I've lost my bass....


Well, not all of it. My system is:

Arcam CD92
Marantz 2020 (Don Scott modified) Tuner
Conrad Johnson PV14
Conrad Johnson MV60
Audio Physic Virgo III
HT Pro 9 Interconnects
Synergistic Research Sig. 2 Speaker Cables

This is my first tube system and I love it. I had this system in a 15' x 23' room and I thought it was outstanding. Mids and highs were exceptional and bass was firm though clearly not registering the lowest octaves. I was OK with that.

Here's the problem. I needed to put my Home Theater system in the room where the stereo was and put the stereo where the home theater was. The furniture and carpeting was also switched at the same time. Now the stereo is in an "L" shaped room that is bigger than the previous one. As a result, the bass repsonse is not nearly as authoritative as it was in the smaller room (no surprise).

My question is, what can be done to improve bass response? Some issues I've thought of are:

1. Room treatment? What kind?
2. Try different tubes (FYI, MV60 is EL34 based amp)? Any suggestions?
3. Amp is underpowered?

I'm open to any ideas on how to improve bass response.

Thanks to all for any help.
Dave
milo

Showing 2 responses by newbee

Get a sub woofer. Amp type will only change quality of bass - it won't do much for quantity. Room treatment won't do anything for bass. You can play with the distance the speakers are from the wall to enhance the bass, and with the listening chair to find a room created bass rise. A sub is probably the easiest and best way though.
Cellorover, Interestly I think you may have reached the correct conclusion, that he should consider getting new speakers, but for the wrong reason. I suspect the Virgo's are just not capable of energizing the bass in a room as large as the one he now has to use (with any amp!) but personally I see no reason why he should have to find a new speakers and, potentially an amp, when a sub will do. But since you mentioned it, why not elaborate on why a well integrated sub would not work for him and save him the cost and expense of buying new speakers, etc.

Sean, Rsbeck, and others who mentioned the amp - I don't disagree with you in principal, however I didn't see this as a potential solution to what sounded like a substantial loss of bass. Apart from the placement issues I saw a sub as his only viable solution and still be able to keep the Virgos. Recall in his original placement he felt the bass was not outstanding, merely adequate.

Now if his complaint is really just a minor one about bass quality or quantity then the amp becomes a real factor - as I recall the CJ is not an earthshaking bass amp, either in quality or quantity. Perhaps he should get a RS sound meter and a test disc and measure the bass response at the various listening positions and see how far off flat his bass is, and what frequencies need boosting, before he embarks on any revisions. Perhaps he just has overambitious expectations re bass. Perhaps further feed back from the poster would help him get some more specific recommendations.