Searching for matching(?) Subwoofer solution

H

   Your primary concerns seem to be a subwoofer that will match your speakers presentation, its just a modest office system but your open to the idea of swarm system.
  You should be looking for a DSP sub that uses a calibrated mic (not a smart phone) to make auto and manual adjustments to multi band EQ, variable phase, crossover slop and freq, adjustable Q, etc.. A sub that has the connectivity to daisy chain its equalized signal to non DSP powered subs for your own swarm if desired.
   Check out JL Audio F series and their CR-1 crossover $$$ read the CR-1 manual. SVS has a new DSP line, Syzygy, Martin Logan, Velodyne Plus did it all but they're no longer available.
   

tyray:
"And apparently I guess this type of interaction with someone on this thread is okay - if you have the swarm and have read the studies of Earl Geddes. Well I’m here to tell you it’s not.

I did look up this term though:

Psychoacoustic Phenomenon Pseudo Stereo Deep Bass

Apparently it does not exist.

I really wanted to ask is this psychoacoustic phenomenon only in playback and the recording studio environment? But I guess I can’t cause I don’t have the Swarm and haven’t fully read the studies of Earl Geddes."

Hello tyray,

    Psychoacoustics is a legitimate scientific field of study that is very relevant in understanding how and why the use of multiple subs significantly improves the perception of deep bass response below 80 Hz in virtually any room.

     I clearly stated on my 8/15 post on this thread, however, that the term "Psychoacoustic Phenomenon Pseudo Deep Bass" was a term I named and used to describe my perception of an affect I noticed utilizing multiple subs in my systems. This was a facetious term that I made up trying to be a bit humorous.  Sorry for the confusion, but I honestly didn't expect anyone to take this as a legitimate term.

     To answer your question, psychoacoustics is an important factor in recording, such as the proper number and positioning of mics, and it's also an important factor in playback, such as the proper number and positioning of subs for good bass performance and the proper positioning of the pair of stereo main speakers in relation to the designated listening position for good midrange, treble and imaging.

    I believe I understand you didn't like me questioning whether a Richard Vandersteen quote on their website, that I believe contains numerous errors and falsehoods, accurately represented his thoughts or was just promotional advertising prose.  We may never know the answer to this but I was just sharing my thoughts and opinion.

   I also believe that you understood I wouldn't like your dismissing my statements on psychoacoustics as "psycho bass babble bullshit".  I disagree but believe you're free to state and share your thoughts and opinion.

   I agree with you that we are all here to share thoughts and ideas with each other.  But I also think we need to agree to do so in an honest and free manner while also agreeing not to be too easily offended. 

Thanks,

  Tim  

Duke, Thanks for the reply.

I need to re-ask my first question since I wasn't clear. Since a DBA system can evenly distribute low bass evenly to all parts of a room are you also able to distribute the mids and highs evenly to all parts of the room or are you still relegated to a single listening sweet spot in the room due to the directionality of the mids and highs?

Thanks

Hello audiorusty,

The use of a distributed bass array (DBA) system is a very good solution for distributing low bass evenly throughout the entire room. Unfortunately, there’s not currently an equally effective solution that will distribute the mids and highs throughout the entire room, at least not while maintaining good stereo imaging throughout the entire room.
Since using and understanding the exceptionally high quality bass performance of a DBA system, I now view my system as two systems, a bass system and an ’everything else’ system, with ’everything else’ meaning the mids, highs and stereo imaging.
I recommend installing the bass system and getting that performing optimally first since it has traditionally been the hardest system aspect to get sounding right in most home systems, due mainly to the extreme length of bass soundwaves and how this results in audible bass issues in domestic sized rooms, and because high quality bass is the solid foundation that most music and high quality home audio systems are built upon.
Once the bass is performing optimally in the room, the next priority is to position the main speakers, in relation to the dedicated listening seat, to optimize the midrange, treble and imaging performance. This has traditionally been a much easier system aspect to get sounding right in most home systems, due mainly to the much shorter length of these midrange and treble soundwaves and their resultant highly directional nature. All that’s normally required is precise positioning, including toe-in angles, along with room treatments to control the first reflection points and perhaps some room treatment along the front and back walls.
All soundwaves of all frequencies reflect or bounce off of room boundaries (floor, walls and ceiling) until they run out of energy and collide with themselves and other soundwaves along their reflected paths within any given room. However, when bass soundwaves collide it’s perceived as a bass peak, dip or null, while when midrange and treble soundwaves collide it’s usually perceived as an airy quality except when they have a negative effect on imaging at the designated listening seat.
The final steps are directed at integrating or blending the bass system’s sound with the ’everything else’ system’s sound as seamlessly as possible. This is accomplished through precisely adjusting the volume, crossover frequency and phase control settings collectively for all four subs on the amp/control unit for an AK Swarm or Debra DBA system or individually for each of the four subs on a custom DBA system.


Tim