What process did you use to integrate multiple subwoofers for 2 channel listening?


Today I will be trying to integrate up to three subs. Two are matching Rythmiks F12SE, and one is a REL R-328. The Rythmiks have a variety of adjustable parameters, including phase, crossover, and gain. There are other switches and passes on the sub, but I'm going to try to keep it basic to begin with. The REL has variable gain and crossover; the phase on REL is either 0 or 180.

I have REW for measurement. I will be buying a few more furniture sliders this morning, on doctors orders. ;-)

QUESTION: If you have multiple subs, by what process did you integrate your subs? One at a time? More? Which adjustments did you try first and in what kinds of increment?

I know that trial, error, measuring, and listening will all take time. Rather than look for a needle in a haystack, I'm curious what sequence or process was most effective for you.

Thank you.
128x128hilde45

Showing 4 responses by powemi

@hilde45 You don't need an EQ for your +5db hump (and that is actually a work around not the actual way to deal with it)

The hump occurs because the frequencies are being summed from your subs and your speakers (which will be different for each sub/speaker/room combo)

Your Low Pass for the sub needs to be lower as I am assuming that you are not going to rewire your crossovers in the speakers. If you have it at 80 currently (as another person suggested) I would say lower it to 55 and remeasure to see what happens. If it turns into a slight valley turn it up to 60. 
For everyone saying 

“to do this right you need X” 

He has a mic and software with subs that have a low pass control. That’s all you need. Nothing else fancy especially a dsp with converts analog to digital to analog again. 
How much did you spend on your DAC and you’re trusting the DAC inside the DSP to reinterpret it all?  
All those extra things are for people that want the easy fix without actually gaining knowledge on how your system works together.

Again doesn’t need anything new (I understand people love to throw money at a problem but it could be fixed with what he has before the shipment arrives); just spend a little time with the low pass filter while looking at you readings from the mic.
@hilde45 

Just a friendly reminder. 
Use your ears. 
Just because something measures well doesn’t mean you’ll like it. This is the reason I say it is best to use your mic and play around with Low Pass to see what it does. You may find that you want a +3 db in that range -for your ears- or you may find you prefer a -4 db. 
It is your system so use your ears; what sounds good to you may not to someone else and I feel we lose that thought process with all the tech talk in the community. 

Saying that something measures well is different than saying it sounds good. 
Your ears are different than mine than his than hers. We all can’t use the same pair of glasses either. 
@mijostyn
I'm not an electrical audio engineer by any means but have had lengthy conversations with a couple. And to my understanding -

It's the other way around.

Digital is machine code/computer code. Analog electrical signals are everywhere else. 

DSPs are doing more conversation from things that are all ready converted (from square waves to sine waves). I'm sorry I want as few conversations (between wave types) in my chain as possible; especially an extremely low quality converter down stream from my EXPENSIVE converter. 

Low frequencies are a pain and yes a DSP "makes things easy" because most people are not going to test their subs moving them a 1/4 inch and changing distance between the floor and yes a 1/4" movement can make a difference with a sub just as it can with the mains.

Do "car" guys not know how to change their oil?

To me (and I want to make this completely clear) using DSP in MY system is taking my car in to get an oil change. Many people can and do choose to use a DSP; I'm only saying that there are alternatives to spending money and adding to the chain. Other peoples priorities are different than mine. If he decides to use one good for him, that works for him, if he decides to not use one, good for him.

But for the vast majority of people to say that DSP is the ONLY way is just completely ignorant.