sub bottoming out

[larry7995]

there is a thread over at av123 that has a mfw15 bottoming out during a train scene in 3:10 to Yuma, anyone with maybe the svs pb13 have any experiences with their sub bottoming out on this movie or perhaps the star wars one where the spaceship blows up? - that one really overpowered my JBL.

 

[3db]

there is a thread over at av123 that has a mfw15 bottoming out during a train scene in 3:10 to Yuma, anyone with maybe the svs pb13 have any experiences with their sub bottoming out on this movie or perhaps the star wars one where the spaceship blows up? - that one really overpowered my JBL.

I think a sub that bottoms out hasn't been positioned in the room correctly to take advantage of room effects. To compensate for that, they overdrive the sub causing it to bottom out. I was in a similar position once where by PSB sub bottomed out. So I did some research about how to find optimal positioning of a sub in a room, and after that, its been clear sailing.

 

[Exit]

Here is the recommended subwoofer placement guide.

http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/speaker-setup-guidelines/crawling-for-bass-subwoofer-placement/?searchterm=Crawling

It might also be that the subwoofer doesn't have enough headroom and needs the volume turned down so it doesn't bottom out on really strong or deep sound effects. I have an 8" subwoofer like that and it turned out I had to lower the volume so much the subwoofer was basically useless.

 

[j_garcia]

I usually equate bottoming with over-zealous new users who calibrate their sub too hot (improper placement and calibration).

 

[croseiv]

there is a thread over at av123 that has a mfw15 bottoming out during a train scene in 3:10 to Yuma, anyone with maybe the svs pb13 have any experiences with their sub bottoming out on this movie or perhaps the star wars one where the spaceship blows up? - that one really overpowered my JBL.

I can absolutely tell you the PB13-Ultra handles the Star Wars scene you are referring to with amazing power (no bottoming out). I have yet to bottom mine out). My old PSW-650 bottomed out on that scene (not set too hot). It's a challenging scene. The Ultra handles it easily. That was my first test scene on it too.

 

[3db]

I can absolutely tell you the PB13-Ultra handles the Star Wars scene you are referring to with amazing power (no bottoming out). I have yet to bottom mine out). My old PSW-650 bottomed out on that scene (not set too hot). It's a challenging scene. The Ultra handles it easily. That was my first test scene on it too.

My subsonic5 never bottoms out and its just a dual ported design with a 10" driver. If a sub still bottoms out after proper room positioning, then the sub is calibrated to "hot"

 

[croseiv]

My subsonic5 never bottoms out and its just a dual ported design with a 10" driver. If a sub still bottoms out after proper room positioning, then the sub is calibrated to "hot"

I agree to an extent, but if one wants to play his sub louder than it can handle it will also "bottom out" if it doesn't have enough power (regardless of how hot it's set up). That is what happened in the case of my older sub when playing at close to reference levels. It just couldn't handle it. Yea, I could have lowered the sub's level, but then I would have not had any bass.

 

[Vaughan Odendaa]

The user in question calibrated his subwoofer using tones set 15-20 dB's louder than what it should be. He tried playing back that scene at reference level. Do you have any idea how difficult that is for a single subwoofer ?

--Regards,

 

[croseiv]

The user in question calibrated his subwoofer using tones set 15-20 dB's louder than what it should be. He tried playing back that scene at reference level. Do you have any idea how difficult that is for a single subwoofer ?

--Regards,

That snippet of info is very useful to have......But was not in the OP. Do you by chance a have a link to this info?

 

[croseiv]

I did see that over at AVS after looking a bit. Sounds like the sub did quite well under the circumstances.

 

[larry7995]

It might also be that the subwoofer doesn't have enough headroom and needs the volume turned down so it doesn't bottom out on really strong or deep sound effects. I have an 8" subwoofer like that and it turned out I had to lower the volume so much the subwoofer was basically useless.

That's what I fear if I buy 2 MFW15s instead of 1 PB13 - maybe my fear is totally unfounded?

 

[larry7995]

The user in question calibrated his subwoofer using tones set 15-20 dB's louder than what it should be. He tried playing back that scene at reference level. Do you have any idea how difficult that is for a single subwoofer ?

--Regards,

Yes the post telling about the 20db difference was made later on today after I had read all the earlier ones and started this post.

 

[daman4799]

I have the MFW-15. I run mine hot give it about a 5 for movies. I ran the Star Wars, 310 to Yuma, Flight of the Phoenix etc. etc. I never bottomed mine out yet. I'm very happy with my purchase.

Later, Daman

 

[captiankirk28]

I have a SVS PB12 NSD/2 and mine does those movies without even breaking a sweat. Never have bottomed it out.

 

[j_garcia]

I have yet to push my sub to the point where it even sounded like it was struggling I also have as subsonic filter at 14Hz.