How do you correctly set your sub level?

[jkopp]

I have a question,I listen to music on a 2 channel setup and i was wondering the method used to match the sub and main speaker levels.My setup is as follows,Adcom GTP-602 preamp outputs run into a Velodyne HGS-10 sub and the 80 HZ preouts on the sub go to a Proton D1200 amp which powers the mains which are Dynaudio Audience 72se's.I did it as follows but the sub level seemed way to loud.I played pink noise through the mains with the sub off until i got 80db from my spl meter at my listening position,then i turned my amp off and just let the sub play pink noise and adjusted its output to 80db at the same listening position.Was this method correct.Thanks.

 

[Adam]

Hi. Seems like a good approach to me. What frequency are you using for the low-pass crossover on the sub?

 

[jkopp]

The subs lowpass is set to 70hz

 

[Adam]

Hmmm. I thought that maybe you were overlapping frequencies between the sub and the main speakers, but that certainly shouldn't be the case with that setting. I would have started with the low-pass set at 80 Hz to match the high-pass filter, but I know that the filters aren't instant cut-offs, so setting it a bit lower might be better - hopefully more knowledgeable people here will chime in about that.

Do you have the SPL meter set to "C" weighting with a slow response?

 

[lsiberian]

There are different levels of correct when it comes to subs.

I find for music it's best to have it match the mains, but for movies I like to crank it until I can localize it. Movies sound better with good LFE. This is why we use such monster subs for movies.

There are many theories on sub levels, but the two most resonable groups are the house curve group and the flat line group.

to do either you will typically need an EQ. For this I suggest the Behringer DXC2496 for money folks, and the Behringer Feedback Destroy 1124DSP for poor folk.

A house curve is a rising spl curve from around 500 to 30 hz. The gradient depends on the room size, and listening preferences. Wayne at the Hometheatershack gives a great overview of house curves on their forum and it's a must read IMO.

The flat line group wants a flat response from 20khz to 20hz. Of course this is not realistic in most cases. So usually it ends up being 15khz to 30hz which is the range most of us can hear in anyway.

To get a house curve you need to start with a flat line and then adjust it. This relies totally on your ears and room. So no one has a magic formula.

Have fun.

 

[bandphan]

You might even condider running the 72s full range, sending one set of outs to the sub and one to the amp.

 

[jkopp]

You might even condider running the 72s full range, sending one set of outs to the sub and one to the amp

I tried this out with the port plugs in the 72SE's with the sub xover at 40 hz and it sounds unbelieveable.It's the clear natural Dynaudio sound but with extension to 20hz or so.The only thing i think i would like is a way to cut the lows to the mains at 60hz or so, so when i play them at extreme levels(which is quite often) the drivers won't bottom out.The D1200 has about 1000 watts of headroom at their 4 ohm load and the cones pop easily.You guys have any ideas on a decent but not pricey electronic xover?Thanks again for the help.

 

[bandphan]

I tried this out with the port plugs in the 72SE's with the sub xover at 40 hz and it sounds unbelieveable.It's the clear natural Dynaudio sound but with extension to 20hz or so.The only thing i think i would like is a way to cut the lows to the mains at 60hz or so, so when i play them at extreme levels(which is quite often) the drivers won't bottom out.The D1200 has about 1000 watts of headroom at their 4 ohm load and the cones pop easily.You guys have any ideas on a decent but not pricey electronic xover?Thanks again for the help.

id look at some of the behringer units

 

[DD66000]

The D1200 has about 1000 watts of headroom at their 4 ohm load and the cones pop easily.You guys have any ideas on a decent but not pricey electronic xover?Thanks again for the help.

Unless you have plenty of experience using electronic external crossovers, its not a good idea.
You have good quality speakers that have a precise crossover, so leave well enough alone.
If you want to add an EQ for the sub, that would work.

 

[bigvag]

I'm a noobie here, I'm running the paradigm cinema 330's I've got them set for 120hz now should I set my sub to 120hz also so it picks up from 120hz and down.

 

[DD66000]

I'm a noobie here, I'm running the paradigm cinema 330's I've got them set for 120hz now should I set my sub to 120hz also so it picks up from 120hz and down.

If 120htz is as low as Paradigm suggests then the sub needs to be at 120 also.
But you need to have the sub between the L/R mains, for best results, as anything above 80 htz from the sub can be localized. So if you were to have the sub somewhere else than up front you would then get a disjointed sound.

 

[bigvag]

If 120htz is as low as Paradigm suggests then the sub needs to be at 120 also.
But you need to have the sub between the L/R mains, for best results, as anything above 80 htz from the sub can be localized. So if you were to have the sub somewhere else than up front you would then get a disjointed sound.

When I ran the audissy eq mic set up on my onkyo it set the paradigms to 80hz, I thought this was alittle to low, so I set them to 120hz. I don't know if the speakers can handle the 80hz

 

[DD66000]

When I ran the audissy eq mic set up on my onkyo it set the paradigms to 80hz, I thought this was alittle to low, so I set them to 120hz. I don't know if the speakers can handle the 80hz

Well, the speaker manual shows -2db @ 110htz. But I think -2db isn't down enough, so I'd set the crossover to 100.

 

[JAMS]

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