VTF-3 MK 5 for music

[PG55]

Hello,

I am tweaking my new VTF-3 MK5 Sub and enjoying the heck out of movies and TV. I have seen some of these movies numerous times and they now seem to have another layer of depth that envelops the room that was not present with my other subs.

Music however is confusing and I haven't got it dialed in yet. When I play 2 channel music without the sub in direct mode (which as I understand flips the main Monitor Audios Silver 300's to full range) it sounds full and the bass is crystal clear with a slight lowering of the high notes. When I switch to Auto mode which engages the Sub woofer and crosses over at 80Hz the bass seems to lose its clarity and volume and the mains gain volume in the high notes.

I was expecting the Auto mode with the sub woofer engaged to add depth and bass clarity to the music as it does for movies. Seems backward that for music the system seems to sound better without the sub?

Feedback?

Thanks,
PG55

 

[mazersteven]

Placement?

 

[lovinthehd]

Processor enables sub in direct mode? What processor Sub setup/integration details? Could be just your preferences at work but hard to know from your description the normal setup details...

 

[PG55]

Processor is a Marantz SR5012 which does not enable sub in direct mode with the LFE Sub Woofer set up. It does enable Sub in auto mode. I have not tried LFE + main which may enable sub in direct mode however I am not sure I want both the sub and the mains playing the same low frequencies?

 

[Pogre]

Processor is a Marantz SR5012 which does not enable sub in direct mode with the LFE Sub Woofer set up. It does enable Sub in auto mode. I have not tried LFE + main which may enable sub in direct mode however I am not sure I want both the sub and the mains playing the same low frequencies?

Your sub, are you using EQ1 or EQ2? Sealed, 1 port open, 2 ports open? Your receiver, are you using Dynamic EQ? Reference level offset? Are Dynamic Volume or Audyssey LFC on or off?

I don't know if there's a big difference, but I just use "stereo" for music and either Dolby or DTS for 5.1 content. I never use "auto", not that I'm sure it would make a difference. It's just what I use. I pretty much never use direct unless I do it just to remind me how much better "stereo" sounds.

 

[PG55]

Your sub, are you using EQ1 or EQ2? Sealed, 1 port open, 2 ports open? Your receiver, are you using Dynamic EQ? Reference level offset? Are Dynamic Volume or Audyssey LFC on or off?

I don't know if there's a big difference, but I just use "stereo" for music and either Dolby or DTS for 5.1 content. I never use "auto", not that I'm sure it would make a difference. It's just what I use. I pretty much never use direct unless I do it just to remind me how much better "stereo" sounds.

My 5.1 sounds awesome with Dynamic EQ and DV on light. It is the music I am tweaking. My Sub is at EQ1 with the 4 inch port open. With music Direct cancels Dynamic EQ and Dynamic volume in stereo with no Sub. Auto is stereo with sub and dynamic EQ and DV on light. Seems to sound clearer with just the mains on direct with no EQ?

Too many options

 

[Pogre]

My 5.1 sounds awesome with Dynamic EQ and DV on light. It is the music I am tweaking. My Sub is at EQ1 with the 4 inch port open. With music Direct cancels Dynamic EQ and Dynamic volume in stereo with no Sub. Auto is stereo with sub and dynamic EQ and DV on light. Seems to sound clearer with just the mains on direct with no EQ?

Too many options

Okay, well first DV is killing your bass.

EQ 1 with 1 port open is the deepest extension mode, but you lose some energy in the audible part of the spectrum to make up for it. I've done a lot of experimenting with my VTF-3s and much prefer the additional headroom you get from EQ2 with both ports open. EQ 1 with 1 port open makes my bass sound anemic and weak, imo.

Try this, turn DV off. It's a compression thing and filters a lot of stuff out. Also make sure LFC Containment is off. Leave DEQ on and experiment with the different RLO settings. Check out these charts, I saved them for an occasion just like this!

Everything should be pretty clearly labeled. You can see in the 2nd chart, EQ 2 with both ports open, has more energy in the audible range, which is still lower than most music goes. The top chart, EQ 1 with 1 port open, has deeper extension with more energy in the subsonic frequencies. There's very little music that even goes that deep, and those are the frequencies you can't even hear ("sub" sonic)!

Also note the effects of DEQ and the different RLO settings. I think between your sub port/EQ setting and turning DV off it should damn near be night and day difference.

 

[Pogre]

When I switch to Auto mode which engages the Sub woofer and crosses over at 80Hz the bass seems to lose its clarity and volume and the mains gain volume in the high notes.

That's a very good explanation of exactly what Dynamic Volume is made to do. Kill the bass and bring up the vocal range so you can hear dialogue better without disturbing the neighbors or people sleeping in the next room (bass penetrates and travels lot more than higher freq). Another way to think of it would be "night time mode".

 

[Chocolatey MidsFan]

That's a very good explanation of exactly what Dynamic Volume is made to do. Kill the bass and bring up the vocal range so you can hear dialogue better without disturbing the neighbors or people sleeping in the next room (bass penetrates and travels lot more than higher freq). Another way to think of it would be "night time mode".

Very good advice.

 

[Pogre]

I hate it when I drop knowledge, bust out the charts and op stops replying!

This is an obvious one too. I think he's in for a pleasant surprise if he tries my suggestions!

 

[PG55]

I hate it when I drop knowledge, bust out the charts and op stops replying!

This is an obvious one too. I think he's in for a pleasant surprise if he tries my suggestions!

I am here! Have to do the honey do's in between tweaking. Great stuff! The charts are eye opening and you are correct. There is a clear difference with DV off and both ports open! I am playing around with the RLO settings and I have found RLO 10 both ports open DEQ on and I have beautiful stereo sound as well as a slight improvement in my 5.1 also.

 

[PG55]

What is LFC containment?

 

[lovinthehd]

Audyssey feature on some avrs...low frequency containment, limits bass content.

 

[Pogre]

I am here! Have to do the honey do's in between tweaking. Great stuff! The charts are eye opening and you are correct. There is a clear difference with DV off and both ports open! I am playing around with the RLO settings and I have found RLO 10 both ports open DEQ on and I have beautiful stereo sound as well as a slight improvement in my 5.1 also.

That's awesome. I always get a touch of the warm fuzzies when we can help someone make an improvement.

When I first got my VTF-3s I thought I would prefer deeper extension mode too and someone gave me the same advice. Flipping to EQ 2 and opening up the ports really woke up my bass. Me likey!

Anymore now I only ever use eq 1 when I'm showing off or listening to something I know that has a lot of content in that range. Which is very little actually, but I do have a couple of movies known to have super deep bass.

 

[PG55]

That's awesome. I always get a touch of the warm fuzzies when we can help someone make an improvement.

When I first got my VTF-3s I thought I would prefer deeper extension mode too and someone gave me the same advice. Flipping to EQ 2 and opening up the ports really woke up my bass. Me likey!

Anymore now I only ever use eq 1 when I'm showing off or listening to something I know that has a lot of content in that range. Which is very little actually, but I do have a couple of movies known to have super deep bass.

I am kicked back enjoying Aja as if it's the 1st time! Crystal clear bass tracks. Thanks for the tips!

 

[VMPS-TIII]

EQ2, both ports open and HSU sings! That's my HSU VTF-3 MK5 setup too.

 

[Danzilla31]

That's awesome. I always get a touch of the warm fuzzies when we can help someone make an improvement.

When I first got my VTF-3s I thought I would prefer deeper extension mode too and someone gave me the same advice. Flipping to EQ 2 and opening up the ports really woke up my bass. Me likey!

Anymore now I only ever use eq 1 when I'm showing off or listening to something I know that has a lot of content in that range. Which is very little actually, but I do have a couple of movies known to have super deep bass.

I'm the same with the PB 4000's I ran them at first in extended mode but ended just liking them with all ports open

 

[Pogre]

What is LFC containment?

Me brainfarting, lol. I should have typed "Audyssey LFC" (Audyssey Low Frequency Containment).

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Flipping to EQ 2 and opening up the ports really woke up my bass.

My brother... you have saved PG55, and guided him down the bass rabbit hole. Well done. Very well done indeed
But damn man! Woke bass? W. T. F.
I’m flinging myself off a bridge now.....

 

[Danzilla31]

My brother... you have saved PG55, and guided him down the bass rabbit hole. Well done. Very well done indeed
But damn man! Woke bass? W. T. F.
I’m flinging myself off a bridge now.....

Yeah I think I've heard enough of the word WOKE to last me for the rest of my Damn life bro