How high is your gain setting on your SVS? (1 Viewer)

[Derrik Draven]

I bought an original, (pre pcI), pc16-46. It had the old style amp (pre Bash). When I purchased it, the manual said to turn the gain all the way up and control the amount sent to the sub with your processor/receiver.

No problemo.

Now, I have added in a PC16-46+ with the Bash amp. Off the top of my head, I can't remember exactly where they recommended setting the gain but, it wasn't all the way up.

Well, when calibrating and trying to get all the speakers to the same level, I have to boost the sub trim damn near +10 just to get it to reach the same level as the rest of the speakers.

Obviously, the solution would be to turn up the gain on the SVS a bit more and turn down the sub trim a bit.

Well...why the hell not turn to gain all the way up and turn down the trim quite a bit?

Why not run the Bash in the Plus sub like it say to do in the older SVS?

That's what I ended up doing and, I was wondering if there are any problems with that? I don't crank the sound up to reference levels anyhow so, it seemed to make even more sense to turn the gain all the way up.

Where do you guys set the gain on your Bash equipped SVS's?

 

[ScottCarr]

well, it really depends on a few things.
1. location of the sub
2. size of the room
3. location of the sub
4. type of receiver.

Yes location was purposely listed twice

SVS recommends the gain to be set at 1/2 to 3/4 when starting the calibration routine. The receiver sub out set to -5.

with a single PC+2039 I had the sub set to a little less than 1/2 with the reciever set at -3.

so assuming from my experience that is enough power to fill the room with some great bass.

 

[WayneO]

My GAIN is in the 9 o'clock position(about a mark and half from 0) and sub level on the receiver is at -6, been the same with my PC+ and PB2+. I could never even get close to 1/2 on either sub and am amazed to hear people need that much based on my experience, but obviously room size and all that comes into play.

 

[VinhT]

I leave my receiver subwoofer output level at 0dB and simply adjust the gain on the plate amp during the level-matching process. My 25-31PC+ is on the second tick.

 

[Derrik Draven]

My GAIN is in the 9 o'clock position(about a mark and half from 0) and sub level on the receiver is at -6, been the same with my PC+ and PB2+.

WOW!!!! We certainly have some different setup experiences!

If I did that...I -literally- wouldn't even be able to register it on the spl meter in the range I need to.

I have the gain at max and +3 on the receiver sub trim to get the PC1646+ to hit the same db as the rest of the speakers.

Guess my room 12 X 8 X 33, is one of the reasons my sub needs such a boost.

Perhaps the Outlaw 1050 receiver I'm using has the lfe out channel factory calibrated way to low compared to others? Maybe it's not as efficient?

 

[ChrisWiggles]

Mine is at 9 oclock using S-direct off a marantz receiver. I am, however, currently using it in a music-only setup. For movies, I've used it in 7.1 setups and I set it pretty hot at about the 12 o clock position.

 

[Chris Xolotl]

25-31PC+ at 2.5 ticks, amp sub out = -5db to 0db.

-5db is probably +1db hotter than the other speakers. with 0db on the amp, the whole place is rockin very L O U D.

 

[Chris Xolotl]

oh -5db on the amp is about 75db on the SPL meter at normal movie listening levels at 3 feet in front of the prime listening area

 

[Derrik Draven]

3 feet in front of the prime listening area

It's all becoming much more clearer to me.

Hell, I'm probably 15 ft away from the sub!

 

[Chris Xolotl]

Because of my room, the lowest of bass attenutates noticeable when you are > 12-15' away from the sub at my normal listening levels.

I tried it < 3 ft when I first got it, but that almost knocked me out. So now it's 3 - 5' away from the prime listening spot.

However, there is so much power left in the sub that I can never get it past 11 or 12 o'clock without fearing the walls will fall down.

 

[Edward J M]

Derrik:

Something seems amiss.

Even at 15 feet from the sub in that size room, you should be able to run your pre-out in the negative range and the PC+ BASH gain at something less than full, and still be able to calibrate properly.

It is possible there is voltage/impedance mismatch between the Outlaw and the SVS. The BASH amp input stage is quite sensitive and is designed to work with a wide variety of AVR sub pre-outs. But anything is possible.

Most owners are amazed at how little gain they need at the BASH amp to achieve an accceptable volume level. If you can measure the pre-out voltage level range and/or obtain it from Outlaw, I would do it and share the information with SVS. They know exactly how much input voltage it takes to drive the BASH amp to full power.

Edit Addendum:

Also make sure you are not running a dynamic range limiter, a bass peak limiter, or the LFE channel level limter. These things have a mysterious way of self initializing so it pays to double check all your bass management controls, too.

Regards

 

[terence]

I have a 4000 cubic ft HT w/ dual 20-39PC + and they are at half and the sub level set to -8.0. I sit 18ft away from the twins.

 

[terence]

have the gain at max and +3 on the receiver sub trim to get the PC1646+ to hit the same db as the rest of the speakers.

Guess my room 12 X 8 X 33, is one of the reasons my sub needs such a boost.

I guess that is why i hear Tom V. reccomend going with two 16-46PC+ sometimes.

 

[Tim Hess]

0 on my Outlaw 950

Gain is set ot 2 ticks (about 8 o'clock), 20Hz

 

[Derrik Draven]

Thanks for the info Ed. I'm starting to think that perhaps the Outlaw 1050 is the weak link.

I bought a PC1646 back when SVS was pretty new. (order #329). It was pretty much the same story. Gain at full, a couple notches of sub trim on the receiver, to make it balance out with the other speakers.

Back then, my ht wasn't even started. The speakers/TV/equipment rack, was in totally different locations. The room wasn't even the same contruction then.

Now it's the same with their Bash amps and a Plus sub, new speaker locations, room setup and all new construction.

The only constant is the Outlaw.

My mains and surrounds are all Def Tech towers. 2000tl's in front 2006tl;s in the rear. The Def Tech guys say that their speakers are power hungry. The like lots 'o power. The Outlaw 1050 only puts out 65 watts/channel. I was already told by Def Tech that my system is way underpowered.

I realize that the SVS subs I'm using are self amplified but, seeing as how little wattage the Outlaw is putting out, perhaps the LFE channel out on the receiver, has some bizare, bizzarr, bizaar, bizarr, @^%*(*^#$ , STRANGE problem.

Seems as though I shouldn't need anywhere near the amount of boost that I do, going by what you guys are running at.

...life was easier, years ago, when I thought that my rinky-dink Sony "ht-in-a-box" setup was great.

Now, I "need" a new amp, new processor, new tv, yet another sub, bigger equipment rack, echo dampeners for the walls, ....another job. :rolleyes

 

[Edward J M]

Wasn't there an issue a while back with early Outlaw pre/pro's and/or AVRs with LFE channel decoding?

I can't remember any details.....but it wouldn't hurt to definitively research that subject and either rule it out, or finger it as a possible culprit requiring further investigation.

 

[Lee Bailey]

I've got the old 25-31PC with the upgraded woofer and upgraded BASH 300W amp. I'm set at 1 notch below the half way mark now. Did not change my receiver's sub out at all.

 

[Jon_Krug]

it sounds like something in the system is set wrong or something is messed up. with my pb2+ i have the gain set to 1/3rd and outlaw 950 set to -5.

 

[Rick_Brown]

Numerous threads in this forum have suggested backing off your receiver's sub level to at least -6db and then adjusting the subwoofer's volume control when calibrating. This lessens the chances of your receiver's preamp overloading.

 

[Shawn C]

I've got a 16-46CS+, 2803 Denon receiver and Outlaw 200 M-Block monoblock running the subwoofer.

I have to set my receiver up to +12 gain to get the amount of low frequency that I like. That's mostly due to my room and where I sit in it.