What's your bass level ?

[brucek]

I decided this was a good day to wheel my REW computer out to my living room (also known as my Home Theater) and redo the filters on my BFD.

The last time I setup my BFD filters I was in a bit of a rush and wasn't really pleased with the results. I've also noticed lately that I tend to easily forget how to use REW and when someone asks a question on this forum, I suspect they figure they're asking some sort of expert on the subject. They couldn't be further from the truth. After you use the software for a few hours, you become an expert, then you quickly forget - at least I do.

Anyway, unlike many experts here at the shack, I don't use a laptop with an external soundcard for REW duties. I'm sure it's extremely convenient, but since I had an old K6-350 computer lying around I decided to dedicate my REW duties to this PC and make up a set of cables and put it all on a cart that I could wheel out to my system.

Here's a pic of the arrangement....... you'll notice the yellow sticky beside the keyboard to remind me of the steps involved in taking a proper measurement..dup.






Below is the response I get with a Servo-15 subwoofer fed from my Bryston processor with a crossover of 60Hz. I use a fairly low crossover because I have capable mains and I want to give them as much of the spectrum as possible. There is no smoothing on any of my graphs. They are what they are....







Below is the response of the Servo-15 with the filters engaged. It's certainly better than before, but I admit it has some up and down undulation that I could work on for a few hours getting rid of, but I'd never hear the difference. It matches my target house curve close enough.







OK, now below is the response when I add in my mains crossed at 60Hz.







The real reason for my post is to survey people to tell me what they use as a difference between their mains level and their sub level.

You can see I have about a 30dB boost.

Seems like a lot, but it sounds great. I don't think I would get away with this if I crossed at 80Hz, but at 60Hz I feel it's not out of line.

It's only when I reach 30Hz that I have a 30dB boost (not a lot of material down there). At 80Hz, the boost is about 15dB, at 60Hz it's about 20dB.

Opinions?

brucek

[Sonnie]

Yeah.... what about that 1.5db dip you got at 28hz??? huh, huh, huh???? You gonna let that slide? huh, huh??? And what about that 2.5db peak you got at 75hz... huh?? The expert you are and you can't get that any flatter... huh, huh???? Oh yeah... why is that axis at 14hz instead of the standard 15hz... huh? Can't follow the rules... huh, huh??? Wanna send me your *.mdat file and pay me to help ya.... huh, huh, huh??? Is that dust I see on that equipment? Man... have I not taught you anything?

Spoiler

That was so much fun!

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Somebody slap Sonnie!


brucek, if you saw my house curve article, it has a response graph of our former residence showing I had a total 16 dB boost between the sub level and mains. However, my listening area was very large, 6200 cubic ft. I’m guessing your listening room is pretty small.

Seems like a lot, but it sounds great.

Hopefully you’ve tried my recommendation of using a music CD with bass lines running from very high to very low notes, to make sure response actually sounds as smooth as it looks?

I don't think I would get away with this if I crossed at 80Hz, but at 60Hz I feel it's not out of line.

I don’t think it would matter. Either way you’d end up with the same house curve.

It's certainly better than before, but I admit it has some up and down undulation that I could work on for a few hours getting rid of, but I'd never hear the difference.

You’re right. I think people obsess way too much getting a “picture-perfect” curve. I’d be really surprised if you could hear a difference between what you have now and a perfect curve.

Regards,
Wayne

[brucek]

I don’t think it would matter. Either way you’d end up with the same house curve

Yeah, but I was thinking that since I cross 20Hz lower than 80, I don't start into the bass boost as soon. Content in music is certainly quite small at those very low frequencies where I actually experience the full 30dB boost.. So for music it doesn't sound too boomy, but when I play a movie with its synthesized 20Hz to 40Hz, I get lots of punch.

Again, maybe I get away with it because of the smaller room as you say. It just sounds thin unless I have the sub where it is now. Sounds good though.

I think Sonnie should be made to post his graph...... and none of that smoothing crap either..hehehe

brucek

[PeteD]

Hey Brucek:

Just wondering if you are still running about 30dB hot, as you describe.

I am new to this, but I think if I played "Darla taps the glass" with this curve and my mains at any reasonable loud volume, I would get blown through the back wall of my room and the ceiling would fall down. I have tested this scene with no house curve on my IB (output about even with mains), and it is pretty scary!

Just curious...

Pete

[brucek]

Just wondering if you are still running about 30dB hot, as you describe.

Yep, but remember it's crossed at 60Hz.....

brucek

[Ayreonaut]

You're such a bass-head.

I've got an 8 dB rise from 80 Hz down to 30 Hz. I think my curve sounds good with both music and movies. The right blend of natural and powerful.

[PeteD]

brucek wrote:

Yep, but remember it's crossed at 60Hz.....

Not sure how that really matters. I am just looking at the overall frequency response. I think Ayreonaut is right...Your are a bass head... (meant in the best way possible)

[brucek]

Not sure how that really matters

See this thread

brucek

[PeteD]

OK, I see what you are getting at. In addition, I think part of the reason that it sounds good to you is that you say you listen at fairly quiet levels. I guessed that was probably the case when I first saw this thread.

I think if you watched some of the bass-heavy movies out there at reference or near reference levels, you would find that curve overpowering, but at lower levels it probably sounds fine...