Random thought:
I mentioned the "I" word... Integration. I agree with some that complain most subs are set up too loud to integrate properly. Realistic sound is what I'm after... I listen to mostly music, 2-channel and Multichannel, and I use my subs. In our common goal to accurately reproduce the recorded, or created, event we spend gobs of money to buy the best gear we can afford.
Our goal is to achieve amazing sound quality at levels rivaling that of a concert or cinema experience. (Granted, the concert experience is actually not healthy for the ears, usually... and I've been to cinemas that have crossed the line a few times, too. where dynamic peaks are painful rather than thrilling. Regardless....)
So for music: our goal is the accurate reproduction... not of the
performance in the studio... but of the recording/mixing/overall production of that occurrence. Same for movies, and similarly, electronica: most of the sounds we hear in the soundtrack are manufactured, and what we are hoping to achieve is the accurate reproduction of their efforts... most certainly
NOT realism... as it wasn't real to begin with (usually).
So back to integration... what does that mean? To me, for music, i said it needs to be believable. I'm an old Jazzer. Nothing as pure for me as 3 or 4 cats jamming without amplification. I'm a saxophonist, so for me, Joe Lovano is one of the best modern day Tenor men still kicking... but go back and look at Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter... So many I can't name them all!!!... but play a straight ahead jazz cut like
Tanya. Recorded back in '64 IIRC. If I were in a small club (hell, even if this was happening in my home), this is
almost what I would expect to hear and feel. Then look at something like this recording by Joe Lovano,
Evolution, 1991 I think.
Compare and contrast: the second recording is hotter overall, levels are higher... Bass is very strong, and even though I would say in most live performances you would not quite feel the bass that mach. The Gordon cut is a little light... almost dainty. As I said, it's "almost" what I would expect. Both saxophonists are there in the forefront, but the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
This holds true for Rock as well. Orchestral, too.
If you find that right balance where sounds
you know are believable... you, like me, will probably take a few dBs off your gain and be fine! When I want, I have ample room to trim up another 5-10dB easily... hell, more if I choose, all without even touching the gain on the sub. My Movies, Electronica, and Hip Hop still THUMP! But that Jazz Bass and Orchestral/Art works don't... unless they are meant too! (And you will know when they are meant to!)
100+ musicians hitting a FFF passage with full percussion complement is considered an unsafe work environment in the EU! There are actually laws that make it very difficult for world class orchestras in the EU to rehearse at full volume due to the potential for hearing damage!!!
Just for kicks: give this a whirl: Richard Wagner:
Der Fliegende Hollander; Ouverture, performed by Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Marek Janowski, Conductor. This looks like it might be a smaller orchestra than what Wagner would've usually employed for many of his operas. (His last Opera, Parsifal, had over 240 musicians in the orchestra and Chorus, alone! Plus soloists!!!
Anyway... food for thought, perhaps, as you play and tune your system.
Always have fun! Believe me... that's the most important part! I'm sure my landlord heard that Wagner Overture as I was playing it at 0, and hes right out back.
But while your having fun... look for that balance point too!
