Sub not loud enough (1 Viewer)

Just got my surround system complete today! I'm using a Yamaha rx-a710 reciever and klipchs reference r-52 speakers all around. For the sub I'm using SVS's 12" in the enclosed box. Ran the auto calibration today and everything seemed fine with the settings. But I did change all the speakers to small except the sub. And changed their frequency levels to about 78.5hz (the reciever doesnt give me an option to but it on an even 80hz). With the subs gain half way it doesn't really sound loud enough. I even changed the db's to almost full through the reciever settings. I've heard this sub shake a room before but not my small den. Any help on what I'm doing wrong. Thanks.

Beuler.... Beuler.....?

Congrats on you new system. Some sub's take a day to break-in. See how it sounds after 10 hours of use. Also move it around the room to see where is sound best. Then re-run autocalibration. Make sure all speaker are set to small and the sub's crossover is around 130. This is because the LFE or .1 channel handles frequencies from 120 Hz and lower. Try these tips before worrying.

Thanks for the input. I can't find a setting on the avr to change the subs hz. I'm sure it's there just gotta find it. If not I guess I can adjust that on the sub itself.

You could also try contacting SVS about how their sub should be set with the YPAO software Yamaha uses. I have a HSU sub coming and got a good step by step from them on how to properly calibrate the sub with Audyssey.

With the subs gain half way it doesn't really sound loud enough.

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Have you turned the "gain" up some more? Technically that isn't a gain but a level attenuator.

And changed their frequency levels to about 78.5hz

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You changed the receiver's crossover to 78.5 hz? I'm trying to make sure I completely understand you and we are both using the same terminology.

I even changed the db's to almost full through the reciever settings.

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You boosted the output of the LFE signal via the receiver's settings.

I can't find a setting on the avr to change the subs hz.

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I can't even figure this one out. What SVS sub do you have? What are your sub amp's settings?

It's the pb-nsd12. The only control I'm using on the sub is the gain which is set at more than half and the db's are set halfway up+ for it to have decent bass. I tested it on the movie death race in blueray and the only parts that were working the sub was from the music. The explosion parts didn't seem to be coming out of the sub. Really not much bass at all during action scenes only from action music.

Is your receiver in full surround mode (DD or DTS)? How is your Blu-ray connected to the receiver? What other subs are you familiar with? I know it is an odd question but some people that come from a car audio background expect bloated, distorted bass. A properly calibrated home theater will not be bloated. And an SVS will not be distorted. It's just that what you are expecting may not be what the system is designed to deliver. Phase should be 0 or all the way to the left. Crossover should be set all the way to the right. Adjust the gain higher than half-way.

Blueray is through hdmi input 1 on avr. Surround is set to surround decoder cause I can't figure out how to get it to DD or DTS yet The settings on the sub are exactly how u explained them. I also gotta figure out how to get to the speaker crossovers including the subs. Do u have a starting point recommendation for the Hz on all speakers? Thanks again for your help

80hz or close to it for the crossover in the receiver. Speakers set to small that way all bass it routed through the sub. On your Blu-ray, what is your audio output set to? PCM, bitstream, raw? There are a lot of different terms but PCM is stereo. Raw or bitstream means that it is the raw data from the disc and the receiver should decode based on what type of stream it detects.

Oh. My buddy just gave me his ps3 and I didn't know u can adjust the sound coming out of it. What would be its proper setting? The new Call of Duty sounds great through the xbox.

Bitstream or raw or something with a similar name. If you aren't sure, post a link to your owner's manual. Or at minimum, tell us the options available to you.

Here's a link to the audio output section of there Manuel. http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/audiooutput.html

Step 5 on the link - check them all. Some like AAC probably won't work but when will you be playing a native Apple audio file?

Ok I also found a setting for bd/DVD audio output format (hdmi). Give me the option to use linear PCM or bitstream. I'm asuming to use bitstream?

Yes, bitstream

Some avr's do not have a X-over for the sub. When using the LFE it will handle 120Hz and down. 80Hz is a general X-over used in THX recommendation assuming you have 5 or 7 identical speakers(bookshelf). The X-over is best set to you weakest speaker frequency. The autocalibration usually will get this right. If the speaker are not set to small the LFE channel can also be you mains or tower speakers. Setting speaker to large may cause phase problem where sound waves are cancelling out each other. That is why so many recommend setting all speaker to small even if you have a 6 ft. tower, lol. Variable X-over settings for each speaker is usually not seen in avr's under $1500, and is not necessary to have a great sounding system.

I had a similar issue recently. I took delivery of an SVS SB12-NSD about 3 weeks ago and was really underwhelmed by the performance. I had been using an old 1998 vintage ported 8" Infinity subwoofer that had served me surprisingly well for a number of years in a somewhat large (20x20x8) room. When I set up the new one, I heard almost no bass at all which really surprised me. I contacted SVS and exchanged several emails with Ed Mullen. He first suggested playing around with receiver settings such as Dynamic EQ, crossover settings, subwoofer level, LPF, etc. (I have an Onkyo TX-NR3008). I tried all of that and also tried THX Loudness Plus and Dolby volume. They all seemed to kind of help with the lack of bass that I was experiencing but none of them sounded quite right to me. I still seemed to be lacking bass, especially in what I am guessing was the 40-60Hz range. Ed then sent me a couple of documents on subwoofer placement and "room modes" that are available on the Harman web site and I determined that I likely had a placement issue. I moved my SB12-NSD about 1-2 feet from where it had been and faced it in the other direction and the thing suddenly sprang to life. I didn't even have any of the bass enhancers turned on either. I'm not sure why this happened considering the SB12-NSD was placed in exactly the same place as my old sub (in a corner, opposite my viewing position) but it did happen. http://www.harman.com/EN-US/OurCompany/Technologyleadership/Documents/White%20Papers/LoudspeakersandRoomsPt3.pdf http://www.harman.com/EN-US/OurCompany/Technologyleadership/Documents/White%20Papers/multsubs.pdf A Google search for "axial modes" can be quite useful as well. You may want to look into moving your subwoofer to a different location. It can make quite a difference.