# PB-2000 in the house



## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Just arrived an hour ago. Big, heavy box. Thankfully the Purolator guy was willing to help me carry it into the basement (well, I did help him get it off the truck and get to the door, so fair's fair). Very tempted to tear open the box and set it up, but that will have to wait for a couple of days.

I do have REW loaded into my laptop, my trusty RS analogue SPL meter and my Anti-Mode 8033 for EQ'ing (bought it largely based on the review of it here a few years ago--works well with my current sub, should work fine with the new one, I hope).

While I know it's not ideal to mate unequal subs, I think I will give it a go with my Boston Acoustics PV900 (if it doesn't work out, I'll just move it upstairs to the living room). My 8033 can work with two subs and, if I understood the reams of stuff I've read on a few fora over the past week, my goal is to use the smaller sub primarily to help smooth out response rather than increase output. I was especially inspired by a thread here about someone who mated a PB-2000 with a PSW110 (Polk?) and got a very good result. My PV900 is more robust than the PSW110, so I'm hoping for good results as well.


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

Congrads on the new toy! Hope you enjoy it.


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Looking forward to trying it out and putting it through its paces later this week (and for a long time after that).


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## moparz10 (Sep 21, 2010)

Congrtas ! new toys are always a good thing,looking forward to reading your opinion as i have that little guy on my left shoulder saying upgrade,upgrade :devil: and the guy on my right saying don't do it just yet :innocent:


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

I felt little remorse over the upgrade as I've had my other sub for 10 years, but I've faced the same "debate" over other things over the years--I sympathize.


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Well, thanks to REW and some grunt work over a few days, I have (successfully, in my own humble opinion) integrated the new PB-2000 into my home cinema. I posted some measurements over in the REW forum, but I'll just link to them rather than copy/paste.

Short version--I got what I wanted. More output below 40hz, a clean, articulate bass (I'm sure it could be better, but it's already a huge improvement, so I'll resist tweaking for a bit) and the end of a persistent null centred at about 43hz (was there with or without the EQ--to be expected as the EQ does not even try, nor should it try, to boost a null). My Anti-mode 8033 works great with the subs and now, all is well.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

From what I can tell... the response looks pretty good. I believe I would be happy with it. :bigsmile:

Check out this thread on standardizing your graphs, which will help in comparing to what we are accustomed to seeing... if you have time. :T


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

I see the difference. Here is a graph that is set according to the info laid out for standardized graphs (if I did it correctly). The green trace was measured (accidentally) at a lower volume setting on my AVR. The hump at around 20-22hz would be considerably higher if it was measured at the same volume setting on my AVR (unless I am much mistaken). Am I correct in presuming that my PV900, with its low output setting (on the sub volume control) and being well away from the walls (so little, if any, room gain) is not doing anything below 30 (only very slightly anything below 40) Hz? If so, there should be no danger of overdriving it (I do not listen at reference, usually -15 or so, sometimes -10--which seems a lot less of a strain on the system overall since I put in the SVS)?


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I think you are correct... the PV900 is not affecting below 40Hz, but it seems to be smoothing out that narrow peak at 45Hz and helping at 60Hz too. It might be interesting to look at the combined response of both subs if you set the PV900 crossover to 70Hz and then set it to 60Hz with a sweep for each. Also, with the crossover setting as it is, maybe fire the PV900 in the reverse/side direction. Of course I would personally be very happy with doing nothing to that response, as it looks good to me. :bigsmile:


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Sonnie said:


> I think you are correct... the PV900 is not affecting below 40Hz, but it seems to be smoothing out that narrow peak at 45Hz and helping at 60Hz too. It might be interesting to look at the combined response of both subs if you set the PV900 crossover to 70Hz and then set it to 60Hz with a sweep for each. Also, with the crossover setting as it is, maybe fire the PV900 in the reverse/side direction. Of course I would personally be very happy with doing nothing to that response, as it looks good to me. :bigsmile:


I'm currently bypassing the crossover on each sub (just using my AVR for that--set at 80hz and it's a global setting). I'm not sure how I would isolate the PV900 to do as you suggest, though if I find a way, I might try it. The PV900 fires downward, so I don't know if it's a good idea to set it on its side.

I do have two issues with the SVS sub in which I believe my PV900 is much better (ducks for cover) :whistling:

One--my PV900 has an easily accessed volume control on the front (it is relatively unimportant now, as it is currently out in the room, but when it was where the SVS is now, it made level adjustments A LOT easier--the SVS is partially beneath a shelf in its current position, so reaching behind it requires moving its not inconsiderable bulk).

Two--the blue LED is WAY TOO BRIGHT. In my "cave", there are no lights on when watching movies and that light is like a beacon on a lighthouse. :laugh: On the PV900, the light is in the back and is a much dimmer and discreet green.

Of course, in the grand scheme, these are minor irritants. But hey, I never give "perfect scores" to my students, so I had to find_ something_ for which to deduct a point or two.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

You can adjust the crossover on your PV900 for the test I was referring to. 

Yeah... I suppose we need to make subs for those who want volume knobs on the front and for those who want volume knobs on the back. We probably need to do the same for those who want an indicator light on the front and those who don't. Of course we will have to increase our pricing to accommodate all the variables that different people will want. Maybe an a la carte is in order so you can build your own? :whistling:

Seriously though... you should only have to adjust the volume initially, then you are done and you no longer have to see an ugly knob on the front. :bigsmile: But then you have to look at that blue indicator light. Mine is behind the grille, so I don't notice it unless I stand up, which I sit most of the time (okay, all of the time during a movie or show). :huh: I have been known to take a small piece of black electrical tape and cover the lights on my Behringer amps when I had them. I suspect that might be a fairly easy solution on your SVS sub.


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Sonnie said:


> You can adjust the crossover on your PV900 for the test I was referring to.
> 
> Yeah... I suppose we need to make subs for those who want volume knobs on the front and for those who want volume knobs on the back. We probably need to do the same for those who want an indicator light on the front and those who don't. Of course we will have to increase our pricing to accommodate all the variables that different people will want. Maybe an a la carte is in order so you can build your own? :whistling:
> 
> Seriously though... you should only have to adjust the volume initially, then you are done and you no longer have to see an ugly knob on the front. :bigsmile: But then you have to look at that blue indicator light. Mine is behind the grille, so I don't notice it unless I stand up, which I sit most of the time (okay, all of the time during a movie or show). :huh: I have been known to take a small piece of black electrical tape and cover the lights on my Behringer amps when I had them. I suspect that might be a fairly easy solution on your SVS sub.


I always thought it was best to just bypass the crossover of the sub if using the AVR's crossover, but I'll give it a try when I can. As for the rest, I was just having a bit of fun. It's all good.:T


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Yeah... you normally would bypass the crossover on the subs. However, the only way to test the suggestion I was making is to use it on the PV900. All you are doing is eliminating the response above that frequency on that sub. It will likely end up being better as you have it now... and I would only do it out of curiosity.


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