# Calibrated right?



## Raymond Leggs (Aug 23, 2008)

I Just replaced some gear. I bought an Insignia 5.1 speaker package and used everything but the two fronts, I had my old mains for that. 

I have it Xed Over in the middle, the X over Control lists 60Hz-100Hz, and Volume is at half, any more and the sub is way too loud on movies like Peal Harbor or In the name of the King, not too loud for me but the parental Units :hush: . I have the powered sub behing my seat to the left hear the wall. For music the sub doesent really Play as loud as I thought it would, it sounds nice though. 

Funny thing is that is seems the sub is picking up more of the last half of the kick drum and the speakers do the first half, when you put your ear to the sub but when you are in the listening positon you don't hear the transiton. 

The manual reccomended a 160Hz Xover for the speakers but I don't use the original fronts and the receiver has a built in X-over that I am guessing is around 80HZ when speakers are set to small.

Is the Sub sapposed to be Behind the Listener, or in front?


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Raymond Leggs said:


> Is the Sub sapposed to be Behind the Listener, or in front?


There's not really a set answer for that. Naturally, the front is better because you get a more cohesive presentation. However, in many rooms there is not a good location for the sub up front, at least not one that gives good performance (read smooth response and good extension). In those cases, "listenable" bass takes priority over "cohesive."

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## Raymond Leggs (Aug 23, 2008)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> There's not really a set answer for that. Naturally, the front is better because you get a more cohesive presentation. However, in many rooms there is not a good location for the sub up front, at least not one that gives good performance (read smooth response and good extension). In those cases, "listenable" bass takes priority over "cohesive."
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne



I wonder what the THX standard for sub positioning and Calibration is? 

I guess I will keep the sub where it is seince it is listenable in its current placement.


----------



## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

THX has several suggestions as to sub placement. I believe their best recommendation would be to have 4 (yes, 4) subs, one in the center of each wall. I found that in my own small room (see my info at the bottom) my sub works the smoothest along the left wall in the center. Have fun. Dennis


----------



## JimP (May 18, 2006)

Raymond,

In order to help you, please tell tell us in detail how you went about installing your subwoofer and speakers.


----------



## DougMac (Jan 24, 2008)

Is this what you bought?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8761208&type=product&id=1202650703861

What are your old mains? What are you using for a receiver? 

If the the linked speakers is what you have, you may be expecting too much from the sub.

Doug


----------



## Raymond Leggs (Aug 23, 2008)

DougMac said:


> Is this what you bought?
> 
> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8761208&type=product&id=1202650703861
> 
> ...


My "old" mains are Sony SSB-3000's

As for the System, that is the same system, also I wasnt expecting Extreme bass from the sub,.

I watched a movie, and everything was much smoother, with the new rears, center and sub than with the old sub, which made a lot of rattling sounds, and bottomed out often to the point I cold smell voice coil. 

The Receiver is the same Receiver I have always been using , the RCA RT2600.

I tried bassy music, and Movies with the sub on and off and of course there was a definate diffrence. 

My Levels are Now zero DB exept the sub which is now at 1DB


----------



## DougMac (Jan 24, 2008)

Hmmm...

From what I can tell, you're using a mishmash of HTIB components with the Sony bookshelves thrown in for good measure. I think this is contributing to your problems.

If you are able to set things up to crossover at 80 hz, the sub could *potentially* be placed either in front of or behind the listener. The best way to determine optimum sub placement is to put the sub where you sit, then crawl around on the floor until you find a place it sounds best. Remember, the best sound is not necessarily the biggest boom. The place with the biggest boom might be producing a peak in a narrow range of the sub's output. Place it there and your sub will only produce one note.

There's a couple of things to keep in mind. 80 hz was chosen as the sub crossover frequency because tests show it's the highest frequency where no test subjects could hear no directionality. At any higher frequency, at least some of the test subjects could hear direction, which is not good. Almost all test subjects heard directionality at 120 hz, well below the 160hz one of your manuals recommended. They recommended that frequency because of the inability of the small speakers to play notes lower than that. 

Also remember that if you set the crossover at 80 hz, that doesn't mean the subwoofer is not producing higher frequencies or your mains aren't playing lower notes. There's a tapering off of loudness for both mains and subs the further you get from the crossover. The goal is for the main and sub to blend around the crossover frequency.

The difference in loudness between movies and music may have to do with either the source or the way your RCA receiver is handling the bass. You're probably going to have to adjust the sub to compensate.

Keep in mind you're using what could be described as "budget" components. Have you had an opportunity to hear a nice system? Your "parental unit" comment leads me to believe you're young, unless you had a "failure to launch". This is a great time to do some research. As your situation allows, I suggest you move away from HTIB purchased at the local big box. With some judicious shopping, including purchasing some used gear, for not a whole lot more than you've spent you could assemble a system that is head and shoulders above what you're listening to.

Doug


----------



## Raymond Leggs (Aug 23, 2008)

I Just did some re organising of the room. I moved a keyboard and some other stuff and I Also Put the sub a little bit further behind me about a few inches and the sound went back into place. 

As for the Xover I always thought an X-over was a "brick wall" of some sort, instead of a "loudness" attenuater as Dougmac Said. 

I have never noticed any "directionalty" with this new system, but with the old system you could tell where the sub was, but with this one all you hear is "music" without the sub protesting. I also can't distinguish between the sub and the mains unless I turn off the sub and then its apparent there is no sub, the soundstage isnt as big W/O the sub.


----------



## ampire (Nov 27, 2008)

off topic to your main issue, but its possible you could do a 7.1 with that arrangement.


----------



## Raymond Leggs (Aug 23, 2008)

ampire said:


> off topic to your main issue, but its possible you could do a 7.1 with that arrangement.


Yeah with a different receiver, I'd have to save up though, and I was planning on getting a laptop, 

I have enough speakers to do a 16.1 system actually! :bigsmile: or with a big speaker selector a multizone audio system that shares a common subwoofer. :hide:


----------

