Subwoofer setup and MultEQ

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Managed to get it sorted aye. Did a lot of reading around and noticed a few people fixed problems with a reset of the amp. I tried this and it seems to have fixed the problem.

So now I'm good to go.

Cheers.

Should i put my sub in LFE mode during calibration??

Yes, the sub should be put in LFE mode and left there permanently so that the internal filters don't interfere with proper bass management in the AVR.

Hi Chris,

I ran the Audyssey setup after not setting it up for 6 months.

Since running the setup I now hear, every 20 mins or so a skip in the audio. Basically the audio just stops for a second and then continues. I've noticed it while watching TV on every channel, every type of broadcast. TV is hooked via HDMI to reveiver.  It happens on every channel. I've watched the receiver when this happens and it doesn't flash or do anything.  My receiver is a Onkyo 608.   I have reset all the plugs, unfortunately nothing changed.

Chris, any ideas? Heard of this before? other?

Thanks in advance!

john

Chris,

I just got my Sub AMP Module back for the second Sub.

I`m a bit dissapointed, the sound is not that good as it was with one Sub.

Just to say,same Chassis,same Module,Same Box.

I have the same distance, also tried to measure both at 0,0db in Audyssey one after the other bevor measuring both in a Team.

As the reasult didn`d satisfy me, I set the Sub Volume on the back to the same, now it feels as if one is playing louder, I guessed that,because one sub ist left before a wall,second is right,about 1,4 metres out of a corner.

I now have to manually adjust the sub level in Audyssey from -5,5db to 0,0db to get the same effectfull sound than just with one Sub at 0,0db.

Any hints?

@john: I have not seen this before.  It sounds like something is wrong with the receiver and it should be checked out by Onkyo.  Before that, you should try performing a full reset of the microprocessor as described in their manual.  This will erase your settings, but it may fix the problem that is likely a glitch in the digital processing somewhere.

@Alex: The volume on each sub should be set so that they each play at the same level.  If one is closer than the other then it will sound louder if you set the volume at the same level.  

Yes I know, thats why I tried to set them at 0db in Audyssey at frist, what didnt help.

Now I have both subs set to 0,0db,measured them, and the result is a -5,5db, to have a satisfying result I set it back to 0,0db..thats nearly the sound and Feeling I had with one Sub.

Very strange and unsatisfaying

Alex, I am not sure I understand.  If you run Audyssey with both subs connected together as "one" what level setting does it report for the sub?  Are you saying that after that you have to turn down the sub level by 5,5 dB more?  

First measured one after the other to get 0,0db,then measured both as one and got -5,5db.

Then turned up the "team" to 0,0db, to get the same sound than with one sub at 0,0db.

Think two subs shuldnt produce less Bass than one does. But they do,there is less Bass feeling than with one,very strange.

May be positioning them in line with the fronts isn`t optimal.

OK, that makes sense.  If each sub is calibrated to reference individually then together they need to be down by some amount between 3-6 dB.  Remember, the goal is to keep the bass level at reference and two subs playing correlated content together will sound louder than one.  So, this is normal.

I don't know why there is "less bass" feeling.  That should not be the case.  

Hi Chris,

I recently bought a second subwoofer for my home theater and was wondering if I had connected it the right way and did I run audyssey EQ correctly if ran it with  both subs connected at the same time? My Onkyo SR608 has two subwoofer preouts, so I have one sub connected to one preout and the other sub connected to the second preout. I did read that the some people connect both subs using a Y adapter at the receiver end. Unplug one sub and calibrate with just one working. Then once it's calibrated , they un plug and calibrate the other sub. Once both subs are calibrated by themselves , plug them both in and calibrate using the receivers level. Is that really necessary or can have them connected the way I have and run audyssey 2EQ? Thanks for your time.

Chris i have a Denon 2112ci and have a question about my subwoofer set-up before doing the audyssey calibration. i have bose acoustimass 15 series 2 speakers and the 2 knobs i have are volume which i set half way and lfe i turned it all the way down. should i have turned it all the way up? thanks Chris L

@Owen: sorry I missed this somehow.  Audyssey 2EQ is the most basic version and does not apply correction filters to the subwoofers.  The reason is that the processor that the AVR maker is using doesn't have enough power to run the higher versions of Audyssey (MultEQ, MultEQ XT and MultEQ XT32).  So, with 2EQ the only things being calibrated for the sub are the level and the distance.  The 608 does not allow individual control of these for two subs.  It simply y-cords the signal internally to the two outputs.  This is identical to using an external y-cord from one output.

@chris: the bass module in the acoustimass system is not designed to connect to the Sub output of the AVR.  It is considered part of each of the small cube speakers.  So, the settings on it are not the same as what one would use for a sub that handles the bass managed signals from the AVR.  It's best to set them the way Bose recommends in the manual.

Chris,
So are you saying the bass module shouldn't be connected to the receivers sub input? Where would I plug that RCA into then?

Chris,
One more thing according to the manual it should be plugged into life/subwoofer out on the avr mine says subwoofer preout do that's where I hooked it up. Also you say follow the manual and it says set all speakers to large!! Do I do it or keep them at small?

I wasn't sure which version of the sub you have.  It appears that this is a real sub and should be connected to the Sub Out of the AVR.  Where do the speakers connect to? Directly to the AVR amplifier terminals?

I will never understand why they say to set speakers to Large.  That means: "don't send bass from the speakers to the subwoofer".  Very bad idea...

Chris,
The speakers plug into the bass module then a ribbon cable go from the module to speaker connections on avr. Yea I left them on small setting.

I have two SVS PB12-NSD subwoofers. I'am looking at buying one of two receivers. The Onkyo TX-NR818 which has MultEQ XT32 but no Sub EQ HT. The other receiver is the Onkyo TX-NR3009 which has MultEQ XT32 and Sub EQ HT. Both receivers have two subwoofer outputs. Which receiver will help me get the best bass performance out of my subs and why?

Hi Tim, the 3009 will theoretically give you better performance because of SubEQ HT.  I say "theoretically" because I don't know the exact acoustical problems of your room and the placement of your subs.  In general, two subs are blended much better when you run SubEQ HT.  We found in our research that if you ping each sub separately to find their relative distance and level differences and then ping them as one (after they have been time and level aligned) will give you much smoother bass response.

Of course, with identical subs, you can place them at the same distance and set them at the same level and then ping them together as "one" via a y-cord.  That will give you the same performance as SubEQ HT.  The benefit of SubEQ HT comes when the subs are not placed in symmetric locations.

Thanks so much Chris for your quick response. I have an additional question. I will be getting an Onkyo TX-NR3009 receiver with MultEQ XT32, Sub EQ HT and two sub outputs. I plan on running four subwoofers. Two SVS PB12-NSD subs and two BIC America F12 subs. What's the best way to hook up all four subs and run the Audyssey calibration for best results?

The best way is to y-cord to two pairs of subs.  Each sub in the pair should be at the same distance as the other sub in the pair since it will be impossible to set their levels and distances individually via Audyssey.

So Sub EQ HT has little, to no effect, on setting up four subwoofers?

Also, all four of my subs are located at the front of my home theater, spaced equally apart. It's not feasible for me to place subs along the side walls, or at the back of my home theater.

SubEQ HT can set up any number of subwoofers.  It's completely scalable.  But, for it to do that the manufacturer of the AVR has to allow individual time and level control of each sub.  So far none have allowed this for more than two subs.

Thanks Chris for the reply.

Everyone here really appreciates your expertise.

SubEQ HT can set up any number of subwoofers.  It's completely scalable.  But, for it to do that the manufacturer of the AVR has to allow individual time and level control of each sub.  So far none have allowed this for more than two subs.

This will probably be the next cool feature on high end receivers for 2013. The ability to allow individual time and level control for four subwoofers (Sub EQ 4XHT). The companies need to come up with new stuff to keep people buying there products.

@Chris:  I decided to connect each sub to its' own sub connection on the back of the receiver. It sounds pretty decent to me. Thanks again for taking the time to answer my quest.

Chris: The owners manual for my Onkyo 3009 receiver with MultEQ XT32 Sub EQ HT says two adjust the volume for each of my four subwoofers to 75db, before running the Audyssey speaker calibration. How do I set the volume of each sub to 75db?