[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I don't think you're going to find many people who have used so many equalizers that they could name their top three preferences. Most people, I expect, haven't used more than one or two.

As far as "the ones that do the best job," the bar for subwoofer equalization is not terribly high, as perceived sound quality is not an issue as it would be for the main channels. As long as all filters can be set anywhere in the bass range (some older analog models don't have that feature), any parametric EQ with at least 4-5 filters will work for sub equalizing. About the only one I've ever seen any complaints about is the Velodyne SMS-1.

As far as best bang for the buck, the BFD is the hands down winner.

A problem that people with DIY subs often run into is the need for a subsonic filter. Since few EQs offer filtering low enough, the best option is a separate outboard unit like the Reckhorn B1 or S1.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Thanks wayne. Is there a clear winner in the auto sub EQ circle? JBL Bass-Q, SVS auduseey etc?

There is no "clear winner." People choose based on their needs. People who need the cheapest thing get the BFD. Other people choose one of the other Behringer models because they have a use for their additional features. Others choose one of the automated models (Velodyne, Anti-Mode, SVS) because they want something quick and easy and effective without them having to take the trouble to deal with REW.

Have you had a chance to look at the BFD Alternatives sticky thread?

JBL Bass-Q, SVS auduseey etc?

I'd never heard of the JBL until Roger Dressler brought it up in the BFD Alternatives thread. You might want to contact him if you're interested in learning more about it. As far as I can tell, it's intended for systems with multiple subs that are located at various places around the room. If that's your situation, then it might be an option for you.

Have you ever hear of the rane pe-17? It seems to have everything needed to EQ a sub plus filters down to 10HZ. Is it good quality?

I've never used it. There's a thread on that particular EQ linked in the BFD Alternatives thread.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Wow. I think you may be headed for a high-priced train wreck, Scott. One of the important aspects of achieving good low frequency performance is time alignment - i.e., the sound from the subs reaching the listener at the same time. None of the EQs or processors in consideration here will compensate for one them being 40 ft away.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

So you think the one sub being so far away could be a problem even for manual tuneing?

Will your pro-pro or receiver allow adjustments for these distances? Naturally, the main channels are the ones that will need the distance compensation for the furthest sub - 40 ms or so (of course, their distance from the seating has to be factored in as well).

I was thinking this would be the best lay out to cover most of the room.

Subwoofers aren't like the main speakers. You don't position them to "cover the room," you locate them for optimal performance - frequency response, output and extension. The low frequencies are omnidirectional, so a single sub will "cover the room," if it is capable enough. (That said, some feel additional subs performer better in their rooms, as a matter of personal taste or to overcome problems specific to their particular rooms.)

What do you think would be my best layout?

Impossible to say for sure without seeing a floor plan, but the two closest locations are probably your best bet. Once you get the subs you can experiment with which corner works best with a second sub, but I'd be surprised if you really needed all three of them.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Not sure I get what you're trying to say - level matching is not the same thing as time alignment...

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Gotcha. :T Well, no reason not to get the Rane. Some issues related to phase (time alignment) can be addressed by equalization, but hopefully your Onkyo can take care of time alignment. If the Rane doesn't give sufficient HP filtering, you can always add something like the Reckhorn. Since there is no pre-programmed setting for the PE17 in REW, your best bet will probably be to use the RTA function.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

If I may inquire, why the hang-up on finding a "single unit that provides everything needed?" Make an inquiry on our DIY subwoofer forum and you'll find it's not uncommon for people to use separate devices for equalization and high pass filtering. The fans of highly-capable ported designs certainly would not give them up and switch to sealed simply because they couldn't find a one-box solution.

Not to mention - you're fretting about all this without even having the subs on site to see if you even need a high pass filter.

Not trying to offend, only perhaps to offer a reality check...

That said, I may have found a "one box" solution for you: The Crown I-Tech amplifiers. They have built-in processing, including parametric EQ and high-and low-pass filtering.

Regards,
Wayne