Robert Cobb
Agent
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Messages
- 27
Let me start by saying that this is my first subwoofer. I love crisp, hard bass and thought I was getting everything I needed from the 12" woofs in my old JBL mains. Anyway, I've read this board for months as I've been putting together my HT and decided that it was time to see what the .1 really adds to the experience.
My 25-31 PCi arrived Thursday night and I immediately setup and calibrated as best I could based on all the great info available here. I listened to the Pod Race scene, first part of Toy Story 2, JP3 and a smattering of Rush, Doors, and classical. By the end of the night, I thought "OK, it definitely adds something, but what is everyone so excited about?" Of course, I had to tell my wife that it's everything that I had hoped - but I was lying.
Late Friday night (with wife sleeping on sofa in HT), I was reviewing my calibrations. Why is the test tone on the S&V disk so low in the subwoofer calibration area when compared to all the other speakers? Is it possible that I am not running 3-4 db hot like I wanted? I watched Gone in 60 Seconds and decided to turn up the gain on the SVS to 5/8 (from just below 1/2) and turn up the sub level on the receiver to see if I could find that tactile bass I was hoping for. Even though the volume was very low (due to sleeping beauty), a warm presence invaded the listening area. There was a definite heart to each scene that was missing only a few minutes before. I could swear stolen Ferraris were rolling across the floor of my basement. I stayed up for several more hours excited about what a re-calibration might bring.
With the kids out of the house Saturday morning, I re-did the calibration. This time I set everything to 85 db using the S&V disk, but ignored the noise presented for the LF speaker when doing the subwoofer level and just set the sub to where it was putting out 88 db (adjusted). I'm now at -14 (my Yanmmy goes from 0 to -20) on the receiver's sub level and the PCi gain is at 5/8. At the highest listening levels I am willing to subject my ears, the SPL meter is showing brief peaks of 105 db. Is there any chance that I can hurt anything with this setup? I'm certain that the sub has not bottomed during any of this. If it helps, I am in a 25'x20'x8' room that I only expect to fill half of.
I am now in heaven. It's all I can do to write this note as I have cleared the tears of joy from my eyes. I can't even bear to put in a DVD because Lars sounds so good. I wish I could compare my PCi to another sub for you, but I can tell you that instead of bass straining to wash over me from the mains, I now feel a much deeper surge that seems to come from every direction and push right through me. There is significant isolation of each pop of the kick-drum and each one is like a punch in the chest.
Sorry for the book, but I thought this might help others new to subs (and the PCi) stick it out.
My 25-31 PCi arrived Thursday night and I immediately setup and calibrated as best I could based on all the great info available here. I listened to the Pod Race scene, first part of Toy Story 2, JP3 and a smattering of Rush, Doors, and classical. By the end of the night, I thought "OK, it definitely adds something, but what is everyone so excited about?" Of course, I had to tell my wife that it's everything that I had hoped - but I was lying.
Late Friday night (with wife sleeping on sofa in HT), I was reviewing my calibrations. Why is the test tone on the S&V disk so low in the subwoofer calibration area when compared to all the other speakers? Is it possible that I am not running 3-4 db hot like I wanted? I watched Gone in 60 Seconds and decided to turn up the gain on the SVS to 5/8 (from just below 1/2) and turn up the sub level on the receiver to see if I could find that tactile bass I was hoping for. Even though the volume was very low (due to sleeping beauty), a warm presence invaded the listening area. There was a definite heart to each scene that was missing only a few minutes before. I could swear stolen Ferraris were rolling across the floor of my basement. I stayed up for several more hours excited about what a re-calibration might bring.
With the kids out of the house Saturday morning, I re-did the calibration. This time I set everything to 85 db using the S&V disk, but ignored the noise presented for the LF speaker when doing the subwoofer level and just set the sub to where it was putting out 88 db (adjusted). I'm now at -14 (my Yanmmy goes from 0 to -20) on the receiver's sub level and the PCi gain is at 5/8. At the highest listening levels I am willing to subject my ears, the SPL meter is showing brief peaks of 105 db. Is there any chance that I can hurt anything with this setup? I'm certain that the sub has not bottomed during any of this. If it helps, I am in a 25'x20'x8' room that I only expect to fill half of.
I am now in heaven. It's all I can do to write this note as I have cleared the tears of joy from my eyes. I can't even bear to put in a DVD because Lars sounds so good. I wish I could compare my PCi to another sub for you, but I can tell you that instead of bass straining to wash over me from the mains, I now feel a much deeper surge that seems to come from every direction and push right through me. There is significant isolation of each pop of the kick-drum and each one is like a punch in the chest.
Sorry for the book, but I thought this might help others new to subs (and the PCi) stick it out.
