Where did my very low end air go?


I have made some changes without checking low end air on Master and Commander. The cannons with my old setup moved a lot more low air than now. I have made the following changes. I changed my Denon 9000 out for an Oppo 83SE since the Denon quit. I changed out my Krell HTS out for an analog Bel Canto Pre6 gen II. The old system was all balanced into my Krell Showcase 5 amp. The new system I use RCA analog out of the Oppo 83SE into the Bel Canto Pre6 genII and then balanced out to the Showcase amp.
Do you think it is the not all balanced out requiring more boost on the Pre6 to get subwoofer volume up to the same level? Plus 4 db boost seems like a lot. Should I try a higher boost like plus 6 db?
With balanced don’t you get plus 6 db boost? Do you think the Krell HTS just handles bass much better? I am using Revel M20 speakers and 2 Revel B15 subs.
coxhaus
So you are basically processing your Dolby Dig/ DTS in the Oppo, and running out, analog, to your Bel Canto - to simply act as a volume control and switcher.
My experience has been that you'll get a flatter, less dynamic sound processing this way for digital movie source material. I think if you simply back track on your setup, and go back to connecting digital to a fully digital pre/pro- and process internally in the pre/pro - you'll find much more dynamics and power again!
If you haven't changed anything in your setup, than this should be a simple solve.
You of course should always measure for response, phase, volume levels, etc anyway, to know where you're at, and to dial in any system. (I presume 98% of all people don't mess with any of this beyond what auto-EQ's process. They could have their subs and speaker/seats sitting in giant acoustic holes in the response, and they'd never know it).
But to simplify, you should just switch back to the old connection method and see what that yeilds you. That is, if it's important to you in really knowing what happened.
I would.
Yes I would like to know. I sold the Krell HTS. I can not go back without buying new equipment. I do like the midrange better in the Bel Canto Pre6 better than the Krell. There are not a lot of movies with the very low air. I have been so busy with my 2 channel stereo rig that I have not been using my video system. I thought of one more thing. The Krell did not process the latest formats which the Oppo 83SE can. Do different formats carry more low end air than others?
I would try to compare fundamental setup options first, since you just changed this out in your system. You went from a direct digital connection, processing in the pre/pro, to an analog connection from sources, processing in the Oppo. You should compare these two paths in your system, side by side.
You could easily buy a used piece, insert into your system, and compare. You can then sell what you don't want. You can also go down to local Best Buy, buy a descent AV receiver, try that in your system, and return if it doesn't work out (hint hint). You'll then be able to compare apples to oranges, and trouble shoot your setup options.
You'll at least then know what you have going, and the fundamental differences in connection and processing options. Because, as of right now, you've switching things up quite a bit on the processing end.