Please help me improve my setup! (Age Old Q: Adire, SVS, HSU, Velodyne) (1 Viewer)

[Gary Dehardt]

Hi,

I'm a long time lurker here and am blown away by the knowledge and hospitality on this board. You guys really have it going on.

I am wondering if you guys would help me out. Please keep in mind that I'm not all that knowledgable, especially when it come to technical jargon. Thanks!

My system is 4 years old. I have B&W 601s1's, cc6, no sub, no rears, Sony 33ES receiver.

I'm in a 500 sq. ft. NYC apartment and there is literally no room for rears. When I bought this system, I figured I was 70% music, 30 HT and wanted to take my time putting the system together. Now that I'm out of grad school, that ratio just about reversed. I've had my system for 4.5 years now and I'm getting bored with it and now feel like stepping up and really improving what I have. Which brings me to my questions:

1) Having no sub these past years, have I done any damage to my 601's?

2) I think that my best bang-for-the-buck change would be a good sub. (Due to the size and setup of my apt., surrounds wouldn't work). I've scoured all the threads here and have it narrowed down to the Rava, HSU, and Velodyne CHT-15. I've eliminated the SVS's b/c of their size and b/c, well, I don't need that much base and I've got neighbor problems as it is. I've never had a sub and want to really FEEL one on movies w/o sacrifing too much accuracy on the music side. Oh yeah...I'm really not technically inclined, so I'd want some great customer service...I'm leaning heavily towards the Rava but have an open mind. I would be willing to spend the extra cash on the Dharma (I'd go up to $650 for sub) but I wonder if it's worth it. I'd hate to be dissapointed in a sub but down the road I suppose I could always add another Rava or HSU if I need more base. Any thoughts? I don't know much about the Velodyne.

3) I know this isn't a speaker question, but - I have the opportunity to get a Rotel 1075 Demo for about $550. I've wanted a rotel amp for years (I originally demo'ed by 601's on rotel) and think this is a great price. I assume this would be a big improvement to my system?

4) If I had to choose b/t a new sub or the Rotel, what do you think is the bigger "difference-maker"? I could likely afford both. Seems like a big improvement for my system for "only" about $1,000.

Any thoughts/advice would be great. Thanks so much!

 

[Chris Quinn]

1. no you haven't hurt your speakers w/o a sub. The speakers will reach their roll off point and not play anything lower.

2.In a 500sq ft. apt your neighbors will hate you if you get a Dharma. Well, they will likely hate you with either of the others too.

3. I would think it would be an improvement, but the ES line is Sony's highest line, at a very nice price but would ask for an in home trial.

4. I think get the the Rava 1st and then the Rotel.

 

[Gary Dehardt]

Thanks, Chris.

Has anyone out there had the opportunity to listen to both the Rava and the Velodyne?

Also, after reading through the posts here, my sense is that Adire has good customer support. Will the people there be willing to walk me through setting up the rava? I'ver never owned a sub and would need some direction.

Thanks again, all!

 

[Chris A H]

Can't help you on the Rava nor Velodyne, haven't heard either one.

Any sub worth it's salt will sound big, full and produce some volume, so I wouldn't cross off any brand of sub that you think is too big. No matter what sub you have you will have to keep the volume low.

I have an SVS and they are exceptional when it comes to hand-holding after it arrives. They will walk you through every set-up question you have and will take the time to help you get it right. A great company making great subs IMHO.

Best article I have seen on the inital subwoofer set-up is this article by Tom Nousaine (a very noted subwoofer reviewer) of Sound and Vision Magazine. Goes from unpacking through to calibration, helped me a lot.

Good luck.

 

[Gary Dehardt]

Thanks, Chris. That article was really helpful and I'm sure it'll be even moreso once I'm setting the thing up.

I won't be able to position the sub in the corner of the room with 1 foot of open space on all sides, though. Does positioning really make as big a differene as people say?

 

[Chris A H]

Yes, position can play a big part. I only had one basic position to place my PB1 so like you I can't move it to the most optimal room position, though in it's current spot it sounds really good so I don't complain.

I would not worry about the 1 foot spacing issue except for having enough space for the port(s) to breath, like 4-5" minimum. I have mine in a corner with 8" for the port and