 

Exactly, so for the woofer protection to activate, it has to be either getting some very low frequency power (like DC), or some very high power at higher frequencies in the woofer range (unlikely). In any case, there isn't enough information to troubleshoot it online. If it is only one speaker, why not hook it up to the other side of the amp and see if it still trips the protection. Does it trip with no music? With volume all the way down? Different source selected? You can download the service manual online if interested in the circuit ...

Matrix 801 S2-TM.pdf

 

Yes, also in this case, in another thread the thread starter did some phono stage gain / loading changes with the system on, and the speaker protection problem occurred with the loud transients from that. But yes, I would swap the L/R speaker cables to check.

 

I tried them with my other amp and pre and had the same issue...

 

Switched the speakers also, same problem on same speaker.

 

Are you the new Brian Gupton?? That dude had one problem after another.

 

And always ended in major drama!

 

He ended up selling all of his equipment, and running away with his girlfriend.

 

Did he selling his $700,000.00 record collection??

 

Ha! I'm not sure.

 

Nope...problem solved! I ordered a new pair of B&W 804's
Ill get the 801's fixed and move on.

 

Well that was an easy fix!

 

Yp 7 days without vinyl is a PITA

 

Hang in there, you will get thru it my friend...and with a choice of B&Ws to listen thru!

 

Yeah love B&W speakers

 

Me too- I just got a pair of Nautilus 805s for my second system.

 

Sweet!!

 

At least he had a girlfriend.