Open Letter To REL, SVS, Hsu, etc., et al


Why don’t you include a cd that will actually enable your customers to properly set up their purchase from you? Telling me to choose something with ‘low bass content’ and put it on repeat is pathetic at best. There are very specific and very limited numbers of tones needed to dial in a sub. One of the above companies tells me to use track 4 from ‘Sneakers’, a 29 year old movie, as an aid in dialing in a sub. Maybe in 70 years the track will be in the public domain and they can just rip it for free to whatever medium is current in 2091.
Test tones, as far as I know, aren’t copyrighted, and would cost very little to put on a cd. 50 blank cd’s cost 15.00 retail. Include one with tones and instructions in the box. Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz, etc., etc., would also qualify as a place to put your sub setup tones, along with detailed voice instructions. 
I know many people now use automated setups in their AVR’s, but I’d bet many reading this on Audiogon don’t- most two channel systems are behind the times in this regard.
Or am I missing something?
james_edward

Showing 1 response by prighello

Hsu does include a CD with test tones for bass with their subs.

If you are looking for other CDs to help, Alpine Electronics (the old school car audio folks) produced some great CDs in the 90s with music and test tones.

Two to look for are: Disc Drive and Highway One.
Highway One has some of the cleanest and most dynamic musical test tracks I have ever heard along with many test tones. It is a fabulous demo CD if you can find one. It was made for the Australian market, so tough to find in the states. Subs are fun and rewarding once dialed in. Good luck!