Adding & Optimizing Subs With Triton Towers

[Scott Y.]

OK, so I've got the Triton Two+ Towers. They have built-in powered subs that cross over around 150 Hz. I've got two additional subs in the system. The subs are driven from the main speaker terminals via a DSP and amp. The subs have an LFE input that sums with audio coming in from the main speaker terminals.

I'm planning to use a miniDSP to optimize positions of the separate subs and their integration with the Tritons.

Is there any advantage to using Dirac Live as in the DDRC-24 or should I just go with the miniDSP 2x4 HD? I guess I'm not really clear on what Dirac does. I'm just working on the low frequencies.

Has anyone done this type of integration with the Triton towers? Technically, there are four subwoofers in the system.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Scott Y.]

I've been using REW in an attempt to find the best placement for my room. First, the two subwoofers are just what I had on-hand. Better subwoofers down the line are an option to replace to add to this system.

Here's the room. 8' ceilings, 2nd floor, all carpet. As you can see, I'm doing it all wrong. I could rotate the viewing/listening area towards the right wall but would have to remove the bookshelves.

Either way, it's a big room with two walls of windows and a stair well.

I tested the subwoofers in various combinations at the locations shown with the "T" on the 2nd drawing.

The current locations were unexpected but had the best results.

I've determined that I'm just going to treat the Triton towers just as single speakers. It makes no sense to mess with the LFE input. I'm considering the MiniDSP 2x4 HD but was also thinking about using the same to work on the main speakers instead of using the parametric equalizer built into the Yamaha receiver.

 

[shadyJ]

Can you post your measured frequency responses? Your present sub locations look pretty sensible to me. What you should do is measure the response with the Tritons using the LFE Input and measure without to compare the differences.

 

[Scott Y.]

OK, so I decided to do what I said I wouldn't. I'm rotating the listening area. It wasn't the bass that was totally sub par. It was more the mid bass and up high. Having one side wall 4 feet away from the main speaker and the other 25 feet away just wasn't going to work as well as possible. I've ripped out half of the bookcases and will have to texture and paint to clean up the area.

I did a set of bass measurements before I started tearing everything down. I'm using a Yamaha RX-A820 as for the processing and an external Hafler amp for the main speakers. One of the subs is an old passive VMPS with a 12" active, a 15" active and another passive diaphragm (driven with 400+ W Electrovoice bridged commercial amp) plus an active Infinity sub.

Anyway, I did my measurements in 2 channel mode, subwoofer output not connected to the Triton Two+, only connected to the two subwoofers. Yamaha YPAO settings bypassed. SUbwoofer crossover set to 120 Hz.

EXtra Bass set to ON with the Yamaha. It's the only way to get any subwoofer out in 2 channel using the Yamaha.

So, my conclusions before the move:

- REW is helpful in subwoofer placement.
- I'm treating the Triton as a single source and not as if it was a separate subwoofer.
- 1 subwoofer helps fill in some of the voids if placed well.
- 2 subwoofers can improve the voids or make them worse depending upon placement.
- Nearfield measurements vs. measurements from the listening area show how the room modes affect the sound.

Rotating the listening area is going to improve the surround speaker locations but cause me a lot of work. Going to have to buy some flush mount speakers. Any recommendations?

I did a quick measurement of the new arrangement and I will have to start over with subwoofer placement.

It improves the semmetry of the sound space. I looked at what the Yamaha YPAO was having to do to the left channel in an attempt to balance the system and it seemed to be excessive.

 

[Scott Y.]

I've ordered some in-ceiling speakers for the 7.1 surrounds. Speakers on stands were not going to cut it.

Now I'm ready to add two quality subwoofers to the Tritons. I'd like to keep it below $2000. I'd rather buy two than one GoldenEar XXL for the same price. I already have two lesser subs to fill in as needed after I place the two new ones. So, what would you buy in this price range or are two of this quality going to be a disappointment? The Triton Two+ already has excellent bass for two channel but I'm becoming a bass-head in my old age.

 

[shadyJ]

I've ordered some in-ceiling speakers for the 7.1 surrounds. Speakers on stands were not going to cut it.

Now I'm ready to add two quality subwoofers to the Tritons. I'd like to keep it below $2000. I'd rather buy two than one GoldenEar XXL for the same price. I already have two lesser subs to fill in as needed after I place the two new ones. So, what would you buy in this price range or are two of this quality going to be a disappointment? The Triton Two+ already has excellent bass for two channel but I'm becoming a bass-head in my old age.

I would be looking at subs from Hsu, SVS, or Rythmik. I would bet a single $1k 15" from Hsu would be able to outperform the $2k XXL sub from GoldenEar. You might think about getting a MiniDSP 2x4 to individually equalize the subs for a flat, accurate response overall.

For in-wall speakers for your surrounds, you might look at something from KEF. JBL looks to have some reasonable in-walls as well, look at their Studio Series in-walls. Hsu has some in-walls also that should work fine.

 

[Scott Y.]

Hsu, SVS, or Rythmik Is exactly what I'm looking at.

I'm thinking a new pair to be the main subs and then use my older existing ported subs to fill in, perhaps crossed over pretty low.

Is there a particular pair that would recommend and be $2000 max delivered? My room is around 5000 cu. ft. But half of it is behind the viewing/listening area.