Not very pleased with my SVS sub.....Yet (1 Viewer)

[Dan_J_H.]

I had the wrong cable going to the sub I can't believe I did that. Thanks for pointing that out. Today I purchased a Monster Cable MonsterBass 300 subwoofer cable.

Now I will try to better clarify the settings I have chosen so far.

A/V receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-36TX
Under Speaker settings: [FREE] is selected, not THX.
All speakers set to [SMALL], not Large.
Subwoofer set to [YES].
All channel delays have been set to actural feet from seat.
Crossover frequency: [80hz].
Bass peak level: [---] nothing entered.
Dyanmic Range Control: [OFF]
Channel Level for speakers: LT Main: [-3.0db], RT Main: [-3.5db], Center: [-7.5db], LT surround: [+1.5db], RT surround: [+3.0db], SUBWOOFER: [-2.0db].
Note: the position of my SPL meter was at the left end of the sofa on a tripod (where I sit). I used the test tones in my receiver. I have the Avia dvd but am still a little confused how to use it.

DVD player: Pioneer Elite DV-37
Dolby Digital Out: [Dolby Digital], not Dolby Digital > PCM.
DTS Out: [DTS]
96 KHZ PCM Out: [96KHZ], not 96KHZ > PCM.
MPEG Out: [MPEG > PCM], not MPEG.
Digital Out: [ON].

Amp Connection, (Digital Jack): [Dolby Digital/DTS].

Amp Connection (96KHZ PCM Audio): [YES]

The sub seems to be putting out more bass after this last calibration. I put the depth charges scene from Das Boot and I'm not really feeling the bass yet. My guess is maybe I don't have the sub's channel level set correct. I can see now, I'm making progress. I just have to figure out how to use the Avia for the channel levels.

Dan

 

[Lee_L]

Yeah man, you just needed the proper cable, now it's just a matter of EQing everything.

 

[Jeff_Red]

I got my PB12 plus/2 a couple of weeks ago and I also wasn't intially impressed - until I calibrated with Avia. Now I have more bass than I know what to do with. I found in my room the gain on the sub needs to be set to 1/3 to really shake the house. During the opening salvo in Master and Commander some of the cannon shots resulted in incredible skull cracking bass that has to be experienced to be believed.

Also, component video cables make great subwoofer cables. I have used the Monster Bass-400 and Monster Bass 300 cables but now I run my sub through in wall RG-6 coax with my sub and receiver connections using component video cables.

 

[ScottCarr]

If you want to borrow a Avia disk and a spl meter you can borrow mine. all I ask is you pay for the shipping.

 

[terence]

What tune are you using? Have tried the 20hz tune yet?

 

[Arcadiy Kantor]

Way to go, guys. You just persuaded him to shell out pointless cash for a useless cable he didn't need anyway.

Component video cables and subwoofer cables have _zero_ functional difference, except in that video cables are rated to handle higher frequencies. So you just went and downgraded your cable. Not that it will make any difference in the sound of the subwoofer.

 

[John S]

Maybe, but nothing wrong at all with using either of those cables. Build quailty is important to me, so the Monster cable is still not a bad idea at all.

 

[Lee_L]

Okay, so component video cables and subwoofer cables have no functional differences. But he was using a composite cable. Is there a difference there?

 

[Ilkka R]

Composite cable is just like a normal RCA-cable, it's just quite thin. But it works.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

While I am a fan of pro-quality cables (read "inexpensive", "ugly", "outstanding performance specs") there ARE 2 things you get with a Monster subwoofer cable:

• Broken Shield: to avoid ground-loops, most "subwoofer" cables do not attach the shield to the RCA plug at one end. This breaks the ground connection between the reciever and sub-amp and avoids subwoofer hum. If a cable has little arrows showing signal flow, this usually points to the destination end where the shield is un-attached.
• Turbine-grip-of-death RCA plugs. People complain about the tight-fitting Monster plugs - but my own experience is that subwoofers work better with lots of plug-to-jack contact, or tight-fitting plugs. Monster makes tight-fitting RCA plugs for a reason.

(gods - did I just praise Monster cables!?!)

I have to say that my SVS did not impress me with Das Boot (or was that U-571)? But some other disks I have used that knocks things off shelves in the next room are:

Toy Story 2 - Opening chapter
The Matrix - Lobby shoot-out scene

The trick with the SVS is that the Bass is smooth and not rough like a boom-car. Many people have been un-impressed at first when replacing a lesser sub because the sound is not harsh/in-your-face. But after a month of using my SVS I re-connected the subs in my DefTech towers. The Bass WAS more noticible - mainly because it was rough and stood out.

Dan - some things to try:

- Corner Load. You get a LOT of subwoofer frequences by wall reflections. Putting the sub near a corner and 2/5 or 1/3 along the longest, un-broken wall can help maximize lower frequencies.

- I like setting the subwoofer level on the reciever to 75-80% of max, then using the intensity control on the sub to adjust the level. While it is a small thing, I believe this gives the sub amp more signal to play with.

Let us know how things work out.

 

[NickSo]

Yes, this is one reason that Composite video cables won't work in some instances, because subwoofer cables break the ground connection to avoid subwoofer hum.

 

[ScottCarr]

did not know that