Velodyne DD15 - worth repairing the plate amp?

Thanks rwwear. Paul from EBC (thank you for replying !!!) commented regarding the suspicious caps

"they are not leaked. it is a glue the manufacture used to hold them in place. it degraded over the time and became cranchy but should not be an issue.does it have video menu when you connect it to a tv/monitor?". 

Next, I will make a plate to fill the plate amp hole, get one of my class D amps and hook up to sub out of receiver and connect the Velodyne to the amp. See how it sounds.

Will also try if I can (as Paul suggests) to hook up to a TV/monitor. 

I forgot to point out that Origin Acoustics is the US distributor of Velodyne. They do have parts but it was more expensive for them. Although they would be better if you needed to send the plate amp to them for repair in the US.The caps were bad in mine as well as the SMDs on the board. I don't think you will have good luck using an outboard amp because of the EQ and power that is involved with the DD series. But you may if you used something like mini DSP with a powerful amp.https://www.minidsp.com/products/minidsp-in-a-box/minidsp-2x4-hd

The DD series does have a video output which is very helpful. The DD Plus is the newer model. It also has computer connections. The DD Plus series uses the same amps as the DD models. That's one reason the amps are still available.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Robert

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.