- How to improve subwoofer sound? -

MKZ
MKZ Posts: 1,068
edited July 2008 in Subwoofer Hookup & Bass Management
I have tried changing IC, power cables, splitter, isolation pads. Can you guys suggest some?
Post edited by MKZ on
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited July 2008
    Improving your sub is a matter of getting the flattest frequency response possible in your room. Bass waves are so long that they refect back on themselves...many times causing cancellation in your seating position. Best thing to do is find out what you're getting. You need a SPL meter and some test tones, then graph out a frequency response. When you know what's what you can play with placement, phase, etc to improve things somewhat. Ultimately, you might want to go further with treatments and EQ...up to you.

    You can download REW (Room EQ Wizard) over at Home Theater Shack along with the tutorial to get you started.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • SlowcarIX
    SlowcarIX Posts: 887
    edited July 2008
    learnt this from mike/mcloki:

    put your sub on your seat/listening position, play some bassy music. walk/crawl around and find where bass sounds best. put your sub there...

    also audyssey room correction helps tame peaks...
    my 7.(1x4) HT setup
    TV - Mitsubishi WD-65734
    AVP / Amp - Onkyo PR-SC885P / D-Sonic 2500-7
    Front - Emerald Physics CS2
    Center - JTR Triple 12LF
    Surround L/R / Back - Polk RTi4 / Polk FXi A4
    Sub - 4 X Hsu ULS15 playing nearfield
    DVD / CDP - Sony PS3/40GB / Sony SCD-XA9000ES
    Belkin PURE AV PF60 / UPS
    Buttkicker

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60612
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited July 2008
    Sub EQ perhaps, SMS-1 or Behringer.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited July 2008
    MKZ wrote: »
    I have tried changing IC, power cables, splitter, isolation pads. Can you guys suggest some?

    What problems are you having with your subwoofer sound?
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited July 2008
    What kind of sub, how large of a room, how is it conencted, what is it not doing that you wish it would?
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited July 2008
    SlowcarIX wrote: »
    learnt this from mike/mcloki:

    put your sub on your seat/listening position, play some bassy music. walk/crawl around and find where bass sounds best. put your sub there...

    What he / I said... :p

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    Ron Temple wrote: »
    Improving your sub is a matter of getting the flattest frequency response possible in your room. Bass waves are so long that they refect back on themselves...many times causing cancellation in your seating position. Best thing to do is find out what you're getting. You need a SPL meter and some test tones, then graph out a frequency response. When you know what's what you can play with placement, phase, etc to improve things somewhat. Ultimately, you might want to go further with treatments and EQ...up to you.

    You can download REW (Room EQ Wizard) over at Home Theater Shack along with the tutorial to get you started.

    I tried, 40Hz seems to be a little high on my sub.
    SlowcarIX wrote: »
    learnt this from mike/mcloki:

    put your sub on your seat/listening position, play some bassy music. walk/crawl around and find where bass sounds best. put your sub there...

    also audyssey room correction helps tame peaks...

    I have limited space :(
    The placement might be some issue because I got the best bass in my bathroom which is not far from sub. I think the bass trapped there and I can even feel it on my toilet seat.
    Sherardp wrote: »
    Sub EQ perhaps, SMS-1 or Behringer.

    Yes, I wanna try it last.
    My sub has some EQ build in but I have no idea how to use it.
    Ern Dog wrote: »
    What problems are you having with your subwoofer sound?

    I have no problem with it but I just want to improve the sub like changing speaker cables and ICs.
    McLoki wrote: »
    What kind of sub, how large of a room, how is it conencted, what is it not doing that you wish it would?

    It is SVS SB12-Plus and my room is around 20x20x9 with full of junks. I connected with 12ft of Signal Subwoofer cable with AudioQuest splitter, powered with PS Audio Prelude and it is sitting on Isolation pads. There is nothing wrong. I just want to improve the sound.

    I got more gain with the splitter but less gain with the pads. There is not much improvement on changing the Sub cable and power cable.
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited July 2008
    Have you trapped the corners yet?
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    Hawkeye wrote: »
    Have you trapped the corners yet?

    I wished I could.
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited July 2008
    Since your sub has an EQ built in then learn how to use it. That should improve things. Call SVS or read your owners manual.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    Ron Temple wrote: »
    Improving your sub is a matter of getting the flattest frequency response possible in your room. Bass waves are so long that they refect back on themselves...many times causing cancellation in your seating position. Best thing to do is find out what you're getting. You need a SPL meter and some test tones, then graph out a frequency response. When you know what's what you can play with placement, phase, etc to improve things somewhat. Ultimately, you might want to go further with treatments and EQ...up to you.

    You can download REW (Room EQ Wizard) over at Home Theater Shack along with the tutorial to get you started.

    +10. Everything you need to know is above ^
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    After I got the graph how can I fix it to get flat w/o equalizer? Any other tips and tricks you want to share?
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    Analyze your graph, see where your peaks and valleys are and mess with level, cros-over freq, and phase until you get the smoothest/flatest transition.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    I did my hw and tried my best. It doesn't effect much on graph but I got more inaudible vibrates. PEQ users please share your setting.
    Here is mine:

    DSC04173.jpg
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  • dholmes
    dholmes Posts: 1,136
    edited July 2008
    Did you change the power cord on the svs?
    My HT set-up Panasonic front proj, 120 in ws screen, ATI amp,Integra 9.8 pre-pro, 2 Polk rti150, cp 1000, 4 fx 1000, Pioneer blu-ray 2 SVS sub pb 12-ultra 2, & Paragon popcorn popper. ps 3 Coaster leather HT recliners.
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    Yes.
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited July 2008
    You've got room correction bypassed. Set it to large, medium or small and run a graph for each setting. Your best response will probably be on the large setting, but each room is different. If you still have a peak at 40hz, then you can cut it with the PEQ. It looks like you have it engaged in the picture. How's that working?

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    I placed the woofer along the wall so I thought bypass would be the best. I'll play the room setting as you suggest anyway. Yes, PEQ helps abit on 40Hz but not completely flat out.
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  • Deadof_knight
    Deadof_knight Posts: 980
    edited July 2008
    where is the sub located in reference to the front speakers........
    :cool: " He who dies with the most equipment wins Right ? "

    Denon 3300 Adcom 535 BBe w/sub out 1 pr 4.6s 2 pr of 4 jrs Recent additions Samsung Lns-4095D LCD, Samsung hd-960 DVD, Monster HT-5000 Power center    ,HPSA-1000 18" sealed DiY home sub.:D
    Black Laquer 1.2tl's w/ upgraded x-overs and Tweets BI-Amped with 2 Carver tfm-35's Knukonceptz 10ga cables
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    3, 4ft away from left speaker. There is hall way between them.
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited July 2008
    DSC04174.jpg
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  • Polkitup2
    Polkitup2 Posts: 1,622
    edited July 2008
    That doily ain't helping things either. :D
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited July 2008
    Polkitup2 wrote: »
    That doily ain't helping things either. :D

    Maybe its there to attract the cat to sit on top as a dampener?:p

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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