Well, my BF 210 has a big problem and I purchased it new in July 2021. Here is what it is doing.

[Robert D]

The good thing is that it is still under the 3 year warranty. The bad news is that I dont have the wooden shipping skid any more. Maybe I will be able to get it serviced locally through the Martin Logan dealer in town.

The problem just started tonight out of nowhere. I had just finished watching The Empire Strikes Back on disc. I turned on the tv and after a few minutes I heard a thumping sound. It sounded like someone was pounding on the floor above me. I was ready to go upstairs and tell me daughter to stop, but then checked the sub and sure enough the sound was coming from it. The blue logo light on top is blinking and each time it blinks the woofers do a thump. The thump is rhytmic and happens about once every second. Its as if the sub is turning off and then back on. Its that kind of sound, like when it first powers up. Its not really loud, but you can hear it very clearly.

I tried unplugging the power and then plug back, the problem returns. I tried unplugging the RCA cable and the problem is still there. I turned off everything and the problem is there. The problem is in the subwoofer. I even tried having all inputs, the RCA unplugged, and the switch to on so it would turn on and the sound is there. It wont stop. Its like a metronome. Thump, thump, thump. The blue logo turns off and then back on, blinks with the rhythm of the sound. The sub still outputs bass with signals input, but the problem occurs on top of that and is constant.

Anyone have an idea of whats wrong with it? Im glad I didnt buy the Dynamo 1600x yet. Im starting to lose faith in the quality of Martin Logan. My Depth i sub went out too, but it was much older. This sub is less than 2 years old!

Meanwhile I just got back from the Cleveland Clinic after having had a bad defibrillator lead replaced and cant lift more than 10 lbs. My chest has a big incision that has to heal. It was a very rough heart surgery and I cant strain that area. Im stuck with this thumping sub right now. Im pissed. If I lift anything over 10 lbs I risk damaging the new lead and that could be lethal for me.

 

[Robert D]

To be clear, the sub is making the thumping sound even when its not plugged into any source. Just power in and the switch turned to ON. I think the amp has gone bad. Not even 2 years old.

 

[ttocs]

Probably a capacitor gone bad.

You can probably remove the circuit board(s) and send just those to ML. Hopefully as easy to remove as the Masterpiece speaker amp boards.

 

[Robert D]

Probably a capacitor gone bad.

You can probably remove the circuit board(s) and send just those to ML. Hopefully as easy to remove as the Masterpiece speaker amp boards.

That's what I was wondering. I had it unplugged all night and just plugged it in. The heart beat like sound starts right up. Kinda weird since I just had my heart operated on.

 

[Robert D]

Another thing I forgot to mention. Back about 6 months ago the auto sense stopped working on it, so I just plugged in a 12 volt cable and used that to turn it in and off. I wonder if the two problems are connected? I probably should have had that fixed right away, but Iiked using the 12 volt method better anyhow so just ignored it.

The signal sense on my new depth i went out just like that, so it's an ongoing problem with ML subs. My local dealer fixed the depth for me. It was broken right out of the box. The speaker would come on with music but then never turn off. Same thing happened with this bf210. The depth i didn't have the 12v plug though.

 

[Russr]

No intention to "smother" you, RD, but probably best to ask your local dealer to come along & either grab the whole box or the power/am board(s) ... you probably shouldn't even be manhandling that "lil" box while recuperating!

Good luck with the repair... could be power supply, could be servo-circuit, who knows...

 

[Leporello]

The good thing is that it is still under the 3 year warranty. The bad news is that I dont have the wooden shipping skid any more. Maybe I will be able to get it serviced locally through the Martin Logan dealer in town.

The problem just started tonight out of nowhere. I had just finished watching The Empire Strikes Back on disc. I turned on the tv and after a few minutes I heard a thumping sound. It sounded like someone was pounding on the floor above me. I was ready to go upstairs and tell me daughter to stop, but then checked the sub and sure enough the sound was coming from it. The blue logo light on top is blinking and each time it blinks the woofers do a thump. The thump is rhytmic and happens about once every second. Its as if the sub is turning off and then back on. Its that kind of sound, like when it first powers up. Its not really loud, but you can hear it very clearly.

I tried unplugging the power and then plug back, the problem returns. I tried unplugging the RCA cable and the problem is still there. I turned off everything and the problem is there. The problem is in the subwoofer. I even tried having all inputs, the RCA unplugged, and the switch to on so it would turn on and the sound is there. It wont stop. Its like a metronome. Thump, thump, thump. The blue logo turns off and then back on, blinks with the rhythm of the sound. The sub still outputs bass with signals input, but the problem occurs on top of that and is constant.

Anyone have an idea of whats wrong with it? Im glad I didnt buy the Dynamo 1600x yet. Im starting to lose faith in the quality of Martin Logan. My Depth i sub went out too, but it was much older. This sub is less than 2 years old!

Meanwhile I just got back from the Cleveland Clinic after having had a bad defibrillator lead replaced and cant lift more than 10 lbs. My chest has a big incision that has to heal. It was a very rough heart surgery and I cant strain that area. Im stuck with this thumping sub right now. Im pissed. If I lift anything over 10 lbs I risk damaging the new lead and that could be lethal for me.

Sounds very much like a switching power supply failing to bootstrap issue. For someone who knows what they are doing, it should be an easy fix. The problem is finding someone who is authorized to do ML warranty repairs, if anyone. It would be a pain to have to send it back to Kansas for that. A good argument for saving all your packaging, if you can possibly spare the space.

My Descent i was purchased on eBay from someone who didn't have the packaging materials and didn't have a good idea of how to pack it. All the tree fasteners on the grills got destroyed. Fortunately, nothing else.

Good luck with your defib. I've been on the 10 pound limit for eye and hernia surgeries, but nothing as serious as yours. Speedy recovery and hope you get your sub fixed hassle free. At least you don't have to live without an entire main speaker, though.

 

[Leporello]

Another thing I forgot to mention. Back about 6 months ago the auto sense stopped working on it, so I just plugged in a 12 volt cable and used that to turn it in and off. I wonder if the two problems are connected? I probably should have had that fixed right away, but Iiked using the 12 volt method better anyhow so just ignored it.

The signal sense on my new depth i went out just like that, so it's an ongoing problem with ML subs. My local dealer fixed the depth for me. It was broken right out of the box. The speaker would come on with music but then never turn off. Same thing happened with this bf210. The depth i didn't have the 12v plug though.

I doubt they're related, unless the sense circuit went crazy and just started turning the sub on and off. Possible, I guess.

 

[Leporello]

Probably a capacitor gone bad.

You can probably remove the circuit board(s) and send just those to ML. Hopefully as easy to remove as the Masterpiece speaker amp boards.

I doubt that it would be exactly feather weight, though. Probably over the 10 pound limit.

 

[Len44]

Robert, above all -- please do not risk yourself or get anywhere close to the 10 lb limit. A pain, I know, but just not worth the risk. Best of luck on the repair of the sub.

 

[ttocs]

^^^What he said.

 

[Robert D]

No intention to "smother" you, RD, but probably best to ask your local dealer to come along & either grab the whole box or the power/am board(s) ... you probably shouldn't even be manhandling that "lil" box while recuperating!

Good luck with the repair... could be power supply, could be servo-circuit, who knows...

Yeah, I don't know much about these things. Im just not sure if my local dealer will help out since I didn't buy it here locally. I bought from our friend Shawn here at DaVinci Audio. I'll probably give them a call later today.

 

[Len44]

Yeah, I don't know much about these things. Im just not sure if my local dealer will help out since I didn't buy it here locally. I bought from our friend Shawn here at DaVinci Audio. I'll probably give them a call later today.

I'm certain Shawn would be very helpful. As we have learned, Shawn is a real stand-up individual who actively seeks to do the right thing.

 

[Robert D]

I doubt that it would be exactly feather weight, though. Probably over the 10 pound limit.

I think I can handle taking it out, but maneuvering the sub to get at it is out of the question probably . I don't want to damage this new lead. I have to wait 6 weeks for scar tissue to form around it and fasten it down.

Hopefully my local guys can come over and take out the guts thst are in question. I guess they could just take the whole thing. Probably best to do that. Just not sure how Martin Logan compensates the dealer.

 

[Robert D]

I'm certain Shawn would be very helpful. As we have learned, Shawn is a real stand-up individual who seeks to do the right thing.

Yeah. I'm hoping he can arrange with Martin Logan to work with my local dealer.

 

[Robert D]

Here is my incision.

 

[Robert D]

I was all ready to order that ML 1600x sub to use as near field. Now I'm thinking avoid that and go for Power Sound Audio. Use that wireless adapter from Martin Logan. I've not had good luck with ML subwoofers.

 

[user 49612]

I’m going to add my few cents here. ML is not perfect. Neither is anyone else. A difference I have noticed is ML stands behind their products. Everything is user serviceable. I bet if you reached out to ML support with serial and receipt you would have a new amp board by the end of the week. They may not even want the old one back.

Subs have a hard life. They are designed to have to play the lowest frequencies and just be hammered. Some subs have very very strict limiters and very little power : those rarely fail and never actually sound good. To my ears the BF212 smokes every sub out there. Sure, a 21” outputs more expecially below 20hz. Above that, there is no Rel, JL or anything else near the shear excellence of ML subs. If mine broke tomorrow I’d replace it in a heartbeat under warranty or not.

Timing sucks. But I’d see about getting replacement parts, fixing it up, and buying either another 210 or that 1600 and enjoying the best bass money buys.
This is me. Yes I love ML subs. Yes I am biased. But YES ML earned it far as I’m concerned.

ML subs or a $200 sound bar. I won’t stay in audio without ML equipment.

 

[Robert D]

I’m going to add my few cents here. ML is not perfect. Neither is anyone else. A difference I have noticed is ML stands behind their products. Everything is user serviceable. I bet if you reached out to ML support with serial and receipt you would have a new amp board by the end of the week. They may not even want the old one back.

Subs have a hard life. They are designed to have to play the lowest frequencies and just be hammered. Some subs have very very strict limiters and very little power : those rarely fail and never actually sound good. To my ears the BF212 smokes every sub out there. Sure, a 21” outputs more expecially below 20hz. Above that, there is no Rel, JL or anything else near the shear excellence of ML subs. If mine broke tomorrow I’d replace it in a heartbeat under warranty or not.

Timing sucks. But I’d see about getting replacement parts, fixing it up, and buying either another 210 or that 1600 and enjoying the best bass money buys.
This is me. Yes I love ML subs. Yes I am biased. But YES ML earned it far as I’m concerned.

ML subs or a $200 sound bar. I won’t stay in audio without ML equipment.

Just seems like I have had bad luck I suppose. Never had subs break down so early. Hopefully I can get this resolved fairly fast and easy. Martin Logan has been fair to me so far. Im very happy with the new Prodigy panels I bought from them. Ron is good there too.

 

[user 49612]

Just seems like I have had bad luck I suppose. Never had subs break down so early. Hopefully I can get this resolved fairly fast and easy. Martin Logan has been fair to me so far. Im very happy with the new Prodigy panels I bought from them. Ron is good there too.

I’ve never had subs last this long…let alone sound this good. IMO the days of a sub lasting 20 years are gone. Our content, room size and expectations have grown with crap power.

Friendly tip…always make sure that plate amp is connected to a surge suppressor. Yes, they do nothing if lightning actually strikes your house, but I do believe if you just plug it straight into the wall your speed up it’s failure