Bass/Treble Controls

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kberg
kberg Posts: 974
edited August 2003 in Speakers
Hey Gang,

Just wondering how many of you change your bass/treble controls from their default "0" settings and why for whatever you listen to, be it movies or music.

I like the sound from my system to be on the brighter side, so my treble setting (and I know this is specific to my receiver) is set to +8 out of +12. My bass is boosted to +2. This is just more of a pole on who likes what than trying to determine what is right or wrong.
Mains: polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired)
Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
Display: JVC HD-56G786
DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
Post edited by kberg on
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  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited August 2003
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    Forever (prior to arriving here at club polk) I always ran my bass and treble high, bass +4 - +6 and treble same or higher, now with my more refined hearing ( i think anyways) I use more moderate settings, treble +0 flat and bass either 0 or +2 max, it makes the rti70's less bright and still gives a fair amount of bass, and the sub picks up the rest.
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2

    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited August 2003
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    Originally posted by kberg
    so my treble setting (and I know this is specific to my receiver) is set to +8 out of +12

    ouch that is some mega treble

    My preamp doesn't even have bass and treble controls, flat all the way. But hey man if that is where it is at for you it's cool
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited August 2003
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    I run mine flat! My pre amp doesn't even have tone controls.
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2003
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    agree with hoosier, my primary preamp doesn't have tone controls (I doesn't even have electricity, actually) the others are either flat or switched off.

    Having said that, how it sounds to YOU is what's important. How i like it couldn't mean any less.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited August 2003
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    Originally posted by TroyD

    Having said that, how it sounds to YOU is what's important. How i like it couldn't mean any less.

    BDT

    Yep - totally agree. Just polling to find out who prefers what. I know, perhaps a meaningless thread - just curious since there are a lot of tweakers out there who may have these controls but never thought to use them.
    Mains: polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired)
    Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
    Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
    Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
    Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
    Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
    Display: JVC HD-56G786
    DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
    DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
    Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2003
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    Oh, I wasn't dismissing the validity of the question at all....

    I'm just of the opinion that if YOU like it, that's all that's really important. Having said that, turn that treble DOWN, will ya? ;)

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited August 2003
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    I used to attempt zen whoopie via all manner of tone combinations. Now, years later, I find I prefer everything flat as a pancake; this may happen to you, too.

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited August 2003
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    With the LSi I play both of my systems flat. When I had the Studio 40s in the two channel rig I used to boost the bass +2 because the bass isn't as good as the LSi 9.

    I really prefer flat though and truer to the original sound. It's all a matter of personal preference though. If you have the bass / treble controls its really what you like that matters the most.

    Paul
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited August 2003
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    What is a tone control? Treble? Bass? I like to go Bass fishing every now and then.

    If you have tone controls, try em out, find a setting you prefer, Ronco that **** - set it and forget it.

    However, I think once you truely achieve audio nirvana, aka Zen Whoopie, your will find yourself with speakers, cables, and a backend (source, amp, pre's) that suit your tastes WITHOUT need for tone controls, DSP modes, loudness, 3d Bass buttons etc etc.

    Not say **** speaker won't suit your needs with a little treble adjustment, but chances are you need 'brighter' interconns, pre amp stage, speakers, or any combo of the above.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited August 2003
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    Onkyo Receiver w/ RTi70s, I keep em flat. If I do want a little more or less bass, I'll turn the sub up or down. The treble is just about perfect for me out of the box
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  • rs159
    rs159 Posts: 1,027
    edited August 2003
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    If I had a bass peak at 100hz I might use it........

    Denon AVC-3030 direct mode all day.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited August 2003
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    Dude, don't say 'all day' unless in jest.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited August 2003
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    Here, too, tone controls dissappeared long ago from my pre's. Agree with the above that better equipment made them unnecessary, but better sources played their share as well.

    Old Dolby B cassettes demanded some treble reduction as hiss still came through. Old TT's sometimes needed bass trimming to ease off the rumble (the old Garrad).

    Early CD's were edgy, specially the many that were rushed to print with LP equalization still in place. But remastered CD's took care of that for the most part.

    But now with good CD's, a nice player (or two) and better TT's fronting the rest, tone controls are no longer needed.

    Now, a 20 notch/ ch equalizer? Whole notha story... :D
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • rs159
    rs159 Posts: 1,027
    edited August 2003
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    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    Dude, don't say 'all day' unless in jest.

    All night?

    Come on Russ, you know you love the LSi............;)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2003
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    Originally posted by hoosier21
    ouch that is some mega treble

    My preamp doesn't even have bass and treble controls, flat all the way. But hey man if that is where it is at for you it's cool


    Very ouch baby!

    most of the time for me both bass and treble are flat city. only when i encounter a bright CD that the 800i's enhance the brightness... so i ever turn down the treble. I'd turn it down to about... - 4 or so. then it's back to flat big fat 0

    Oh yeah kberg, what kind of receiver do you have? What kind of wires and interconnects do you use? +8 on the RTi70's seems hella treble trouble to me.

    Oh yeah kberg, we have almost identical speakers.. mine being the older RTxxxi of your speaks. 800i's, 400i, 300i and a teeny tiny 350 sub. :p
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited August 2003
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    danger, Thanks for the reminder to include my receiver in my profile (ONKYO TX-SR600). I just use std 16 g wire from Acoustic Research for all speaks.
    Mains: polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired)
    Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
    Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
    Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
    Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
    Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
    Display: JVC HD-56G786
    DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
    DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
    Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
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  • Sonic45
    Sonic45 Posts: 10
    edited August 2003
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    Back in the days before I bought my new audio system I had an amp/speaker setup that was so lousy words can't explain!

    Not only did I have the Bass and Treble controls on the receiver tweaked, I also had an external 10 band per channel audio equalizer that was adjusted so the slider knobs looked like slithering snakes!! And the audio was still crap!

    Now with my 45TX and Polk speakers that audio EQ sits in the garage gathering dust and the tone controls on the AVR are flat.
    Although I do admit that sometimes I enable the Loudness control late at night when I've got the volume set very low....
    Fronts: Polk RTi70 - Bi Wired
    Center: Polk CSi40 - Bi Wired
    Surrounds L/R: Polk FXi30 (Dipole)
    Surround Rears: RTi28 x 2
    Sub: SVS PB1-ISD
    Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-45TX
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  • Dr. Spec
    Dr. Spec Posts: 3,780
    edited August 2003
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    Kev:

    Are your tone controls bypassed in DD/DTS mode for HT?

    Mine are and I thought it was common.

    I never use tone controls for music. If I really felt the need to address a specific issue, I'd probably opt for a parametric EQ and really pin it down.

    Doc
    "What we do in life echoes in eternity"

    Ed Mullen (emullen@svsound.com)
    Director - Technology and Customer Service
    SVS
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  • kberg
    kberg Posts: 974
    edited August 2003
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    Originally posted by Dr. Spec
    Kev:

    Are your tone controls bypassed in DD/DTS mode for HT?

    Doc

    Nope, I can certainly tell the difference when increasing my T/B controls in both DD and DTS modes, but this only affects the front L/R speakers.
    Mains: polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired)
    Center: polkaudio CSi40 (bi-wired)
    Surrounds: polkaudio FXi30's
    Rear Center: polkaudio CSi30
    Sub: SVS 20-39 PC+
    Receiver: ONKYO TX-SR600
    Display: JVC HD-56G786
    DVD Player: SONY DVP-CX985V
    DVD Player: OPPO DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI
    Remote: Logitech Harmony H688
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  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited August 2003
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    My receiver lets you change tone in DD/DTS also, but the manual states this only controls the front mains also
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2

    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
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  • dark horror
    dark horror Posts: 33
    edited August 2003
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    I nearly all the time I run them flat, but sometimes I knock the treble down to -2 if it's a little to bright.

    With my LSi's I only run it flat.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,054
    edited August 2003
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    I run my treble on -6...and bass on 0
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited August 2003
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    treble 0 ..... bass +5
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