Got my first sub ever last Friday!

[BassnBronco]

I'm new to the audiophile world, but I'm learning tons being on this forum. Finally decided it was time to build a system. I went with the Paradigm PS-1200 in a ~3600 cubic feet room. The thing sounds great to me! I love it! My home will never be without a sub now. In fact, I'm becoming addicted to the bass. I can already see a SVS PB13-Ultra when I get a house. The gain is currently at the 11 o'clock position. I'm a bit hesitant to turn it up too much (past 1-2 o'clock). Do I need to worry? How can I tell if the sub is distorting? Are there any warning signs or could it all of a sudden just blow if I crank it up to high without warning? I thought there were three ports for the PS-1200? Mine only has two very large ports ... it's the v.4. I hope this is the most current version. Anyone know when the version 4's came out, and when they plan on releasing a version 5? Also, how can I calculate how much current it's pulling from my circuit? How do the "speaker-level input sensitivity" and "line-level input impedence" come into play? This stuff is addicting.

 

[mazersteven]

Congratulations on the purchase. Hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

It looks like you are doing what many new sub owners do which is just cranking that puppy. Your sub should be an extension of your speakers and should not draw attention to itself. You need to get a SPL meter and blend the sub into the rest of your speakers using either a cal disc or the test tones on your AVR.

 

[BassnBronco]

It looks like you are doing what many new sub owners do which is just cranking that puppy. Your sub should be an extension of your speakers and should not draw attention to itself. You need to get a SPL meter and blend the sub into the rest of your speakers using either a cal disc or the test tones on your AVR.

I've been wanting to purchase a SPL meter, but just haven't had the time. About the test tones in my receiver, I don't hear anything coming out of the sub when the test tone is switched to the sub. When I have it on the speakers, I can hear static, but nothing from the sub. How do I use the SPL to calibrate the sub if I don't hear anything? Also, do I just set an arbitrary decibel level, say 70dB or 75dB, depending on how loud I want it at my sitting position?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You should hear test tones coming from your sub; what kind of AVR do you have?

The most common way to set-up is to calibrate all speakers to be at 75db when your master volume control is at zero, so zero = dolby reference level. That way you know that if the master is at -10 then you are at 65db or 10 under ref level and so forth.

 

[westcott]

You are better off getting a calibration DVD like Digital Video Essentials or the Rives Audio test CD. The volume level is usually suggested by the calibration DVD. Somewhere between 75 and 85dB seems the norm. Every speaker has a different efficiency\sensitivity so you can not go by what the AV receiver volume level reads. At zero, with my speakers put me at over 100dB!!!!!

You may be a little disappointed with the outcome of your calibration after having it turned up for some time now. A properly calibrated system, as Greg pointed out, will blend with your other speakers without calling undo attention to itself. You may have gotten used to the louder bass frequencies and it may take you a while to adjust to proper levels.

 

[Seth=L]

The new PS-1200 does not have three ports like the older versions. If you want tighter and lower bass, but are willing to sacrifice some SPLs you can plug one of the ports, I did that when I had the PS-1000 and found plugging one or two of the ports (it had 3 ports) increased extension into the low end, but I lost some SPLs, but that can be adjusted by raising the Gain a tad, and in a smaller room I am sure you will be fine.

Enjoy the subwoofer.

 

[BassnBronco]

Where would I get a plug for the ports? I thought that having more ports open gave you more extension in the lower end and lower frequencies? I have the Onkyo SR604 receiver. I finally used it's built in calibration feature (audyssey) last night. It set my left speaker at +2 and the right at +1, even though the right is a few feet further away from my sitting position. It also set my sub at -2. It set my bookshelves at fullband with the doublebass feature on and the sub cutoff at 80Hz. Before this calibration, I set both speakers at +3 and the sub at +9. Also had the bookshelves at 60Hz cutoff and the sub at 80Hz. I have to admit that it does sound better after autocalibration. I did bump the sub to +4. I was concerned about having the fronts set at fullband frequency, but seems like the doublebass feature sends the bass frequencies from the fronts to the subs, so the fronts aren't really even getting the lower frequencies. Though I wonder what frequency range the receiver considers bass frequencies?

 

[Nick250]

AFTER you run Denon Audyssey Auto EQ, you always have to go in and manually change all speakers to small and set the crossovers to 80hz or whatever is appropriate. Don't know about Onkyo, but maybe something similar is in order.

Nick

 

[Warpdrv]

Where would I get a plug for the ports?

You could easily stuff a towel or some old dirty socks in there...
No kidding on the towel...

 

[ParadigmDawg]

The auto cal is just a first step in the right direction. like Westcott and Warp were saying; after you run it, go back and adjust the size and crossover as they always seem to come out wrong. As far as setting the mains different; remember that the mics are very sensitive and just moving it one inch will change the results. It is best to set the mic on a tripod in your exact listening position. Next step is a cal disc disc and SPL meter.

Where would I get a plug for the ports? I thought that having more ports open gave you more extension in the lower end and lower frequencies? I have the Onkyo SR604 receiver. I finally used it's built in calibration feature (audyssey) last night. It set my left speaker at +2 and the right at +1, even though the right is a few feet further away from my sitting position. It also set my sub at -2. It set my bookshelves at fullband with the doublebass feature on and the sub cutoff at 80Hz. Before this calibration, I set both speakers at +3 and the sub at +9. Also had the bookshelves at 60Hz cutoff and the sub at 80Hz. I have to admit that it does sound better after autocalibration. I did bump the sub to +4. I was concerned about having the fronts set at fullband frequency, but seems like the doublebass feature sends the bass frequencies from the fronts to the subs, so the fronts aren't really even getting the lower frequencies. Though I wonder what frequency range the receiver considers bass frequencies?

 

[BassnBronco]

Been playing with the settings some more. After some reading and research, I had an idea of where to set the crossover points, but after a lot of trial and error, I found the best setting for my ears are to set the fronts at 80Hz and the sub at 100-120Hz. The cutoffs seem high in comparison to what's recommended, but I like the way it sounds.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You dont want to use the crossover in the sub and the one in the AVR. Max out the sub crossover and use the AVR so you dont run into a cascading effect.

Been playing with the settings some more. After some reading and research, I had an idea of where to set the crossover points, but after a lot of trial and error, I found the best setting for my ears are to set the fronts at 80Hz and the sub at 100-120Hz. The cutoffs seem high in comparison to what's recommended, but I like the way it sounds.

 

[j_garcia]

Been playing with the settings some more. After some reading and research, I had an idea of where to set the crossover points, but after a lot of trial and error, I found the best setting for my ears are to set the fronts at 80Hz and the sub at 100-120Hz. The cutoffs seem high in comparison to what's recommended, but I like the way it sounds.

By doing that, you are creating a GAP between your speakers and the sub... Do what Greg said.

 

[Warpdrv]

By doing that, you are creating a GAP between your speakers and the sub... Do what Greg said.

The way Im reading it here... Greg is right, but he already accomplished this anyways, by setting the crossover on the sub higher then the mains, so the sub X-Over should not be introduced into the mix, unless the roll off is very gradual.

Either way, like Greg said the correct way is to max out the crossover on the sub, to eliminate any potential roll off freq. overlap.

The Gap j_garcia is talking about, is if you set the Sub x-over less then what the mains are set at. So if you set the sub x-over at 60hz and the mains at 80hz in the reciever, the signal between the two will not be played out of either the sub or the mains...

 

[j_garcia]

Sorry, was reading it backwards, but interpreting it right...

 

[Warpdrv]

Sorry, was reading it backwards, but interpreting it right...

...........

 

[BassnBronco]

How can you tell if the sub is bottoming out? I don't think I've come close hitting the subs capability. How can I tell if any damage is being done to a sub? While watching the scene where the blue crystal light explodes from the water in Superman Returns, I thought something was really going to blow up in my room. Didn't hear any pops or weird noises ...

 

[Sheep]

How can you tell if the sub is bottoming out? I don't think I've come close hitting the subs capability. How can I tell if any damage is being done to a sub? While watching the scene where the blue crystal light explodes from the water in Superman Returns, I thought something was really going to blow up in my room. Didn't hear any pops or weird noises ...

It will sound like a mechanical smacking/popping sound. Trust me, you'll know when it is making non normal sounds.

That scene is weird, but the noise your sub made is fine, I just watched that scene, and it has a big dynamic peak in the bass region.

SheepStar

 

[BassnBronco]

Do you know what frequency that peak is? When I first watched the scene, I didn't realize how high I had the volume. It screen went dark and quiet, then it light exploded, and scared the **** out of me.