New SVS owner with ?'s

mrpergo

I finally got an SVS 20-39pci:D I know pc+ is the better sub and value but I just couldn't swing it:(
My sub arrived Weds and has been sitting in my living room looking at me wondering why it's not singing but I'm waiting on some canare cable and ends from markertek which I thought would ship out of N.J. but are coming from Vegas.Now it's a raining Sunday here in Hilton and I just can't stand it anymore.I got to hook this baby up.I have some old factory made RG6 with screw on RCA ends that I'll use to test for the best location.(not a lot of options but I have two rear corners and one centered side wall)
I have noticed that many people chart their tones and make the necessary corrections from that.I've downloaded the program from tripods(is that the program that I should use?) but I can't get the test tones.When I click on the test tones it says action cancelled.Is there another place for test tones that work with this software?I have Avia and DVE will either of those work?
Any tips and help is always appreciated.I need this baby cranken for the ROTK on Tues.

gatemplin

Congrats on the new sub. You can use the test tones from http://www.snapbug.ws/bfd.htm you can also download the spreadsheet there.

Also you might want to read this thread, it may answer some questions you might have.

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18500

Edit: The tripod website does not seem to be working for me either.

mrpergo

gatemplin I went and downloaded all the test tones and spreadsheet from snapbug and burned them to cd.That part was easy.I don't have excel so I loaded the spreadsheet in MS Word which I believe does nothing for me because I don't find any graph options.
So what I did was mark down all the spl readings for the test tones on the spreadsheet and wrote them down then printed out the sample graph on the sight and marked my results on there.
I'll upload the graph and hopefully someone will be able to answer some more questions that I have.
Graphs and charts are cool (better with the computer doing it:p )but I need to know what they're telling me.

mrpergo

This is the graph I made.The black line is mine.I had to copy the sample off the BFD sight:p
This is with the gain 1/4 up and the phase at about 45 played on stereo mode.I'm not sure if that's right or not.I have that big peak at 50 and then again at the end.I changed the phase to about 60 and it followed the same contour just the DB's levels were higher.I haven't tried a different location yet because I'm hoping to have this one work.
I would like to know what the peaks and valley's mean so I would understand better to help myself.

HBombToo

What are the pink and blue curves?

Is this the sub only?

also I would just set the phase to zero to establish a baseline.

Looks like room gain at your peaks but we need more info.

HBomb

mrpergo

The pink and blue lines are from the sample graph because I don't have Excel and had to do it by hand.Just the Black line is mine.
I played the tones through my Denon 3802 in stereo mode so the fronts and sub were playing.The sub is behind my chair in a solid corner about 20' from the fronts.My listening position is 18' from the mains & center.Room is 12x23x8high.There two openings ;1 that is 5' to kitchen & 1 that is 3' to hall.Both are on the opposite end of the sub and the viewing area.Hope that helps.
I do have two other options for the sub.One is in the opposite corner.(also a solid corner but behind my wifes chair)don't know how that would go over.And another spot about center room on solid wall with a 7'x4' bookcase next to it.
This might take time to get this right.I won't watch the ROTK until I have it right:D
Thanks for the help

gatemplin

You do have a mighty hump at 50 and 100 Hz.

Here is what you can do about it,

First calibrate the sub with Avia, NOT DVE.

Run a new freq. sweep.

1. Adjust the Phase

and or

2. Adjust the crossover

and or

3. Change locations.

If these dont fix the humps then it is BFD time.

I forgot to mention before that you need to correct the data with the rs correction factors that pjdami posted in the link I supplied in the first post.

mrpergo

Well I went out today and bought the new Microsoft Works which says you can open and work with Excel workbooks but when I go to open the spreadsheet it says its password protected or encrypted open with the program you saved with and then save it again.So obviously I don't know what the Hell I'm doing so I'll have to wing it without the spreadsheet.
Hopefully I can try getting this baby calibrated tomorrow afternoon because I picked up ROTK today and it's calling me:D

mrpergo

Well my wife thinks I'm some kind of lunitic with all this testing and moving and retesting:D
She says why can't you just plug it in and put it over there.
Plus she wants to know when this cable that runs across the living room floor will be removed.
Well I've tested and moved and retested.I have hand made charts and graphs all over my desk and still have a big hump at 50hz.(with the corrections)
What causes the humps.(possibilities)
I think I might need a BFD.Are there any other Polkies using these and do they seem to work?

gatemplin

I think I am the only one here with a BFD. They work great for knocking down room humps and helping with small nulls. I think the humps are caused by standing waves in the room.

HBombToo

Originally posted by mrpergo
Well my wife thinks I'm some kind of lunitic with all this testing and moving and retesting:D
She says why can't you just plug it in and put it over there.
Plus she wants to know when this cable that runs across the living room floor will be removed.

I did this very same thing when I first purchased my svs's and had the same reaction from the wife.

Now I do just what your wife said but with a little more understanding.

Don't forget to enjoy your new system.

HBomb