[treepmeyer]

I have an interesting audio application I need some help with. My wife and I do meditation and yoga regularly. She wanted to try a gong meditation. These are large metal gongs that are played or beat at varying levels of intensity. The sound can get very visceral, intentionally. I'm guessing that the majority of the gong "music" is under 100hz. You can find many samples on Youtube.

I have a modest stereo system - Hitmaker diy speakers with a 12" Dayton sub driven by Harmon Kardon Signature pre & power amps. The subwoofer was easily overwhelmed. With the crossover set sufficiently high the Hitmakers were OK. Any suggestions on where I go from here? I'm not sure what to look for or how much I need to spend to play this gong music. Thanks.

 

[theJman]

Are you looking for a new subwoofer then? If so, what is most important to you; depth, output, sound quality, some combination perhaps? What type of budget are you working with? Are there any size or aesthetic considerations?

 

[treepmeyer]

Thanks for the quick response. I'm pretty sure that the issue is the subwoofer, anyway that is most likely the place to start. Inability to handle the necessary output seems to be the major problem. But I'm not at all sure about that. By depth I assume you mean low frequency extension? The gong music reaches at substantial volume down to the limits of what is audible, but it isn't like an action movie sound effect. The notes reverberate (?) taking many seconds to tail off, all the while being overlaid with multiple other low notes (strikes of the gong). Quite visceral. Is there some quality of subwoofer output that refers to crispness? It seems that the Dayton can't resolve the notes adequately. I'm not aware of other "music" quite like this (samples are readily available on YouTube). Thanks again.

 

[theJman]

There are certain measurements that give a strong indication of whether or not a subwoofer will be detailed and precise, so there are some quantify aspects. The room plays a large part in what it can/can't do as well, as does where a person sits in relationship to the sub.