Second Rythmik LV12R

[mx416]

So I pretty pumped. After a year of a very narrow sweet spot and several location during music play with minimal low end, I am adding a second sub!

I have been living with one LV12R trying to feel a 2800CF area plus an additional attached 2000CF room. Let's say besides the sweet spot I was having a little trouble getting the level of sound and pressure I wanted. Hopefully a second will fix the problem, plus add some much needed headroom to reduce the stress on my original sub.

I will post my impression and improvement results once the second is hooked up and rockin!

 

[shadyJ]

Hopefully you have freedom of placement for the subwoofers. If you are looking for 115 dB bass for chest pounding dubstep, the LV12r is not going to do the trick, but it is still a great little sub. Measurements and data will go a long way toward solving your problem and also will get you a better return on the investment in your subs. Audioholics has two great articles that can help you in this regard, check out this article and this article.

 

[mx416]

Thank you for the articles. There is some very good information in those.

I have two locations to put my second woofer, but that is all. I understand there is a big risk with the second woofer not aiding as much as I hope. I wish I had a couple bare walls to move my woofers along to find the best locations to play them, but that is not the case.

I did consider spending the money and upgrading my current woofer. I'm unsure how much replacing a single woofer with a larger/better single woofer would have helped the null locations.

My goal is
1. 80% "sweet spot sound" in 80% of the room for music
2. 90% "sweet spot sound" in 100% of theater seating spot

I'm currently at
1. 80% "sweet spot sound" in 30% of the room for music
2. 90% "sweet spot sound" in 50% of theater seating spot

 

[shadyJ]

I'm unsure how much replacing a single woofer with a larger/better single woofer would have helped the null locations.

It's easy to find out be taking measurements of the response at your listening position. That would be especially helpful in light of your "sweet spot sound" goals versus your current status. It's all guesswork until you break out your SPL meter or calibration mic and check to see what your current response is.

 

[mx416]

Is that something I can do with the setup mic that came with the receiver? Or would I need to go bay dedicated equipment?
Tx-737

 

[mx416]

It shipped! Should be here Wednesday.

 

[herbu]

a very narrow sweet spot... trouble getting the level of sound and pressure I wanted.

In my experience, these are 2 separate problems with 2 separate fixes.

Narrow sweet spot is fixed w/ multiple subs. However, be aware that simply adding a second sub may not fix your problem w/o proper placement. If you're limited in you sub placement, you'll likely see improvement w/ 2 subs, but how much is a toss of the coin. Remember, the goal here is not more bass, but more evenly distributed bass.

Insufficient pressure, (physical thump in the chest), needs more powerful subs. Think of it this way. The thump is caused by air moving. More thump means more air moving, ideally to the whole room, not just a sweetspot. That's gonna take a more powerful sub or subs, not just more subs.

 

[shadyJ]

Is that something I can do with the setup mic that came with the receiver? Or would I need to go bay dedicated equipment?
Tx-737

You will need something like a Umik-1 from miniDSP or a Omnimic from Dayton. You can also just go buy a SPL meter and take readings at different spots in your room at various test tones, and graph the frequency response by hand, but that is more tedious and less precise.

 

[mx416]

Thanks for the info herbu.

I grasp what you are saying. I do agree that adding a second sub with minimal locations to place it is a long shot. I would most definitely appreciate a more even sound vs more pressure. More volume/pressure can come later with two more powerful/larger subs.

I only have 4 spots to put a sub in general. One is takin currently; my hope is the second sub will work in one of the three others.

They will both be corner loaded

 

[herbu]

I would most definitely appreciate a more even sound vs more pressure. More volume/pressure can come later with two more powerful/larger subs.

You know, your subs don't have to match. Subs are a far cry from your L/R speakers. If you buy a second intermediate sub, one day you're gonna have 2 subs to dispose of. But if you save up and get one big boy sub, you can still use it w/ your current sub for now. Then if/when you decide to go for another big boy, you'll only have one little sub to get rid of. In the meantime, you'll have "more even sound" AND "more pressure" AND not be adding stuff you're gonna want to replace.

 

[mx416]

What would be considered a logical upgrade?

 

[mx416]

Sub showed up and have started to play. First impression is 6 of one or half a dozen.

The good:
It added the head room that was desperately needed at the listening areas(3 positions on the couch)
It added a physical motion to the couch. It gives it a little shake. I enjoyed it at high listening levels and hopefully it will add to movies
The bass is harder to localize. Although it wasn't bad before

The not so good (which you guys warned of):
I think I'm still looking for more umph.
There are still some really bad dead spots and some extreme bass heavy spots

I am still waiting for some friends options that have heard it before to see if they agree with my conclusions. I also what to watch a couple movies to see how it sounds. There is also two other location to place the second sub to see if it will preform better with the room.

Little more critical movie and music listening will tell the tell.

Stay tuned

 

[mx416]

Just got done watching "hunger games mocking jay part 1"

Extremely impressed.

Before(1woofer)
Had to watch extension and volume to not over tax woofer.
Woofer became localized at high volume in extense scenes

After(2woofer)
I'm just blown away
Couch was shaking at all the right times
Had to turn down woofers.

 

[mx416]

It's easy to find out be taking measurements of the response at your listening position. That would be especially helpful in light of your "sweet spot sound" goals versus your current status. It's all guesswork until you break out your SPL meter or calibration mic and check to see what your current response is.

After a year of dual subwoofers and reading audioholics forums constantly it's time to invest.

There must be 50 forums that start with "I need help" followed by post number 2 asking "have you taken measurements using a mic and REW"

It took a year (not sure why, maybe I'm a slow learner) but a mic and minidsp seem to be very sound investments.

I just need a little help on which minidsp will work for me.

Minidsp 2x4 or minidsp HD 2x4?

I believe my receiver is 200 mv on the sub out. Does that mean the 0.9v model will work?

Also a little guidance in the right plug in to buy?

Thanks for all the help

 

[shadyJ]

My guess the regular 2x4 is all you need. All you need to do is bring down a couple peaks. I think there is no good reason not to go with the 2v version.

 

[lovinthehd]

While the regular (unbalanced) 2x4 may work with your current sub, the ones with higher output voltage are perhaps more useful down the line with other subwoofage (the HD and the balanced versions). My experience in going from a commercial sub to diys with amps that needed more than .9V; had to get a balanced one later (that was before they released the HD which also has more delay capabilities IIRC).

 

[mx416]

I would like to make as future proof purchase as possible. Will the minidsp 2x4 work with FV15HP? The FV15HP will be my next set of subs down the line.

 

[shadyJ]

The miniDSP will work with any sub. It is just an equalizer and filter, but a very powerful one for the cost.

 

[lovinthehd]

The miniDSP will work with any sub. It is just an equalizer and filter, but a very powerful one for the cost.

What do you mean "the minidsp"?

 

[mx416]

Ordered