First Time SVS Owner (20-39 PCI+) Thoughts and Impression (1 Viewer)

[RickCathey]

Well my wait was over and my new SVS 20-39 showed up on Monday as scheduled. I got that monster brought inside and quickly cracked open the box. Packaging - A#1 job on creating it's own little shell that is custom fitted to make sure of a safe delivery to it's final resting spot. Slid the black mammoth from it's hiding area and stood back in amazement at the beauty I was beholding! I quickly removed the old sub and slid the SVS in place. I already had my system calibrated but took the time to run through it again to include the SVS. After all was adjusted I pulled out Finding Nemo and searched for the famed "Darla" scene. With my system about -12db under reference Darla shook my entire house! Now how do I wipe this silly grin off off my face?
Pulled out some more movies that had been mentioned for reference and sat in amazement. After checking through all of the ones I had on the list I grabbed a few concert DVD's (Eagles, Randy Travis Live and Alison Krauss Live) and my heart sunk. Where did the bass go to?

I calibrated all my settings as instructed in the manual and had the gain about 1/3 on the sub which made the sub register at 78db's (using DVE) like I had read about. I ended up turning the sub gain to about 1/2 and my smile came back.

Although it is now running at a higher db than my other speakers I can at least feel like it's there now. I read a reply on a similar thread that adjusting these things are a matter of taste and there isn't realy any "wrong" way to adjust it.

Are most of you running your SVS higher than what it calibrated at so you could have a little more "punch"? I hope I can find a happy medium so I don't have to adjust the gain up and down when going from a movie to music..

Overall it makes my old sub sound like I was listening to a speaker mounted in an oatmeal can. I never realized how muddy the old one was until hearing what the low end is supposed to sound like. This will be a keeper and now I can see what all the hoopla has been about.

Rick

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

I totally agree with you. I just got my 20-39PC+ today. I havnt truly calibrated it yet. That will be tommorrow. But on music you dont feel it as much. That is fine with me.... but when something blows up!!!!!!! YEAH!

 

[Michael__M]

how big is your room?

 

[Edward J M]

DVE has a problem with the sub calibration tone. There is a large thread I started on the subject that probably isn't more than a week old since the last post - take a look.

Let me guess - you are somewhere in the neighborhood of 85-90 dB on the DVE sub tone at your preferred gain setting with the SVS?

Ed

 

[Bill Blank]

Isn't it better to calibrate using your processor's test tones since it's where the signal from every source ends up? By calibrating with the DVE disc you're only really calibrating your DVD player because, in all likelyhood, your other sources our outputting their signals at different levels.

Just my $.02 It's the way I've always done things and it seems right. I have measured using a CD with test tones (Stereophile's Test CD 3) to adjust the cross-over setting and get a read on the overall systems's response in my room.

To simply match levels all you need is some wideband pink-noise generated by your processor.

Good Luck!
Bill

 

[RickCathey]

Room size is 20x20..
Vaulted ceiling starts at 8 ft and goes to 14ft..

 

[Dan Halchak]

My PC+ 20-39 sounds awesome with music. I found out I like it (the receiver) set to -2db for music and -4db for movies. So it's a pretty quick (even though most of the time I end up leaving it around -4). I thought there wasn't much bass in my music CDs and through listening like the sub wasn't doing much...however when I set everything to small and the crossover at 60Hz, I was amazed the difference.

I found out that Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains CD has some really surprising bass that really kicks in only a few times on a few tracks, but when it does, I was completely shocked by it. Check out that CD if you happen to be a fan and want a shocker.

 

[Philip>L]

My opinion of subwoofers in music is similar to what I've heard other people say about surround speakers:

You shouldn't notice that there's a subwoofer (or surrounds) in play until you take it away and notice its absence. I believe that the two should be subtle unless you're listening to something that's REALLY bass heavy (like dance music or something).

But YMMV and that's why you have an individual level control...