Svs pb2000 weak bass with Sony str-dh590

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Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
Hi. First post here. Trying to set up my 3.1 home theater system. I have a Sony str-dh590 receiver, monitor audio bronze center, monitor audio bronze front standing speakers and the pb2000. Did the auto calibration. The front speakers are set to small and 120 hz, sub trim is -6.5db, rca cable plugged into lfe, low pass filter is set to lfe, phase is 0, and gain on sub is 12 o’clock. When a movie is playing there is barely any noticeable bass. Not sure what to check next?
 
M

Mpsafranski

Audioholic
No noticeable bass, but you’ve confirmed the sub is on and firing? Would leave the gain where it’s at and set the trim higher, start at 0 and see if you’re noticing a difference. Would suggest playing some music with a good amount of low frequency content (anything off of Beck’s Sea Change for instance) while you putz to see what is making a difference and not.
also be sure to drop the crossovers on your speakers to 80hz.
If adjusting the trim doesn’t help there will be a million other questions (sub placement, room size, etc etc) but try raising the trim while listening to music until you like what you hear would b the simplest first step
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If the auto calibration set the sub at that level it may be a flatter response than you like (or Sony's DCAC isn't doing much for the sub which is distinctly possible). How did you choose sub location to start with? What size room are you in?

You might just try raising sub trim level in the avr a few dB, like 3-4 and see if that's more to your preference. Make sure the sound mode you're using enables the sub if it isn't LFE channel content you're judging by. I wouldn't necessarily drop the xover to 80 hz if it works better at 120 without localization.
 
G

Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
I called Svs and they said to hook my iPod directly to the sub and play a bassy song to see if the sub works. When I do that the bass Is definitely noticeable. They said if that works then try another rca cable, which I did and no difference. Lastly they said there may be a problem downstream in the avr.
I changed the trim to 0 and like +3 and there is hardly any difference in the bass. Haven’t tried a sub crawl because the way my living room is set up I can pretty much only put my sub half way down the wall a few feet from my tv. I suppose I could put it in the far back corner of my living room behind my couch if I move stuff around. The room is 17’ by 22’ by 8’. When I play the fm radio or Bluetooth my phone with music I don’t hear any bass at all! That doesn’t make any sense.
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
1. Try the 2nd sub output, if no then

2. Try LFE+ main or large + sub whatever the setting is in the sony and see if you hear better bass, if so do a master reset on the Sony. It's behaving like the speakers are set to large.
 
G

Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
I tried the second sub output but no difference. I will do a master reset when I get home. I’ve tried every sound mode on the Sony with no difference. I’ve been using the original transformers movie for my test. I’ve tried rap channels on the fm radio too. When I run the auto calibration the sub makes more noise during the test than it does during a movie. What if I unhook all the speakers except the sub and see if that does anything?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Well it doesn't make sense to me that during calibration/setup it has output but not during use, I thought it might have been expectations but seems beyond that at least. I suppose its possible it has a short circuit only allowing sub during other use. I like the idea of unooking the speakers but first use an spl meter so you can compare levels before and after with some sweeps or something similar?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
What sound mode is in use?
I also was curious, but he said "I’ve tried every sound mode on the Sony with no difference." Then he says he's specifically having issues with bluetooth and fm radio lacking bass.....so could be content.....@Gixxerride04 what about movies with an LFE channel?
 
G

Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
What are some movies with an lfe channel? The modes that Sony has are multi ch stereo, direct, hd-d.c.s and plii movie. Nothing changes. You would think playing the fm radio would produce bass. My ear has to be up against the sub to hear bass.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
What are some movies with an lfe channel? The modes that Sony has are multi ch stereo, direct, hd-d.c.s and plii movie. Nothing changes. You would think playing the fm radio would produce bass. My ear has to be up against the sub to hear bass.
Your choices for content with the LFE channel would be source based, not what sound mode your Sony has. Altho it should synthesize LFE channel information from 2.0 sources in the Dolby PLii mode unless the 3ch setup negates that or something (I wouldn't think it would). Better to just use a dvd or bluray or if you have capability of streaming of DD+ encoded movies thru Netflix etc.


Sony I don't remember if they include bass management for stereo modes, probably not for direct, don't know what HD-DCS is (Sony's own thing?). FM radio should broadcast fairly low bass but may not be below 40 or 30 hz....don't remember. Bass can be subtle with a sub, but with a cross of 120 there should be fairly significant content, but not quite like a speaker. Is this your first use of a sub?
 
G

Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
This is my first use of a sub this size. I’ve been using a Panasonic in a box home theater system with a small sub for years. It sounded half way decent. I’ll try some dvds and see how it goes.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
This is my first use of a sub this size. I’ve been using a Panasonic in a box home theater system with a small sub for years. It sounded half way decent. I’ll try some dvds and see how it goes.
You may just be used to using what is typically a sub with accentuated output in the lower mid bass (as it really can't do very low bass typically). Just not a good sub. Especially if you were running it hot. Fart boxes we tend to call them, or one note wonders. Takes a while to understand that at normal levels, especially flat response, particularly at less than reference volume, a sub just isn't that prominent.....more subtle. Depends on the speakers used, too, if these are new to you they may also have differences. How do these speakers sound without the sub?
 
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Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
I took the whole system out and put the new system in the other day. My new speakers sound great. I just tried a different rca cable and also a y splitter per Svs customer service. No change. I also unplugged all my speakers except the sub. When the sub plays it is still very faint. If I walk in another room I can’t hear it. That’s how low it is. Like I said earlier when I hook my iPad directly to the sub and play iTunes the sub hits loud.
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
I took the whole system out and put the new system in the other day. My new speakers sound great. I just tried a different rca cable and also a y splitter per Svs customer service. No change. I also unplugged all my speakers except the sub. When the sub plays it is still very faint. If I walk in another room I can’t hear it. That’s how low it is. Like I said earlier when I hook my iPad directly to the sub and play iTunes the sub hits loud.
It sounds like the AVR, do the master reset and go thru it again before you start the warranty/return process
 
G

Gixxerride04

Audiophyte
Thanks. I’ll try that. In the meantime I need to find a replacement receiver that is reasonably priced. Any recommendations?
 
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