Issue with SVS SB-2000

[Kruz]

I just received an SVS SB-2000 today and it sounds very anemic. From reading the reviews of this sub I know it must be a connection issue and not the sub. I can barely hear it and that is with it turned to max volume. I expect at this level with no eq on it should be shaking my room?

The basement is 20 feet by 10 feet with 9 foot ceilings with an opening to the stairs and another room (pretty closed off).

I have it connected with a 15 foot rca from the subwoofer out on my pioneer vsx-523-k. On the subwoofer side it is connected in the LFE input.

The light is on on the front of the subwoofer. I have tried switching it to always on instead of the standby/on side and I have tried it with my MCACC on and off. In the MCACC setup I set my speakers to small and the cross over at 80. Nothing seems to be helping.

Could this be the receiver? It is a pretty low end version I bought in December to get my by until I can get the denon x4000.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[mike c]

things to try:

1) back off the max volume of the sub, make sure the receiver's subwoofer channel is set close to 0db
2) move the subwoofer to another location, see if the sound changes

 

[afterlife2]

I would call SVS so they can help you figure it out with various scenarios. They have great CS.

 

[ReUpRo]

Location location location. Is the SVS properly positioned?
http://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-setup/easy-subwoofer-placement

 

[Kruz]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I have done the sub crawl and found it sounds best a little off sitting in the front left corner. I think I will call SVS over the weekend and talk to them. I have never owned a subwoofer before so I'm not sure what I was expecting. I guess it shouldn't be obvious there is a subwoofer until you turn it off or unless the volume is really high?

 

[Pyrrho]

It also depends on what you listen to. If there is no deep bass in the recording, it should be quiet. It should only be making sound when the recording requires it.

Does it seem about the same volume as your main speakers when you play the built-in test tones in your receiver?

 

[Kruz]

This was part of the issue. When I ran MCACC the volume was at max. Once I turned that to 50%, reran it and then set my main speakers to small the sound it much better. I think part of the issue was I am used to equating bass with subwoofers you hear in cars etc (big loose bass) and what the SVS does is really tight bass. It sounds really good with music because of that. I never really put much credence in the concept of break in time being for you to get used to new speakers (or subwoofers) and not for the speakers themselves to break in but I can see it at play here.

things to try:

1) back off the max volume of the sub, make sure the receiver's subwoofer channel is set close to 0db
2) move the subwoofer to another location, see if the sound changes

 

[Basshead81]

It does ot matter where set the gain on the sub amp, mcacc or any room correction software will calibrate the sub to 75db. However if you had the gain set to max and ran the calibration, it was probably out of range and something went south with the calibration. I believe on the new 2000 amps, the gain shuld be set around 2:00, then run macacc again. After the calibration process, make sure all speakers are set small and the sub crossover is 80hz. Now check the sub trim level, it might be set to a negative number, go ahead and bump it up a couple db if you want more bass.

 

[zhimbo]

Yeah - you don't hear a properly set up subwoofer as "the subwoofer". A subwoofer that draws attention to itself is a bad subwoofer, or a subwoofer being pushed past its limits - although with, say, cannon fire in Master and Commander or deep electronic bass, you'll know darn well it's there compared to a non-subwoofer setup.

 

[afterlife2]

It does ot matter where set the gain on the sub amp, mcacc or any room correction software will calibrate the sub to 75db. However if you had the gain set to max and ran the calibration, it was probably out of range and something went south with the calibration. I believe on the new 2000 amps, the gain shuld be set around 2:00, then run macacc again. After the calibration process, make sure all speakers are set small and the sub crossover is 80hz. Now check the sub trim level, it might be set to a negative number, go ahead and bump it up a couple db if you want more bass.

I agree. This is what I do with aud, then I get my best bass CD and even it out for movie and music to my liking.

 

[j_garcia]

Setting the gain to 100% was mistake #1. Listen to it for a while calibrated and then make adjustments if necessary.

This is a sealed sub, not a vented one, so if it was rumble you were after like car audio, a sealed sub probably wasn't the right choice. Sealed will give you impact and clean sound, but will typically not flap your pant leg or vibrate the couch with the bottom octave the same way as vented.

 

[Kruz]

Can you elaborate on what the sub "trim level" is?

Also do you think there is any difference between calibrating with the gain at 12 o'clock vs. 2 o'clock? Is so what causes this?

It does ot matter where set the gain on the sub amp, mcacc or any room correction software will calibrate the sub to 75db. However if you had the gain set to max and ran the calibration, it was probably out of range and something went south with the calibration. I believe on the new 2000 amps, the gain shuld be set around 2:00, then run macacc again. After the calibration process, make sure all speakers are set small and the sub crossover is 80hz. Now check the sub trim level, it might be set to a negative number, go ahead and bump it up a couple db if you want more bass.

 

[Kruz]

It's funny, I wasn't after that rumble and vibration (I live in a town house and that would be asking for disaster) but it was still what I expected right off the bat because of my lack of experience with subwoofers. I'm sure with some listening, setting tweaks and moving up to the denon x4000 I will be very pleased with this sub.

Setting the gain to 100% was mistake #1. Listen to it for a while calibrated and then make adjustments if necessary.

This is a sealed sub, not a vented one, so if it was rumble you were after like car audio, a sealed sub probably wasn't the right choice. Sealed will give you impact and clean sound, but will typically not flap your pant leg or vibrate the couch with the bottom octave the same way as vented.

 

[afterlife2]

Can you elaborate on what the sub "trim level" is?

Also do you think there is any difference between calibrating with the gain at 12 o'clock vs. 2 o'clock? Is so what causes this?

As said earlier Kruz set the vol on the sub at 75(on screen) when running Audyssey then go from there.

 

[canelli]

If I remember correctly, the older versions of MCACC do no offer any correction under 60hz. Has the changed with the newer versions?

 

[rnatalli]

If I remember correctly, the older versions of MCACC do no offer any correction under 60hz. Has the changed with the newer versions?

It appears Pioneer has added it this year.

 

[Kruz]

The version of MCACC on the 523 is very very basic. The on screen interface doesn't even go over HDMI. I have to move an older LCD into the room to connect it to see the display lol.

If I remember correctly, the older versions of MCACC do no offer any correction under 60hz. Has the changed with the newer versions?

 

[3db]

Glad to hear you have it all worked out now.