MiniDSP 2x4 HD on it's way, some questions

[NINaudio]

As the title states, I've got my mini-dsp on it's way.

I'm wondering the best way to incorporate it. Should I try to get it near flat for my sub with Audyssey turned off and then do the Audyssey setup again?

I'm attaching a pic of the response with Audyssey off and the expected performance with some filters in place from REW. Does anyone see a problem with these? I left out a few of the recommended ones because I'm ok with the bump being there below 20 hz.

 

[Pogre]

As the title states, I've got my mini-dsp on it's way.

I'm wondering the best way to incorporate it. Should I try to get it near flat for my sub with Audyssey turned off and then do the Audyssey setup again?

I'm attaching a pic of the response with Audyssey off and the expected performance with some filters in place from REW. Does anyone see a problem with these? I left out a few of the recommended ones because I'm ok with the bump being there below 20 hz.

The predicted shows a definite improvement. I'd run those filters and do another sweep to see where it is actually at. Then see what Audyssey does with it, sweep again.

I caught a glimpse of a couple of threads posted by @TLS Guy that reflect negatively on Audyssey. I haven't had a chance to look through them yet, but they might be worth a read as well.

 

[Pogre]

Also, I did a lot of moving stuff around before applying ANY filters. You can improve quite a bit moving stuff even 6" one way or another. Always try some positional eq'ing first.

 

[NINaudio]

Yeah, I've moved the sub and speakers around a bit and gotten everything as good as it can get with this room layout. The girl and I are planning a move after the semester, and when we do I'll have more room to play with speaker and sub positions as well as building a second sub.

Right now, I'm really hoping to improve that dip in the 20-40 hz region as I think that will make a drastic difference in my overall enjoyment of the system

 

[KEW]

The predicted shows a definite improvement. I'd run those filters and do another sweep to see where it is actually at. Then see what Audyssey does with it, sweep again.

I caught a glimpse of a couple of threads posted by @TLS Guy that reflect negatively on Audyssey. I haven't had a chance to look through them yet, but they might be worth a read as well.

I thought of you when I read TLSGuy's part three - the following bit:

I encourage you all to not follow the herd. Try when sensible to set as many of your speakers as possible to large, and try bringing in the sub half an octave above F3 of at least the main speakers. Give your system a good evaluation without Audyssey. I suspect many and probably most will be in for a pleasant surprise.

This may be a way to get more of that full range goodness out of the towers.

SVS claims F3 of 28Hz which would put 1/2 octave up at 40Hz.

 

[Pogre]

I thought of you when I read TLSGuy's part three - the following bit:

This may be a way to get more of that full range goodness out of the towers.

SVS claims F3 of 28Hz which would put 1/2 octave up at 40Hz.

That's what got me wanting to incorporate a mini into the mix. Where my towers are there isn't a lot of wiggle room and I can't seem to get anywhere close to the bass response I have using what I have now. To me, it sounds fantastic and measures flat.

*Edit: Won't setting my speakers to large bypass the sub altogether?

 

[KEW]

That's what got me wanting to incorporate a mini into the mix. Where my towers are there isn't a lot of wiggle room and I can't seem to get anywhere close to the bass response I have using what I have now. To me, it sounds fantastic and measures flat.

*Edit: Won't setting my speakers to large bypass the sub altogether?

I'm not endorsing this approach, just thinking you might give it a listen and see what you think.
You may have already tried that. I am a bit OCD and knowing you have all that great woofage sitting idle is working my nerve (j/k, but not entirely).

You need to go to Setup > Speakers > Manual Setup > Bass > LFE + Main

That will enable the Subs to play the Main content using the Crossover frequency as a low pass filter for the subs.
You may have to enable this setting before you can access the crossover setting.

 

[Pogre]

I'm not endorsing this approach, just thinking you might give it a listen and see what you think.
You may have already tried that. I am a bit OCD and knowing you have all that great woofage sitting idle is working my nerve (j/k, but not entirely).

You need to go to Setup > Speakers > Manual Setup > Bass > LFE + Main

That will enable the Subs to play the Main content using the Crossover frequency as a low pass filter for the subs.
You may have to enable this setting before you can access the crossover setting.

Gotcha, tho I'm pretty sure I've tried. I turned Audyssey off and have been listening to my severely neutered bass for the last 15 minutes... lol.

I've not done a lot of experimenting with lfe + main, if at all. I'll give it a go. I'm right with you on unused woofage. I really want to incorporate my towers and take advantage of that range some more. Right now my crossover is at 120 hz.

 

[Pogre]

I'm not endorsing this approach, just thinking you might give it a listen and see what you think.
You may have already tried that. I am a bit OCD and knowing you have all that great woofage sitting idle is working my nerve (j/k, but not entirely).

You need to go to Setup > Speakers > Manual Setup > Bass > LFE + Main

That will enable the Subs to play the Main content using the Crossover frequency as a low pass filter for the subs.
You may have to enable this setting before you can access the crossover setting.

Audyssey - L/R Bypass
Dynamic EQ - On
Reference level offset - 5dB

Speaker Config - Front - Large
Crossover - 40 hz
Subwoofer Mode - LFE + Main
LPF for LFE - 120 hz

Sounds surprisingly pretty good! I'm missing some bass between prolly 40 - 90 hz or so, tho not as much as I'd suspected. I should bust out the equipment and do a sweep...

 

[KEW]

Audyssey - L/R Bypass
Dynamic EQ - On
Reference level offset - 5dB

Speaker Config - Front - Large
Crossover - 40 hz
Subwoofer Mode - LFE + Main
LPF for LFE - 120 hz

Sounds surprisingly pretty good! I'm missing some bass between prolly 40 - 90 hz or so, tho not as much as I'd suspected. I should bust out the equipment and do a sweep...

With or without miniDSP?

@NINaudio let us know if you feel this conversation is hi-jacking your thread, we can start another or go to PM. On the one hand it is talking about EQ approaches/options; however, it is not directly specific to your question.

 

[Pogre]

With or without miniDSP?

@NINaudio let us know if you feel this conversation is hi-jacking your thread, we can start another or go to PM. On the one hand it is talking about EQ approaches/options; however, it is not directly specific to your question.

With.

If @NINaudio is okay with it, I think this could all be helpful. We might all learn something together!

*Edit: Tomorrow morning I'll get set up for a full recalibration. I might try the mini on the mains and let Audyssey handle subs? I want to see if there's a way to make @TLS Guy's suggestions work with all this too. Experiment time. I have ideas.

 

[Alex2507]

My xo lives at 100 Hz and speakers set to Small for day-in day-out TV use. The subs are EQ'ed.

For the times I want to actually listen to music, the mains go to Large and the xo goes to 60 Hz. I lose EQ control from 60 Hz-100 Hz but letting the mains just be what they are has its own reward.

 

[Pogre]

Well, it's tomorrow morning. Seriously lacking in motivation tho... lol

 

[NINaudio]

I'm hoping to get my mini on Wednesday, so I can play around with it a bit Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

 

[Pogre]

I'm hoping to get my mini on Wednesday, so I can play around with it a bit Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

I should be around. I'll keep an eye on this thread. We'll get something figured out!

I really do want to do another calibration, but for some reason it turns into a 4 or 5 hour project for me almost every time.

 

[NINaudio]

I should be around. I'll keep an eye on this thread. We'll get something figured out!

I really do want to do another calibration, but for some reason it turns into a 4 or 5 hour project for me almost every time.

I know, I have midterms this week and next, but I'm sure that I'm going to squeeze in a calibration.

My plan is to Use the mini to EQ it as flat as I can, even removing the below 20 Hz bump so that Audyssey has a good starting point. Then I'll go from there with a recalibration.

 

[Pogre]

I know, I have midterms this week and next, but I'm sure that I'm going to squeeze in a calibration.

My plan is to Use the mini to EQ it as flat as I can, even removing the below 20 Hz bump so that Audyssey has a good starting point. Then I'll go from there with a recalibration.

I've been thinking about calibrating with the mini first... then Audyssey, then tweak with the mini again. I'm thinking it makes more sense to let Audyssey go first. Then you're only tweaking with the mini once.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I've been thinking about calibrating with the mini first... then Audyssey, then tweak with the mini again. I'm thinking it makes more sense to let Audyssey go first. Then you're only tweaking with the mini once.

That’s what I did too. Although I’ve seen recommendations to run REW/mini first to give Audyssey less to do. Don’t know fo sho...

 

[NINaudio]

My thinking is that by doing the mini first I have a better idea of the filters being applied. This way I can plug them into winISD to check and make sure I'm not pushing the driver too far. I doubt it's an issue as I feel that this beast barely moves at the loudest levels I'd normally listen to, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[NINaudio]

Although if I just want to do it super quick I may just tweak the current calibration and see how I like it.