RHTI 46: Platinum Home Theaters Speaker Placement and Buying Guide, Email: Brian loves Electrostats

**eugovector** · **02-15-09, 10:45 AM**

Episode 046 (2/15/2009)
«» Jim with the Platinum Speaker Placement and Buying Guide
«» Listener Email: Brian Loves Electrostats
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**ToneLoce** · **02-18-09, 06:03 PM**

Hey Marshall,
I thought that was an interesting idea about pointing the surrounds up & letting them reflect off the ceiling. How about doing some experimenting and let us know what you think. I'd do it myself but I'm still stuck with a 2.0 system for know.

**eugovector** · **02-20-09, 05:00 PM**

I actually did the surround in my parents house like this over Christmas. Their backs are pretty much against the wall, so I just moved the couch out about a foot, and put the surrounds on the floor to either side of the couch, kind of shooting straight up and bouncing off the rear wall at the same time.

I wouldn't call the effect accurate, but it does create a sense of envelopment. I think I would still prefer getting them away from the couch a little bit. I think, because of their close proximity, they can be easy to localize.

**jaysonbarnett** · **03-14-09, 11:29 AM**

hey marshall this is jason and i have been busy moving but just listened to this episode. This is why i love your show it just gets to it (if you know what i mean). Other podcast just talk about nothing but your show just gives us info in real world situatons. Like i said i was moving and that is because my girlfriend and i just bought a house. Yes in this economy people are buying houses. We have gone without for 9 years now to save for this day and it is here. Here are some pics of the new sound stage.[IMG]

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The only bad part about this house is when i clap you can hear it echo like you are in the grand canyon, and also no matter where i put the subwoofers i hear 0 bass. Yes zero!!! i have moved them around the room and nowwhere i place them will give me bass. I thougt with 2 subs would help but that is not true. All the bass is at the ceiling not on the couch. I got a ladder and once i got to the third step on the ladder i can hear the bass. If you lay on the floor you hear nothing and as you get closer to the ceiling you hear bass. This is why i have to get our couchs mounted on the ceiling. Do they sell wall mounts for couchs?? If you can tell me what i can do about the bass and the echo that would be great. love the show later jason barnett

**eugovector** · **03-23-09, 06:01 PM**

I envy you, I want a house BAD!! Shared walls are just no good for Home Theater. Still, I make due.

For the echo, you need some absorption panels. Check out the episodes on acoustics or do a quick search here in the forums. As for the bass, you should definitely be hearing something with 2 subs that size. I'm guessing one of your settings is off. Make sure you speakers are set to small, that everything is hooked up properly, and that your crossovers are set properly. Then, put in some bass heavy material. If you're still not hearing anything, something is wrong.

Also, play with placement a little. See if that helps.

**jaysonbarnett** · **03-26-09, 11:43 AM**

I have tried everything i can. I used blankets and mirrors (absorb and reflect sound) to see what i can do. Placing mirrors next to the goddess picture seemed to give a little more bass but to boomy. I had a friend from the geek squad come by with equipment and he said i have the worsed room you can have for home theater. OF COURSE!!!! O well at least i own the horrible room. Also if you can do a show on REW or any room test i can do. I looked on this forum and can not get a clear answer, so if you can do a video or audio walkthrough on how to test my room that would be great. I downloaded the software (on my laptop and used the audyssey mic) but i am confused on how to graph my results. Update i put my epik caliber sub 4 feet from the ground (on a dresser) and the bass is great but i do not want to have a dresser in my living room. got to love home theater HUH. With my radio shack meter when the speakers are putting out 90 DB the sub puts out 25 db (in seating area). I have the speakers set to small and crossed over at 80 hertz for fronts and 100 for surrounds. If you stand in front of the sub the bass will knock you over but once you sit down on the couch the bass is gone.

**eugovector** · **03-26-09, 11:50 AM**

Well, mirrors shouldn't affect the bass at all. Before worrying about acoustics, you should figure out what's going on with your bass. Even with an open floor plan, you should be hearing plenty of rumble. Now, maybe you like stronger bass than other folks, and that's simply where you're disappointed. Have your friend come back over with a sound level meter and a CD with test tones. Ask him to help you get it set up so that the sound level meter reads the same at 30HZ as it does at 300HZ and 3000HZ.

Once you've got it that far, then you can worry about acoustics.

**jaysonbarnett** · **03-26-09, 11:52 AM**

I have a DVE disk so do i play the freq. sweep with the sound meter?

**tonyvdb** · **03-26-09, 11:57 AM**

Have you played with the subs phase control? I wonder if your subs are out of phase and thats part of the reason your not hearing/feeling bass. They may be canceling themselves out.

**eugovector** · **03-26-09, 12:00 PM**

Good pickup Tony. Yes on the DVE disc, but I'd go with a couple set frequencies rather than a sweep to give you more time to read the measurement.

**jaysonbarnett** · **03-26-09, 12:29 PM**

Ok to answer tony's question. The sub next to the tv is set to zero and volume half way, and the sub next to the fire place has the same settings as the other one. On the receiver i ran audyssey and then used the radioshack meter to set all speakers to 75db, and the subs i run hot to 80db. I have tried behind the tan chair ( facing toward the front and side, also tried swaping the two subs. The epik caliber is so big that placement is a issue, and i know i have my settings like i did at my old place. If you sit within a 4 foot radius of the sub now you will get dizzy. This is the sub that read 97 db during the 22hertz backflip transformers scene. My same friend (geek sqaud dude) took that reading at my old place and i was getting that much clean bass. I not trying to brag as im trying to say what the sub can do. The velodyne sub is mostly for looks becuase the epik just overpowers. Itried turning off the velo because maybe the two are cancelling each other out. Anyway everyone that has come over to my house has mentioned "what happened to the bass", and i mean everyone. I do not like DR. Dre snoop bass at all i want high SPL with bass you can feel go through you without boom. O yeah marshall i will try that with the disc.

**eugovector** · **03-26-09, 12:46 PM**

Hmm, so you're getting very localized bass, i.e. lots in one part of a room, none in others? Sounds like a subwoofer placement problem, though with a sub that size, I'm not sure where else in the room to put it without spinning the configuration of the room 90 degrees counterclockwise.

**tonyvdb** · **03-26-09, 01:01 PM**

Jay, try something for me. Take the phase controls on one of the subs (the one closest to your mains) turn it to 180 and run the test again and let us know what happens?

**jaysonbarnett** · **03-26-09, 01:09 PM**

I know this is my problem. I have an idea what if i take the blades of the ceiling fan off and install the sub. I think it would spread the bass around like it does air. This might be the next big thing. If we can get a THX certification then we will be rich. Let me know if i need to get the patent or not. Thanx for your help im not sure what to do but this garage might be where everything getts moved. I have an optoma projector and the garage is big enough for placement issues. I just got a storage to put all of the boxes, so i can clear it all out.[IMG]

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**jaysonbarnett** · **03-26-09, 01:17 PM**

Quote:

Jay, try something for me. Take the phase controls on one of the subs (the one closest to your mains) turn it to 180 and run the test again and let us know what happens?

I will try that and let you know thanx again. It is just weird that all the bass is gone. I can see if say there is a dip in 75hertz or something but everything below about 70hertz. i know this because of the DVE disk when i run the sweep the db (radioshack meter) drops to like 25 db(this is at 70hertz and below). things like this bug me bad until i fiquare it out. At my old place i could not find why i had this hum coming out my speakers. I bought a monsterpower thing and still had it. I ran an extentioncord to another outlet in the other room and i still hummed. Then one day my girlfriend turned off the back pourch light and it stopped. To test it i turned it off and on and sure enogh that was the problem. That drove me nuts for about 2 months and then to find it was a light switch. anyway thanx for the help

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