Adcom "contour" feature

concealer404

Does anyone here have any insight as to what this is supposed to accomplish, the why, etc...

Really just looking for any tidbits. The manual doesn't explain it too well.

About all i've been able to figure out is that it makes my sub sound like poo, but if i disconnect my sub, it makes my Paradigms sound like they STILL have a sub.

Soundstage seems to get about 2x wider with a distinct "wrap-around effect," but losing some of the clarity and placement.

I know it sounds like i just answered my own question, i would just like to hear what other people think of it. Do you use it or not?

LessisNevermore

I have no direct experience with that piece, but it sounds like what it's contouring, is the phase. Phase shifts can expand the sound stage, or contract it all the way back to the speakers. When the sound waves are aligned, they'll cancel each other out, like what you experienced with your sub.

EQ'ing causes phase shifts as well, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

concealer404

LessisNevermore wrote: »

I have no direct experience with that piece, but it sounds like what it's contouring, is the phase. Phase shifts can expand the sound stage, or contract it all the way back to the speakers. When the sound waves are aligned, they'll cancel each other out, like what you experienced with your sub.

EQ'ing causes phase shifts as well, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

Will that work vice versa? With the "contour" button depressed, the sub output is boosted, but it also becomes muddy. If the sub is disconnected with the button depressed, the bass output on the Paradigms is greatly boosted, seems to have lower extension, but still stays VERY tight.

I spent about 2 hours yesterday switching back and forth, and i can't figure out what sounds the best, between:

1) no "contour", sub still hooked up

or

2) "Contour," no sub.

or

3) "Contour," sub hooked up, but scaled way back, to about -30db.

I should mention that i have no filter taking any signal from the Paradigms at any point, due to my preamp not having a sub output. I have the sub "daisy-chained" between the preamp and the Paradigms.

LessisNevermore

Have you tried playing with the phase setting on your sub? Between that, and lowering the crossover point, you should be able to strike a good balance point.

After re-reading your posts, the contour button, sounds more like a 'loudness' button. (I was under the impression it was an adjustable knob) Now that makes more sense.:o

If you like the sound it gives, play around with the sub settings until the bass is cleaned up. i.e; lower the crossover point to the lowest extension point of your Paradigms, allowing a small bit of overlap.

concealer404

LessisNevermore wrote: »

Have you tried playing with the phase setting on your sub? Between that, and lowering the crossover point, you should be able to strike a good balance point.

After re-reading your posts, the contour button, sounds more like a 'loudness' button. (I was under the impression it was an adjustable knob) Now that makes more sense.:o

If you like the sound it gives, play around with the sub settings until the bass is cleaned up. i.e; lower the crossover point to the lowest extension point of your Paradigms, allowing a small bit of overlap.

It does function somewhat like a "loudness" button i guess.... i'm just used to only using "loudness" in car stereos, where it always sounds like crap to me. And the soundstage is changed drastically. With it off, the stage is distinctly in "front" of me, and doesn't seem to go much past the outside of the Paradigms. With it on, the stage sounds like i'm in the middle of it, it's around me, and if i had to pinpoint location, it would extend about 3 feet past the paradigms side to side.

I think at the moment i have my crossover set at 70hz, and i rarely take the sub over -20db under normal use. With the contour button depressed, it sounds like the Paradigms are hitting every bit of 35-40hz with no hiccups. I was amazed the first time, i had to double check that i actually DID disconnect the sub.

I even had my roomate and lady friend both listen, and they were convinced i had hooked up one of my spare Omni S8s as a joke or something.

I will do more tweaking today and report back. I have a "short" 10 hour day today, so i'll have a couple hours to play.

Systems

According to the manual the contour control adds some bass boost when listening at low levels.It's essentially a loundness control but with less drastric compensation.

concealer404

^Thanks!

After more playing and tweaking, i've decided that i'll have to revisit with some better speakers if that ever happens. Or at least speakers better suited to the low end. The paradigms seem to do REALLY well until about 40hz, then there's a very sharp drop off to 35hz, then it just sortof disappears. Not unexpected.

This all means that some of my recordings that i'm less familiar with sound great at first listen. Then i listen to something that i know inside and out, and i'm missing things.

I went back to contour off, and sub connected. Interesting experiment at least.

I was able to get a good sound if i put the sub filter to 40hz and below, contour on, and the sub scaled back to about -29db, but i was unsure if it sounded better than contour off, filter at 70hz, -20db, so i just left it at the latter.

I appreciate the discussion, all!