Home Theater Multiple Subwoofer Set-Up & Calibration Guide

[MR.MAGOO]

Thanks for the tips, Gene! I now have two subs and will try the 'Two Sub Midwall Placement' scheme in my rectangular studio apartment.

 

[Jeffrey S. Albaugh]

We were dealers for HSU Subwoofers. Outstanding value and deep clean Bass. I own a number of them. I know Dr. Hsu. I met with him at the CEDIA Shows. He's a genius.

In my own HT, I have a pair of HSU TN-1220's. A very amazing configuration. These are not a current model, but I feel these are just the best. It consists of two Tube Subwoofer with 12" woofers. You can keep them vertical (about 48" tall), but mine lay down and are concealed by sofa furniture. They are heard but not seen. Here is the interesting part. I have their matching 500 watt HSU Subwoofer amplifier. This is great since the placement of the tubes are not seen. The hefty Amp is on my rack with all the rest of my system. It really does the trick, as the bass is incredible, but not booming or rattling. Very clean deep bass down to 18 Hz. I have no desire to replace them. My electronics are separates. If I get a chance, I will post my HT System; when, I'm not sure. My processor is an Integra 40.3. Love it. My system is 10.2 with height channels as well.

 

[shadyJ]

We were dealers for HSU Subwoofers. Outstanding value and deep clean Bass. I own a number of them. I know Dr. Hsu. I met with him at the CEDIA Shows. He's a genius.

In my own HT, I have a pair of HSU TN-1220's. A very amazing configuration. These are not a current model, but I feel these are just the best. It consists of two Tube Subwoofer with 12" woofers. You can keep them vertical (about 48" tall), but mine lay down and are concealed by sofa furniture. They are heard but not seen. Here is the interesting part. I have their matching 500 watt HSU Subwoofer amplifier. This is great since the placement of the tubes are not seen. The hefty Amp is on my rack with all the rest of my system. It really does the trick, as the bass is incredible, but not booming or rattling. Very clean deep bass down to 18 Hz. I have no desire to replace them. My electronics are separates. If I get a chance, I will post my HT System; when, I'm not sure. My processor is an Integra 40.3. Love it. My system is 10.2 with height channels as well.

The TN-1220s have to be regarded as classics. A very good design, and its sad that Hsu discontinued cylinder subs, but understandable since box subs are in such greater demand. Incidentally, Hsu still has some of those 500 watt amps available. Hsu was actually the first to sell cylinder subs in a home audio application. The Bazooka subs from SAS were the earliest cylinder subs that I can see, releasing them back in 1985, but that is for car audio.

 

[Jeffrey S. Albaugh]

The TN-1220s have to be regarded as classics. A very good design, and its sad that Hsu discontinued cylinder subs, but understandable since box subs are in such greater demand. Incidentally, Hsu still has some of those 500 watt amps available. Hsu was actually the first to sell cylinder subs in a home audio application. The Bazooka subs from SAS were the earliest cylinder subs that I can see, releasing them back in 1985, but that is for car audio.

I think you meant to say: SVS. They previously were in competition, since at the time they both made cylindrical Subwoofers.

 

[shadyJ]

Nope, I mean SAS- Southern Audio Services. Their first cylinder sub came out in 1985, but, like I said, they are for car audio. Hsu started with cylinder subs in 1991, and they used a very different design than SAS for the cylinder enclosure. SVS also started with cylinder subs, but in 1998. I don't know of anyone using cylinders for a subwoofer enclosure before SAS in 1985, but if someone does, please let me know.

 

[Brian McMurry]

I got 4 Definitive Technology 8060 towers. I do enjoy them. Each has a built in power subwoofer. Now, it may be that it is unfortunate that the placement of the subwoofers are a lock and may not be ideal. But, I've got what I got and want to make the best of it.

To that end, I am considering running cable to each from my older Yamaha amp. The following questions come to mind:

1) Is it okay to split the single sub out on the amp to 4 subs?
2) is there an issue cable length, i.e. short runs mixed with long runs, say 10ft and 35ft?

 

[gene]

I got 4 Definitive Technology 8060 towers. I do enjoy them. Each has a built in power subwoofer. Now, it may be that it is unfortunate that the placement of the subwoofers are a lock and may not be ideal. But, I've got what I got and want to make the best of it.

To that end, I am considering running cable to each from my older Yamaha amp. The following questions come to mind:

1) Is it okay to split the single sub out on the amp to 4 subs?
2) is there an issue cable length, i.e. short runs mixed with long runs, say 10ft and 35ft?

I would recommend only splitting one time with a Y-splitter and just daisy chain to the other two subs if the subs you connect have a pass through. Otherwise, get youself a mDSP unit that has 2 inputs and 4 buffered outputs. Then you can control delay, level and EQ for each sub individually while also not running a risk of damaging the sub output driver of your AV receiver.

 

[Brian McMurry]

Thanks for the reply. However, I can't find a mDSP. Was there a typo in that?

 

[shadyJ]

He means a miniDSP.

 

[faktor]

Hi everyone from a very small town near Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). First of all, sorry for my english, I read a lot but i'm not used to write it.

After viewing the multisub video on youtube and after reading lots of articles, including the one explaining how to place two or four subs, and due to my room distribution, I came across with a setup that satisfies me but I'd like to know your opinion.

My subs are a pair of Mission M6AS, they are not ported and I chose them because all my other speakers are also Missions and I think that sealed is best for music (IMHO). I use the room for both music listening and watching movies.

The subs are placed behind the listening position at 1/4 from the room length (which is 5.3m) and close to the side walls. This is because the 2nd mode due to the length is the most annoying (about 64Hz) so they are placed in a minimum pressure point. Cannot do the same in front of the listening position becauses of the door.

Correct me if I am wrong, but being close to the side walls it also allows to cancel the odd modes due to the width.

One of them is connected to the sub output of my Yamaha RX-V1500 (which is crossed at 80Hz) and the second one is connected to the output of the first.

I aligned them with the mains (Mission V63) by searching a null at the cut frequency using a sound level meter. I like the result but I think it could be better because my Yamaha only allows increments of 10cm, which I think is quite high but...

I had them on the middle of the side walls but I didn't like the result.

So, that's it. Your opinions please!!

Thanks !

 

[Jamie Smith]

I will be running 2 different subs a 10inch 100watt rms hitting 33hzs and a sw112 hitting 26hzs at 300rms. I know I read you shouldn't do this but is there a way I can make it happen. I was going to set my new sw112 the way I like it and then just run my 10 the way it is now or do you need to calibrate both of them the same time?

 

[Reginald Wallace]

I have 6 subwoofers in my Home Theatre/Mancave. (My wife is an Angel .) Two are powered, a DT SC4000, and a Paradigm PDR-8 v.3, and the other four passive subs I built or modified. I used RCA y splitters to connect the subs to my Sony STR-DH770 7.2 channel receiver. The four passive subs are connected, two each to two Yamaha amps, an A-700, and an MX-600U. There are Harrison FMOD low pass filters connected to both sub outputs from the Sony receiver that only allow frequencies 70hz and below to pass through to the amps in all subwoofers. The system sounds great, to me and everyone who has heard it. My question is, I saw where you said that it is possible to overload the output from the receiver by connecting too many subs. I do not want to do that, and I have thought that the 4 amps powering the 6 subs are likely drawing a lot of current from the sub output stage of the Sony receiver.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

I may have fixed my own concern. I purchased a Presonus TUBE PRe v2, and connected it from the subwoofer output of my AV receiver to the Yamaha MX-600U. The MX-600U had controls for each channel, but they only attenuated the signal from the receiver, not amplified it. As a result the volume on the subs connected to the MX-600U could not be boosted noticeably as needed. Now they can. The system sounds near perfect. I also connected a Harrison FMOD 100hz low pass filter to the signal going to the PREsonus to balance the bass response, it worked perfectly along with the 70 hz FMOD already connected.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

I removed the Harrison FMOD's, and used the Receiver's crossover to set the frequency at 70hz. Continuing to live and learn.

 

[gene]

I have 6 subwoofers in my Home Theatre/Mancave. (My wife is an Angel .) Two are powered, a DT SC4000, and a Paradigm PDR-8 v.3, and the other four passive subs I built or modified. I used RCA y splitters to connect the subs to my Sony STR-DH770 7.2 channel receiver. The four passive subs are connected, two each to two Yamaha amps, an A-700, and an MX-600U. There are Harrison FMOD low pass filters connected to both sub outputs from the Sony receiver that only allow frequencies 70hz and below to pass through to the amps in all subwoofers. The system sounds great, to me and everyone who has heard it. My question is, I saw where you said that it is possible to overload the output from the receiver by connecting too many subs. I do not want to do that, and I have thought that the 4 amps powering the 6 subs are likely drawing a lot of current from the sub output stage of the Sony receiver.

You don't want to parallel connect 6 subs to a single line level output. That can definitely cause problems in the long run. I'd limit it to 2 connections and either daisy chain the other subs in series with each other, or get an mDSP 2x4 and use the buffered outputs to connect the subs. The latter is preferred b/c now you will have independent delay and EQ settings for each channel to help optimize and integrate.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

Thank you. I corrected the problem, somewhat. I made the formerly 6 connections from the Sony to the subs into 4 by making the connections to the Yamaha's single (mono) rather than through a y-splitter. Next, I will daisy chain the connection to the two powered subs in series rather than how they are now, in parallel. That will bring the number of connections in parallel to 3 down from 6, which should cut the current drain on the sub outputs in half. also, I am going to use the High-Z instrument input on the PreSonus to further cut the current flow. Right now the connection to the PreSonus is to the Mic input, which is a lower impedance.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

I watched a video on Youtube on how to daisy chain subs. I daisy-chained the two powered subs with a y-splitter, plugging the male end into the first sub, and using one female end to connect to the sub output of the receiver, and the other female end to connect to the other sub. Now I have a total of 3 connections. One, of course, is the 1MegaOhm, high Z Instrument input on the Presonus that runs to the Yamaha MX600U, (I split the output from the Presonus into two channels with a y splitter to power both channels of the MX600U) (I keep the Drive on the PreSonus at 0 to avoid any Tube-based coloration of the Bass) which will not draw much current, and the other connections are the daisy chain to the two powered subs, and the single input to the Yamaha A700 which I am running in mono mode. This should be safe.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

Also, please advise. I would love to get a mDSP 2X4 based on your advice, which i trust. Problem is, I cannot afford an expensive piece of equipment right now, I am tapped out. I could spend a hundred or so, but not much more. Also, I daisy chained the the Presonus with the Yamaha A700, so now I have the two subwoofer outputs from the Sony receiver daisy chained, which reduces the total connections to two, one for each line-level subwoofer output.

 

[Reginald Wallace]

I did some research online on minidsp's. I found one on Amazon which includes a plug-in software license for 110 dollars (right in my desired price range!) and ordered it. Thanks for your help! This is the link
https://www.amazon.com/miniDSP-2x4/dp/B014SJ420M/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507342550&sr=sr-1&keywords=minidsp+2x4

 

[Reginald Wallace]

Gene, thanks again. I will update everyone once I get the minidsp and calibrate the subwoofers with it for ideal sound.