Dialing in a Sub Woofer

[Red 342 H.O.]

Anyone give me some tips on dialing in a Definitive Technology Sub Woofer for my 5.1 Surround sound? I have a sound meter and all......just not sure how to go about setting the level.

Thanks!

[Nick Chapman]

I run mine +5 to +10db above the center/mains. But my set up in a little more involved, and I like to feel the rumbles(I've actually cracked windows in my livingroom) :D

If you're close, I can bring my laptop and sound meter by sometime and run some graphs. This will help dial in the sub to better fit your needs. I'm pretty busy right now, and have a couple of other people to take care of, but I would be more than willing to help you out if you need it.

Nick

[Mustangman_2000]

I use a hand held Scosche dB meter and use the built in Onkyo test tones to calibrate my PS212 to a reference level of 85dB. It's just a few dB hotter than remaining 5 channels. One of the most important aspects of calibrating a sub woofer is setting the correct crossover point and placement. I set my crossover in the Onkyo receiver to the match the lowest bass output rating of my surround speakers. i.e. 100 mhz. If you have big floor standing speakers then you would set your crossover closer to 80 mhz. If you have little tiny cube speakers then your crossover would be 120-150mhz depending on what your speakers spec. out at. It wasn't until I started getting really into the audiophile stuff that I realized what a difference crossover settings really make. You want the sound to make a smooth transition and not a sudden drop off.

[fordracing19]

All I have is a Svs sub so I run It 5db hot

[staticX]

All I have is a Svs sub so I run It 5db hot

I use to have an SVS sub...was by far the best subwoofer I ever had

[Mustangman_2000]

All I have is a Svs sub so I run It 5db hot

What model?

[Red 342 H.O.]

I run mine +5 to +10db above the center/mains. But my set up in a little more involved, and I like to feel the rumbles(I've actually cracked windows in my livingroom) :D

If you're close, I can bring my laptop and sound meter by sometime and run some graphs. This will help dial in the sub to better fit your needs. I'm pretty busy right now, and have a couple of other people to take care of, but I would be more than willing to help you out if you need it.

Nick

Thanks! I've got a sound meter and I live out towards Weatherford so it would be a hike for you.

Oh, by the way, yall did my truck a couple of weeks ago (at Autoflex Leasing) and did a great job! Thanks!

[Red 342 H.O.]

I use a hand held Scosche dB meter and use the built in Onkyo test tones to calibrate my PS212 to a reference level of 85dB. It's just a few dB hotter than remaining 5 channels. One of the most important aspects of calibrating a sub woofer is setting the correct crossover point and placement. I set my crossover in the Onkyo receiver to the match the lowest bass output rating of my surround speakers. i.e. 100 mhz. If you have big floor standing speakers then you would set your crossover closer to 80 mhz. If you have little tiny cube speakers then your crossover would be 120-150mhz depending on what your speakers spec. out at. It wasn't until I started getting really into the audiophile stuff that I realized what a difference crossover settings really make. You want the sound to make a smooth transition and not a sudden drop off.

Well, what I have is a Bose Accoustimass 10 series but I have added a Def Tech subwoofer since I just don;t think the Bose subwoofer does a very good job by itself.

All the cube speakers are on small stands that stand about 39 inches off the ground. The are all place on equal sides of the room and equal distance from the center viewing spot. I have used a Radio Shack sound meter and dialed all of them in within about +/-5 db of each other.

I place the speakers in a perfect triangle (aka Golden Triangle) which means that the distance of the front left and right speakers to the center viewing point are placed the same distance apart.......in other words, at my viewing spot I am 9 feet away from either my front left or front right speaker.......then I place the front left and right speakers apart at 9 feet from each other. (My viewing spot is exactly center of the room)

All sounds pretty good watching a blu-ray.....just want to correctly dial in the woofer and have it set so that it sounds good but not going to ruin my hearing. I have heard that some setups can do some damage.

[Andrew]

I use a hand held Scosche dB meter and use the built in Onkyo test tones to calibrate my PS212 to a reference level of 85dB. It's just a few dB hotter than remaining 5 channels. One of the most important aspects of calibrating a sub woofer is setting the correct crossover point and placement. I set my crossover in the Onkyo receiver to the match the lowest bass output rating of my surround speakers. i.e. 100 mhz. If you have big floor standing speakers then you would set your crossover closer to 80 mhz. If you have little tiny cube speakers then your crossover would be 120-150mhz depending on what your speakers spec. out at. It wasn't until I started getting really into the audiophile stuff that I realized what a difference crossover settings really make. You want the sound to make a smooth transition and not a sudden drop off.

millihertz? Megahertz? Wha?

I would LOVE a sub that went down to .080 Hz!

[Mustangman_2000]

millihertz? Megahertz? Wha?

I would LOVE a sub that went down to .080 Hz!

It was just a typo.

Hz

[Andrew]

It was just a typo.

Hz

A typo happens once. Three times in one post indicates a lack of understanding to me.

[fordracing19]

What model?

pb2+

[Mustangman_2000]

A typo happens once. Three times in one post indicates a lack of understanding to me.

If you say so.

[Mustangman_2000]

pb2+

Nice. I had the pleasure of hearing a PB13-Ultra in action. Unreal bass and absolutely clean with no distortion. Mine starts to lose authority at 25 Hz, but that monster just keeps digging until 10 Hz with a couple of plugs in.

[Andrew]

If you say so.

Do you know what Hz is? No fair googling.

[Mustangman_2000]

Do you know what Hz is? No fair googling.

You crack me up.