Bass Management Conquered?

[sterling shoote]

I have two multi-channel preamps, both, circa 2000. One has a test tone feature which allows me to supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement. The other preamp does not have a test tone feature; but, since my OPPO UDP-205 has a test tone feature and is connected to that preamp, I can supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement from that preamp too, when using the OPPO. Now, this balance is based on my hearing and since all speakers in my 5.1 system are not identical, it is not easy to perceive balance and thus bass management is often chaotic, too much or too little; but, today I believe I may have conquered the problem at least for music, stereo, as well as multi-channel, having used a sound pressure meter which I downloaded to my iPhone. For the first time, my Diana Krall Love Scenes SACD does not sound like the bass violin is directly in front of vocals. At any rate, I'm wondering if any others here have used such a downloaded meter to get ahold of bass from older equipment? Seems to work really well, and better than my ears for adjustment task.

 

[yepimonfire]

I have two multi-channel preamps, both, circa 2000. One has a test tone feature which allows me to supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement. The other preamp does not have a test tone feature; but, since my OPPO UDP-205 has a test tone feature and is connected to that preamp, I can supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement from that preamp too, when using the OPPO. Now, this balance is based on my hearing and since all speakers in my 5.1 system are not identical, it is not easy to perceive balance and thus bass management is often chaotic, too much or too little; but, today I believe I may have conquered the problem at least for music, stereo, as well as multi-channel, having used a sound pressure meter which I downloaded to my iPhone. For the first time, my Diana Krall Love Scenes SACD does not sound like the bass violin is directly in front of vocals. At any rate, I'm wondering if any others here have used such a downloaded meter to get ahold of bass from older equipment? Seems to work really well, and better than my ears for adjustment task.

Yeah, unless you have a lot of experience with what the proper level should sound like it's hard to get it by ear. Just a tip, the only spl meter that's actually accurate on the iPhone is the one by studio six, and it's the only one that bypasses the mics noise reduction etc.

Also important, it must be C weighted and you should actually set the subwoofer to ~4dB lower than the left and right because of the insensitivity of the spl meter at low frequencies and the overall lower total energy in a band limited signal (IIRC most Avrs put out 30-80hz band limited pink noise). For example, if the center speaker reads 75dB, the sub should read 71dB. Usually it will bounce around a couple dB even on slow so I just use the middle most reading.

Sent from my LM-X210(G) using Tapatalk

 

[highfigh]

I have two multi-channel preamps, both, circa 2000. One has a test tone feature which allows me to supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement. The other preamp does not have a test tone feature; but, since my OPPO UDP-205 has a test tone feature and is connected to that preamp, I can supposedly get overall balance from my 5.1 speaker arrangement from that preamp too, when using the OPPO. Now, this balance is based on my hearing and since all speakers in my 5.1 system are not identical, it is not easy to perceive balance and thus bass management is often chaotic, too much or too little; but, today I believe I may have conquered the problem at least for music, stereo, as well as multi-channel, having used a sound pressure meter which I downloaded to my iPhone. For the first time, my Diana Krall Love Scenes SACD does not sound like the bass violin is directly in front of vocals. At any rate, I'm wondering if any others here have used such a downloaded meter to get ahold of bass from older equipment? Seems to work really well, and better than my ears for adjustment task.

Most of the times I want to find info about what my system is doing, I use my laptop, partly because RoomEQ Wizard can do RTA and SPL at the same time and if moving speakers is involved, the response will change with even small increments of movement. I'm less concerned with the actual SPL, more with the relationship between the speakers- my system is stereo, but I have used REW for surround systems, too.

I have found that proper speaker placement is the #1 step in setting up a system- if that's not right, no amount of 'room correction' will make it right. I played with Audyssey endlessly before I found the sweet spot for my speakers a couple of years ago and haven't messed with them since.One thing I didn't hear before- I can move around the listening room and hear either speaker clearly, without one becoming inaudible because of where I stand; I can stand directly in front of one speaker and hear the other without the sound coming from the place where the first reflection originates. Voice locations used to be kind of vague and now, they're definitely centered when the person is centered or localized when the person is at one side. The sound of voices is more natural, too- it's easy to forget the sound is coming from a pair of speakers on the other side of the room.