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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 rsbeck

rsbeck
887 posts
 
Your amplifier ABSOLUTELY affects your bass resolution and response.
Ever notice that powered Sub-Woofers are usually built with amplifiers that put out anywhere from 400 to 1,500 watts? It is because it takes a lot of power to resolve the lower octaves and control a bass speaker. Low powered tube amps are notorious for producing weak and/or flabby bass. Tube fans typically sacrifice the lower octaves in order to get the reputed liquid midrange and highs. Somehow, the smaller room was configured in such a way as to maximize the bass. This is a puzzle because the lower octaves usually need a bigger room to fully develop.
But, every room is so different and the variables are many. If you want to stick with your gear, the answer is going to be found in speaker placement and room treatment. Might be worth your while to hire an
acoustic consultant to come over for an hour or two and help you tune
your systems to your new rooms, to help you get maximum bass response from your tube gear, bring your system back into balance. Or, you can add a Sub-Woofer. But, I would try the consultant first. He/she
can also help you decide if a Sub-Woofer is warranted and can help you
integrate it into your system. Just a suggestion.

rsbeck
887 posts
 
My suspicion is that if the amp is not producing bass in these speakers, getting speakers with more bass capability will only tax this amp more.
If you want more bass, you need more power. You can add that power
in a couple of different ways. You can trade the low lowered CJ amp for
a higher powered amp, or you can stick with the CJ and add a powered sub, which will come with a built-in high powered solid state amp. If you just want to get the bass response you were previously getting, it is
going to mean tuning the system to the room, finding the right speaker
placement, room treatment, etc. I, personally, wouldn't like having to integrate a Sub-woofer into my music system, so that would be *my* last resort. But, if you are a low power tube fan, I think your options are to give up some bass response, try to maximize it with room tuning, or integrate a sub. No matter what your choice, hiring an acoustic consultant to come over for a few hours could be the best money you ever spent. You'll learn how to place your speakers, the problems inherent in the room, how to get the most out of your system, etc. etc.
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