Bass

[matt houser]

a little frustrated, I know I have a great system, I just put out $3000 on the HSU vtf-3 mk5 paired with the ascend acoustics cmt 340SE fronts, but no matter what I do I can't get good solid base out of the system, i've experimented with subwoofer placement crossover settings Odyssey set up but I just can't get that really good bass out of the system, I am listening to mostly stereo music, any suggestions would be great

 

[speakerman39]

a little frustrated, I know I have a great system, I just put out $3000 on the HSU vtf-3 mk5 paired with the ascend acoustics cmt 340SE fronts, but no matter what I do I can't get good solid base out of the system, i've experimented with subwoofer placement crossover settings Odyssey set up but I just can't get that really good bass out of the system, I am listening to mostly stereo music, any suggestions would be great

Matt, could use tells us more about your room? What is the layout? Dimensions? YOU have any pics that you can post? I have a Hsu ULS-15 MK2 sub, but mine is sealed not vented. Also, you might want to talk to Dr. Hsu as he is very helpful in this regard. Which version of Audyssey are you using?

Cheers,

Phil

 

[KenM10759]

Much can depend upon the music source. If you are listening to something recorded without deep bass, it won't be there with or without a subwoofer.

Plenty of bass test material out there. Have you tried any of it?

The mode you're listening in with the receiver matters too. Putting in pure direct shuts off any signal to the sub, sending it all the L-R mains.

 

[matt houser]

Maybe not the ideal room especially considering the huge opening on my left side wall but my dimensions are 14x18x8ft, even worse is I have solid hardwood floors, a key detail is that I live in an apartment so I can never reach extremely loud volumes but for an apartment I can get away with quite a bit, so I am trying to get good bass out of a medium level volume, I am using Denon's version of Odyssey

 

[speakerman39]

Maybe not the ideal room especially considering the huge opening on my left side wall but my dimensions are 14x18x8ft, even worse is I have solid hardwood floors, a key detail is that I live in an apartment so I can never reach extremely loud volumes but for an apartment I can get away with quite a bit, so I am trying to get good bass out of a medium level volume, I am using Denon's version of Odyssey

Okay it is best to place the sub(s) further away from any opening. YOUR room comes in at a little over 2,000 ft.^3. Like you I also reside in an apartment and I have (2) 15" powered subs. However, my room is smaller at 1,440 ft.^3. So, if you like music a lot then why did you opt for a vented sub? Also, I understand that you have Audyssey, but are you using Multi EQ XT or Multi EQ XT32 w/ Sub EQ? The latter will also have a sub containment option. I do know dual subs will make a difference in your room. It sure did in mine. Have any pics?

Cheers,

Phil

 

[matt houser]

I usually listen in regular stereo mode or regular direct mode, when I am watching movies the LFE effects do seem to be there with the really low base, it very well could be that a majority of the base that's missing is the mid range base, it seems like when I use Odyssey set up it wants to drop the level of my sub way down and if I turn the level up on the sub Odyssey wants to drop the level all the way down to -12 DB

 

[matt houser]

Okay it is best to place the sub(s) further away from any opening. YOUR room comes in at a little over 2,000 ft.^3. Like you I also reside in an apartment and I have (2) 15" powered subs. However, my room is smaller at 1,440 ft.^3. So, if you like music a lot then why did you opt for a vented sub? Also, I understand that you have Audyssey, but are you using Multi EQ XT or Multi EQ XT32 w/ Sub EQ? The latter will also have a sub containment option. I do know dual subs will make a difference in your room. It sure did in mine. Have any pics?

Cheers,

Phil

 

[matt houser]

The odyssey version that I am using is MultEQ XT but I have been using the main set up to get my distances and levels right and then turning Odyssey off as I have read a lot of mixed opinions about it, I didn't realize that a sealed sub was better for music but this HS you sub has five different modes and I have been running it on the sealed mode by sealing off both ports, here is a picture of the sub

 

[speakerman39]

I usually listen in regular stereo mode or regular direct mode, when I am watching movies the LFE effects do seem to be there with the really low base, it very well could be that a majority of the base that's missing is the mid range base, it seems like when I use Odyssey set up it wants to drop the level of my sub way down and if I turn the level up on the sub Odyssey wants to drop the level all the way down to -12 DB

Okay play a pink noise signal to your sub and adjust the gain until you reach 75 db. Hopefully, you do have an SPL meter. Once you do that, then run Audyssey. Afterwards, I go back in a set everything to "Small" with a crossover set to 80 Hz. YOU want to check that the levels that Audyssey set and it should be no less than -3.5 for the sub. If it did, then there is a problem somewhere. When I initially ran Audyssey, it set mine to -12 db. But, I did not level match first before running Audyssey. Try that and see what happens. YOU can always bump the levels up a tad, but I would NOT recommend doing it too much. Be careful on that one.

Cheers,

Phil

 

[fuzz092888]

The odyssey version that I am using is MultEQ XT but I have been using the main set up to get my distances and levels right and then turning Odyssey off as I have read a lot of mixed opinions about it, I didn't realize that a sealed sub was better for music but this HS you sub has five different modes and I have been running it on the sealed mode by sealing off both ports, here is a picture of the sub

A sealed sub isn't necessarily better for music.

Audyssey is going to flatten out the FR of the subwoofer. Leave it on and set it to bypass L/R if you don't want it affecting your main speakers.

Switch to two ports open EQ 2.

Go to speaker settings then level and bump up the subwoofer level 5db and see how that sounds and report back.

 

[KenM10759]

Start over with the Audyssey calibration, go step by step. Make sure the cutoff level for the speakers is no lower that 60hz to start so that the sub is getting everything below that. And use the regular stereo mode if you wish to hear the sub. It's out of the loop on direct mode.

 

[fuzz092888]

Start over with the Audyssey calibration, go step by step. Make sure the cutoff level for the speakers is no lower that 60hz to start so that the sub is getting everything below that. And use the regular stereo mode if you wish to hear the sub. It's out of the loop on direct mode.

Speaker crossover level is irrelevant when running the autocal.

 

[speakerman39]

The odyssey version that I am using is MultEQ XT but I have been using the main set up to get my distances and levels right and then turning Odyssey off as I have read a lot of mixed opinions about it, I didn't realize that a sealed sub was better for music but this HS you sub has five different modes and I have been running it on the sealed mode by sealing off both ports, here is a picture of the sub

Most ppl tend to prefer sealed subs for music listening. Although, that is NOT always the case. There are vented designs that sounds very good with music yet still great with the extension HT demand. I am extremely picky about my bass as music is my preference. I also have the MultiEQ XT. So try what I suggested and see what happens. Audyssey has done a great job with my room. Levels and distances are very accurate. Then, you can go back in and do some fine tuning.

Cheers,

Phil

 

[fuzz092888]

Okay play a pink noise signal to your sub and adjust the gain until you reach 75 db. Hopefully, you do have an SPL meter. Once you do that, then run Audyssey.

Audyssey does this for you when you run the autocal.

YOU want to check that the levels that Audyssey set and it should be no less than -3.5 for the sub. If it did, then there is a problem somewhere.

The sub trim level is what it is. If yours was set to -12 it means the gain on your sub was probably too high and you didn't adjust it according to what Audssey was saying. Saying that it should be this or that for the trim level is inaccurate.

When I initially ran Audyssey, it set mine to -12 db. But, I did not level match first before running Audyssey. Try that and see what happens. YOU can always bump the levels up a tad, but I would NOT recommend doing it too much. Be careful on that one.

Cheers,

Phil

What SPL meter did you use? Did you adjust the sub gain according to what Audyssey was telling you during one of the first steps of the auto cal?

 

[matt houser]

Okay play a pink noise signal to your sub and adjust the gain until you reach 75 db. Hopefully, you do have an SPL meter. Once you do that, then run Audyssey. Afterwards, I go back in a set everything to "Small" with a crossover set to 80 Hz. YOU want to check that the levels that Audyssey set and it should be no less than -3.5 for the sub. If it did, then there is a problem somewhere. When I initially ran Audyssey, it set mine to -12 db. But, I did not level match first before running Audyssey. Try that and see what happens. YOU can always bump the levels up a tad, but I would NOT recommend doing it too much. Be careful on that one.

Cheers,

Phil

OK so I'm not quite sure what you mean by level matching before running Odyssey, when I run the pink noise from my receiver I'm not sure what to have the volume set on from the receiver, i'm assuming that you mean the volume knob on the back of the sub needs to be set to 75db

 

[fuzz092888]

OK so I'm not quite sure what you mean by level matching before running Odyssey, when I run the pink noise from my receiver I'm not sure what to have the volume set on from the receiver, i'm assuming that you mean the volume knob on the back of the sub needs to be set to 75db

What receiver do you have? and that's not what he means. Level matching before running Audyssey is irrelevant.

 

[KenM10759]

Speaker crossover level is irrelevant when running the autocal.

Audyssey on the Denon AVR1912 I had often set crossover levels and speaker type on my system. After calibration I'd check to see what it set, and bookshelf speakers would be set to large with a 40hz crossover point. I'd set them back to large and crossover at 80hz and that sounded 10x better.

 

[matt houser]

What receiver do you have? and that's not what he means. Level matching before running Audyssey is irrelevant.

I have the Danon x3100

 

[fuzz092888]

Audyssey on the Denon AVR1912 I had often set crossover levels and speaker type on my system. After calibration I'd check to see what it set, and bookshelf speakers would be set to large with a 40hz crossover point. I'd set them back to large and crossover at 80hz and that sounded 10x better.

That has nothing to do with level matching before running Audyssey.

 

[KenM10759]

That receiver has a microphone and a good Audyssey setup. No need to be running pink noise. You should reset the receiver to defaults, set the gain on the sub to midpoint, the crossover to LFE (highest setting) and just follow instructions for the receiver step-by-step.

Only after doing that should you check with the Audyssey settings are, and do that before you make any other adjustments.