Dr. Spec

VE6OHV

Any ideas on my other thread? I am stuck here and you seem to have the answers......



http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7051

Dr. Spec

Thanks for the compliment, but I'm kinda at a loss here. You've got quite the mismosh of subbage.

Have you tried simplifying? Run everything on small, even the 1000's (ignore the fact that theyhave a built in sub).

Pick the lowest crossover you can with the Denon set to small - like 80 Hz or even a bit lower instead of 100 Hz.

Hook up your best sub in one corner and give it a listen. If you like it, let me know. Don't worry about volume, just sound quality and localization.

VE6OHV

OK - I ran all the speakers set to "small" set the cross over freq to 80hz (the lowest setting with them all at small). Placed the 15" non-ported in the corner on the main wall. And the results are......

Musically? the low end did improve, it seems more constant for 2ch sound, however when there is a lot of bass action, ie: battle scenes, hard rock, the sub seems to falter and distort, like the woofer is trying to move too fast.

Alternately I tried setting the 10" in the same spot and while the low - low end was not nearly as strong it did handle battle scenes and action much more efficently.

I have tried setting both subs on the front wall, spaced unevenly, and setting the cross-overs on the 10" to <120hz and on the 15" to <60hz, with the RT1000p's running directly off of the speaker outputs. This seems to be working so far but it is not giving me the sound that I am looking for.....

I know - I know - I am never satisfied, not woth my HT and never with the Jeep

Thanks again for the help - any other Ideas?

Dr. Spec

Sounds like the 15" sub might not be of high enough sound quality for your tastes. Any good sub (15" or otherwise) should be able to easily handle an 80 Hz filtering point on the LFE signal. And faltering and distorting on HT action scenes is a definite no-no. The reason you can hear it more at 80 Hz than at <60 Hz is because the sub is audibly distorting and creating 2nd and 3rd order harmonics and these will become progressively more audible and more easily localized the higher the sub is allowed to play. Trust me, the sub is still distorting just as badly at the <60Hz filter point, you just can't localize it as well. Can you return this new sub? Did you buy it used or new?

The 10" JBL in the corner - you liked the sound but not the SPL - correct? Were you able to localize the 10" sub at 80 Hz?

I think 120 Hz is too high and you will be able to localize this sub unless it is right next to a 1000, and even then you might have trouble with slightly muddy and disembodied deep male voices at 120.

If the 15" Tympani generally sounds like hell, AND if you liked the sound for music and HT of the 10" modified JBL in the corner at 80 Hz (except for missing the deepest bass and the SPL), and you were not able to localize it, then I think the answer is pretty clear.

Consider selling the JBL and returning/selling the Tympani and getting a better single sub that can provide the deeper extension, less distortion, and more SPL that you crave. What kind of subs can you demo/purchase where you live?