Hooking up SVS PB10-ISD to Pioneer 1014 (1 Viewer)

[JoeyR]

Being a newbie to home theater, my sub is coming in tommorrow, can someone help me on what settings are optimal both on sub and in 1014 menu, it would be really appreciated.

Im only using MCACC at this time to calibrate my system.

 

[SVS-Ron]

JoeyR,

There's a good bit of info right here!

The MCACC is not a bad place to start but we encourage everyone to use an SPL meter and Avia to really ensure things are set up right and dialed in.

If you really get cooking and have those two tools, you can get even more into setup by reading this page.

Of course don't hesitate to holler if you still need help after all that.


Ron

 

[JoeyR]

Cool Thanks Ron I have preSVS sub ownership anxiety

 

[James Phung]

I got the 1014 and have it set up with the PB10. I don't have a RS meter as of yet, but using MCACC has worked fine so far for me. You want to set your gain on the sub so that MCACC will set the level on the sub to around 0db. I set the gain originally at 12 o' clock and MCACC set the level to -9. I reran MCACC with gain set to 9 o' clock and it set my sub level to +6db. After setting it somewhere between 10-11 o' clock, MCACC set it to +0.5db. From there, many people like to run their sub hot by bumping it up 1 to 3 more db.

 

[JoeyR]

Ok, heres the update.

I hope that I have something severely set wrong because Im very disappointed with my subwoofer. I tried it with Saving Private Ryan and there is hardly any bass at all coming from my subwoofer.

This is with all my speakers set to small and showing a +1.0db after running the MCACC, my phasing is set at 90 degrees adjusted from 180 degrees.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

 

[SVS-Ron]

Joey,

You do have something set wrong probably (either that or your SVS was dropped hard in shipping).

Did you have a sub in your system before?

Check your cable connections at the receiver, it's easy to plug in the wrong jack on most back panels. Swap out the cable if it's suspect at all.

Check to ensure you have Subwoofer = Yes (or whatever) in the receiver.

Make sure the subwoofer (for now) is just "ON" and you have the power LED lit (it should change from red to green as you play a DVD).

Check to ensure your DVD player is causing a Dolby Digital light on your receiver to show (most Pioneers used to have the old 5.1 channel pictogram, not sure about this one). Go into your DVD player setup menu to ensure you have the digial audio set to "Bitstream".

How are you connected from the DVD player to your receiver by the way?

Last, play a music CD and turn up the sub till it sounds right, forget the MCACC for now.

SPR should have you diving for cover, if it's not something is indeed just not right.

Drop us an e-mail if you are still stuck after a bit of troubleshooting.

Ron

 

[JoeyR]

Did you have a sub in your system before?No, this is my first home theater(real one) that I have setup hence the goofy questions

Check your cable connections at the receiver, it's easy to plug in the wrong jack on most back panels. Swap out the cable if it's suspect at all.No one has responded to the jack placement in receiver, Im pretty sure that is covered

Check to ensure you have Subwoofer = Yes (or whatever) in the receiver.It is set to yes

Make sure the subwoofer (for now) is just "ON" and you have the power LED lit (it should change from red to green as you play a DVD).Will do this had it on auto

Check to ensure your DVD player is causing a Dolby Digital light on your receiver to show (most Pioneers used to have the old 5.1 channel pictogram, not sure about this one). Go into your DVD player setup menu to ensure you have the digial audio set to "Bitstream".I have it set to PCM/Bitstream, will check on light

How are you connected from the DVD player to your receiver by the way?Digital coaxial cable

Last, play a music CD and turn up the sub till it sounds right, forget the MCACC for now.Will do

SPR should have you diving for cover, if it's not something is indeed just not right.Yes, I agree my E30's have more bass than my SVS thats what got me worrying

 

[ScottCarr]

Joey try setting the dvd player to something other than PCM.

 

[JoeyR]

Ok Ron,

My receiver is showing DTS on the front while SPR is playing.

I turned the sub back to auto, I can see the subwoofer moving.

My wife said you dont really here that I said no ,Im partially deaf in my right ear and to certain tones lol.

Will my woofer get louder if I turn up the gain?

I guess Im not use to the smooth bass but the rattling junk base

 

[JoeyR]

Scott my only options are PCM, Dolby Digital/PCM, Stream/PCM. My dvd player has built in dolby and dts decoder but Im using the 1014.

 

[SVS-Ron]

Sounds like you are on the right track Joey,

Turn your sub gain up some if at the volume you are playing movies you need a bit more kick. Until you get an SPL meter and Avia, it's hard to know exactly what the MCACC is doing to your levels. Don't worry at all about what your wife says, this is unimportant (don't quote me on that though ;^)

If you are used to poor, boomy, distorted bass indeed the very flat, very deep and very low distortion sound of an SVS might sound unusual at first. After a bit you will realize this is actually what bass should sound like. Give your ears time to adjust.

I'm not sure if that PCM/Bitstream setting is right for your DVD player. The fact you are getting a DTS light on your receiver is a good sign though. Put in a DVD that is only Dolby Digital and make sure you get a Dolby Digital light too!

Also, double check your receiver and DVD player for ANY sort of "compression" settings. I've taken out two new DVD players in the last few months and both had PCM (the secondary audio track on DVD's) and "Compression" set to on as a default! Your receiver might have a "midnight mode" or "peak limiter" too, turn anything like that off, or all the way up (if it's limiter). Some of these settings can really be buried, so look thru each possible menu for hidden "got ya's".

Did I remind you to get an SPL meter and Avia DVD yet?

;^)

PS, if you are connected with ONLY a single RCA cable (one connector on each end) then you are not using any Dolby Digial or DTS decoding in our DVD player, it's all being done in your receiver. This is why that digial audio output setting is so important(Bitsteam or Dolby Digital will do it probably). I'd be willing to bet that thousands if not millions of people aren't listening to Dolby Digital surround (even though they have the receiver) and don't know it.

Ron

 

[JoeyR]

Mine has Dynamic Range Compression, the only options is auto or always on, I have it in auto

The only options for PCM settings are PCM only, DolbyDigital/PCM, or Stream/PCM.

I turned the phase back from 90 degrees to 180 degrees while watching the woofer, my wife came home earlier and said she could hear the bass outside when she got out her car, so I would say its working great now.

I just need to get some calibration tools, guess from where

 

[JoeyR]

BTW thanks for the help Ron, I can see that my money was well spent, I knew the woofer was a good product when I saw the box, thus the high expectations. Its nice to see great support for a great product.

 

[Mike^S]

So does it seem better now than one you first got it?

 

[JoeyR]

Yeah Mike it does, Im very happy with it, Im going to get the AVia disk and a spl meter because I think my JBLs are set a little bright though.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

watch the movie.Then turn your subwoofer off and watch it again. If you still can't hear a difference there is a problem with your subwoofer.

 

[Robb Roy]

Joey,



Use the "DolbyDigital/PCM" setting.

-Robb

 

[Scott Lawrence]

If you do that, DTS won't work. Set it to Bistream/PCM and leave it there.

 

[Robb Roy]

Quite right -- my bad.

-Robb

 

[ChrisCan]

Ya well I have SVS owner envy :p)

Glad it all worked out for you