Improving sub quality

Semi's point is a very good one. It would make sense to me that a front firing sub would behave very differently to a down-firing sub.

I find it interesting that the B-series are advertised on Sumiko's site, but there's no mention of them on REL's home page. Are they designed only for the US market ?
UK and US requirements are a bit different, due to the larger rooms in the US.

KGveteran, I'm glad it worked out for you. If aesthetics permits you might want to try placing the sub non-centered, following the Cardas placement rules at

http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=insights&content_id=26&pagestring=Room+Setup

This placement was designed to minimize standing waves, and I figured if it works for the main speakers it ought to work for a single sub .... and I've found it does work, very well.

Keep in mind the new Brittania woofer is front mounted. Like all speakers with front mounted woofers, using spike WILL improve the coupling of speaker to the floor and prevent the drivers from shaking the whole box and smear the sound. Subwoofers are less sensitive to time and image smear, but you will still gain pitch and speed by rigidly couple the sub to the floor.

Old ST series do not benefit from spikes, but that is NOT true with the new B series.

When I purchased my Rel,Sterling Trayle was still employed with Sumiko,the distributor,at the time.He strongly emphasized that I did NOT use spikes.He felt that the REL was designed to have a certain distance from the driver to floor,and the spikes could,would screw this up."Pressure loading",had to be correct,according to Sterling.Makes sense,to me.

In any event,with the numerous little movements I had to employ,over time,I think that had I used the spikes,I NEVER would have been able to easily move the SUB into optimal position,as I have.The current sound is seamless,and I know everyone who spends DOUGH is compelled to feel this way.In my case,as others,I'm sure,I could not be happier.Good luck!

seandtaylor99,
I just moved my subs out in front of my center channel and the sweeps on TrueRta look great.When I had them in opposite corners (front) I had a null from 42hz-68hz at the listening position.They are really flat from 10hz to 100hz.I ended up changing the xover frequency because they extended so well out to 100hz.

Hi Ipy: I do intensive test over the Aurios ( both models ) and my subs: the first time that I use the Aurios I was delighted for what " a priori " was a huge improvement, over the time I perceived that something was wrong not only with the " quantity " of the bass but ( more important ) with the " quality " : no pitch control and very " soft " bass. So, I return to spikes to " see " what happen and spiked everything was really on target.

What happen with the Aurios ( floating ) and subs: for a sub can do its work it is a must that when the woofer had a foreward/rearward movements the " box " stay dead-movement like a big heavy stone because if the " box " moves with the woofer movement ( like in the Aurios ) the bass sound reproduction will have a high diminishing effect ( like you say ) that will be far from the reality. Ipy: try to imagine what happen with the woofer movement through an Aurios and you can have the right answer. My english is bad and I do a great effort to explain this subject but it is very dificult to me do that in a good shape: sorry.

I can remember a rave review of the Aurios by R. Harley ( I think ) using through a subwoofer. Right now , I know he was wrong.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi,

The biggest improvement for my sub is to put it on a 6" Lovan stand w/ 3 spikes at the bottom to discs. It has virtually cured overhand and boominess which rob midrange of its liquidity. I've tried various footers by itself and there's no comparison.

YMMV,

Kenobi

Hi Rauliruegas,
I did perceive the bass response to be better controlled when the sub is being floated by the Aurios. What I could hear better is the individual bass notes being played either from a movie or musical concert dvds. IMO the "quality" of the bass has certainly improved but the "quantity" has a diminishing effect. YMMV though.

My subs sit on an auralex Gramma stacked and corner loaded. Not too boomy, and reasonably careful phase adjustment, SPL measurements, and gain control has kept things seemingly accurate.

Dear Mark: You have to have your subs really " anchor " to the floor with out any movement between the sub/spike and between spike/floor. You can improve your sub's sound reproduction if you put some " weight " at the top panel: 20-30 kgs.

The Aurios goes against the performance sub's ( floating ). Maybe Ipy thinks he had an improvement but is not, he had a heavy degradation on the music/sound reproduction at the low end.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

When it comes to placement you'll have to decide. Obviously major differences between all of our rooms and preferences. You may want to read about room acoustics if you haven't. A bass trap or two can do alot of good when you have honest bass down low.

I have a REL on carpet on a suspended wooden floor and it sounded worse on spikes. It surprised me, but REL generally recommend against spikes, so perhaps they know better.

I have found the best room loading to be out towards the middle of the room (just in front of one of the main speakers, following a Cardas placement method). REL's corner placement always sounded boomy to me.

I have my HT subwoofer floating on Aurios MIBs 1.2 and this has improved its performance significantly. The Aurios could be bought on the gon for approx. $200 or less used. You would need a hard surface for the Aurios to sit on though.
Good luck.