hello from Allentown, PA

[mrbill5]

I am mrbill5. I just got started in home theatre. I won't be getting hot and heavy into it since my finances says no. I am using a HK 5.1 receiver , ACS kit main speakers.
Purchased my first subwoofer in the spring, AV123 Rocket. The ACS front speakers are run full range and are flat down to about 40hz. THe subwoofer is crossed over around 45hz. AND of course now that I have heard a glimpse of low frequencies I want to build a subwoofer that goes down strong to at least 20hz.
THe central speaker is a Radius thinline speaker, the surrounds are small KEFs. THe TV is a 5 year old 27" JVC CRT which works fine. We won't buy a flat panel until we have to, probably when digital broadcasts are the norm. THe living room is our theatre room. Sony DVD player.
We watch mostly over the air TV and use Netflix for movie rentals.

So my plans are to build a subwoofer this winter, no bigger than 4 ft3 due to room limitiations and put the Rocket up for adoption.
One thing that the Rocket subwoofer told me is that I have a real nasty 50 Hz peak in my room. THe Rocket has an automatic built-in single band paramentric equilizer that gets rid of this peak. I have since then downloaded frequency sine waves from 10 to 200 Hz. I have also purchased a Radio Shack analog sound meter. I haven't done any measurements yet.
I will be using the knowledge of the group to direct me in my system tweeking. I will do a frequency room sweep and determine how bad it is othar than the 50Hz peak. I plan to get some sort of equilization, possibly a parametric equilizer. I wish that I did not have to get "pro" equipment and the balanced-unbalanced cable kludging that is needed to get things connected. Right now RCA connectors are fine for me.

[Darren]

Welcome to the Shack!

Definately check out the Room EQ Software here. It will greatly reduce the time needed to do proper sweep testing on your system.

[Sonnie]

Howdy mrbill5 and welcome to the Shack!

You'll probably find that the 50hz peak is just the beginning of response issues, unless you are one of the fortunate ones. The BFD can certainly fix that for you at a reasonable price though. You can always use RCA to 1/4" adapters or pick up some RCA to 1/4" cables. I had bluejeancables.com build some for me.

You mentioned space limitations... have you thought about IB?

[mrbill5]

I am going to keep things simple.
1 subwoofer, possibly a Rhytmik (sp) 12" or 15" design.
Equalization will be via either digital or analog equilizer. Equilization on the subwoofer only either a Rane or DBX or?

[Darren]

For the subwoofer: Behringer DSP 1124P Feedback Destroyer, it is also a great multi-filter parametric EQ for only $99.

[Pyro]

Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line
Well our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
Met our mothers in the USO
Asked them to dance
Danced with them slow
And we're living here in Allentown

Oh, sorry! Hello MrBill, welcome to the Shack!!!