One thing this has shown me is that I need to do is take multipoint measurements because I didnt think there would be that much difference across the couch.
The bolded part is significant – it tells me you haven’t actually heard anything particularly noteworthy.
Looking the graphs, a couple things are consistent from one to the next. The differences at two of the locations are insignificant enough to be inaudible. The third location has a significant dip in the 90-100 Hz region.
How important is that location to you? More importantly,
is it audibly unacceptable? At my current place, the graphs at five locations are drastically different from one to the next compared to yours. Yet, listening to music it all sounds fine no matter where I’m sitting.
Why is that? Here’s the thing that has escaped everyone’s attention:
REW graphs generated with sine-wave sweeps only plot low frequency fundamentals. But the fundamentals are only one part of the “bass picture.” The notes from bass instruments are extremely complex tones with harmonics, overtones and undertones, in additional to the fundamental. That’s why a low “F” note sounds different on an upright bass vs. and electric bass vs. a Sousaphone vs. a piano vs. a tympani.
As such, at that less-than-optimal location showing the 90-100 Hz depression, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to get a “hole” when the bass line hits those notes. The instrument is generating sufficient non-fundamental information that you will hear everything.
In addition, movie bass is all about “boom.” That doesn’t even require as much accuracy as music.
So again, unless you can hear an appreciable difference between the three locations, I’m voting with
@eljr: You don’t need another sub, despite what the graph suggests. IMO people should stop obsessing over their graphs and instead listen to what their ears are telling them.
Now, if you need more headroom, that’s a different story...
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
