Speaker level or Sub volume control

[aht3]

OK. Every time I run my auto setup, it sets my sub to -6 or -7. If I want more bass volume , is it better to turn the volume up on the sub or change the speaker level on the receiver?


Thanks,

[corypollock]

same question, i've had some people tell me to shoot for 0bd on the receiver and some tell me to shoot for 9 o'clock on the sub amp...

[AudiblConoiseur]

Coming from the Dr., He told me there was no need to turn the gain up past around 9o'clock on the sub. So this being said and knowing what I know about the dial and how much power there is in the sub, I would leave the setting of the recevier to the -6 as you can always bump that up and down as needed for more bass without having to compromise the gain on the sub during loud playback. Just my opinion. My Denon allows me to change the input from -12/+12 quickly so I just use that and never have to worry about the sub gain. Test them out and see what you get. Odds are that if you have the gain up on the sub, you may find yourself having to turn it down during louder music and such where as if the sub is low and you are @ -6 on the receiver, much easier to change that as is needed to get a little more power incrementally - not to mention there is more play/options b/t -6 & +12 (for me) than -12 & -6 when adjustment is needed!

[aht3]

Thanks and that is so funny because I ca barely stand the sub past 8 o'clock. I currently have my sub set to 0 on the receiver and 8:30. I'll keep playing with it.

Thanks,

[corypollock]

i can live with that too, but out of curiosity, what sub volume levels are the reported maximums comming from? when they rate these at 100+db at some hz, do they typically need to use more of the amp gain? for a normal 0bd on the receiver, at what volume on the sub would you start getting adverse effects? (i'm sure this varies by xover and receiver)

[AudiblConoiseur]

Good question about the testing process!!

Have you tried this? Turn the receiver as low as it will go sound wise, so -70 or -80dB and turn the sub gain up to 3/4 way and then turn on some good bass song and see how deep it plays with as quiet as music as you can MAYBE hear? Fun times!! These things are monsters!

[cyberbri]

i can live with that too, but out of curiosity, what sub volume levels are the reported maximums comming from? when they rate these at 100+db at some hz, do they typically need to use more of the amp gain? for a normal 0bd on the receiver, at what volume on the sub would you start getting adverse effects? (i'm sure this varies by xover and receiver)

It's either test tones or movies/DVDs. But with the sub calibrated, they turn up the master volume in increments until they hit the max SPL the sub will do. When they turn it up but don't get an equal increase in SPL, the sub is "compressing." Often the max SPL is "before compression."


And FWIW, I have the gain on my VTF-3 Mk2 just under 50%. The reason it's so high is that I run a BFD eq, and I had to turn up the speaker levels and down the sub level in the receiver to prevent the BFD from seeing a clipped signal. HK receivers send out a very strong LFE signal. Before I had the BFD, I had the sub about the same level as the speakers in the receiver, and the gain on the sub at about 1/2 way between the 0 tic and the 1st tick on the dial. Now the speakers are about 12dB above the sub in the receiver.