Loss of Bass response

raglandl

Anyone who could lend some advice, I would greatly appreciate it. I recently switched from a Sony STR-685 to a Denon 3208. Here's my system overview.
Denon 3208
Sony DVD
Xbox
Front Speakers: RT55i
Center: CSi30
Surround R20s
Sub: PSW350

Those are my components and speakers. I'm hooking up my DVD player via a digital coaxial cable. My xbox is connected by the Monster optical cable to the second optical in port. I'm using the component switching to connect my xbox and dvd player by component cables. As for my sub, I'm using the standard preout using a monster bass coax cable. The problem is still that every now and then I get some horrible distortion and buzzing. I'm using my dvd player as my CD player for the time being also and when I play music CDs, I don't get good bass response at all from the sub. Movies are pretty good, but I still feel that some bump is gone. My other receiver seemed to put out a more distinct bass response especially when playing music-as of now, my main speakers are carrying more bass than my sub and I have tried switching my front speakers to small, but that only resulted in even less bass response. I can't figure out what the problem could be in either of these areas. Just a note, I am bywiring my RT55i's.

Thanks.
Luke

danger boy

keep in mind that movies often or usually have more low bass response than a 16 bit music CD's will. I have the same sub as you do.. wired in similar way, and my bass is lacking too especially for cd music. have you tried to change the location of your sub? I did earlier this year.. and it make a difference.

Also, i'm not familiar with your Denon, but does it have a cut off low pass filter? some receivers.. have a variable sub filter. Mine doesn't.. that i know of. or else if it does.. it's not variable. Other guys on here would know more about sub settings than i would.

You are right in your thinking. setting your speakers to small will send more bass to your sub. I also adjust the bass and treble settings on the receiver.. as the situation demands. Finally, do you have a SPL meter to set up your speakers? If you don't.. get one. or borrow one from a friend. It also will help bring out the most from your speakers.

As for the buzzing and distrotion.. I don't know what would cause that.

liv4fam

There are a couple of things.

1. The distortion could be caused from your Ac line that your Sub is plugged into. Does is it do it at certain times? Do you notice any pattern to it? Maybe when a high current draw hits your panel like a Heater, Refrigerator, Vacumn, Hairdryer, whatever is backfeeding the sub and sending distortion to it and making it thump.

2. Lack of Bass? Well DVD's have an actual dedicated LFE track encoded to them so naturally it will perform louder with that and music has no LFE track so the sub will get the frequencies from the receivers crossover. The Denon has a variable Low pass filter in that can be manually set for either 80, 100, or 120 HZ.
You should set your mains to large with a sub and set the crossover to 80 HZ. Make sure you have the sub cable plugged into the LFE in on your sub so you are not double filtering the input.
If that doesn't make any changes then you have a room placement problem.

Oh and I forgot.

Don't compare how it sounded with the Sony because the Denon's sub pre-out isn't half as strongs as the Sony's was.
I think (don't quote me) the Denon is around 6 volts and the Sony is like 11 volts or something so it pushes the subwoofer twice as hard at the same level.

Hope this helps