Help me understand how to optimize bass on the Zu Definition Mk IV


I am a longtime owner of Zu Definition Mk1.5 speakers and recently also bought a pair of Definition Mk4's. I based this decision partly on the reviews / feedback posted here on Audiogon in various threads by members such as 213cobra, gsm18439, spiritofmusic and others. I'm really hoping some of you Mk4 owners can chime in and help me out here!

Basically, my issue is that I found the Mk1.5's put out incredibly deep and impactful bass, especially with some of the music I love, like R&B and reggae. And this was with the bass amplitude knob at 12 or 1 o'clock. However, after setting up my new Mk4's, I find the bass underwhelming and anemic, even after fiddling around with various settings and with the volume and PEQ cranked. I have them on spikes into bases on a hardwood floor, with about a 1.5" gap on the bottom. What am I missing here?? Based on the reviews I read, I was expected the bass to equal or exceed the lowly 1.5's. 

Thanks so much in advance for any helpful advice! 


temicxoch
So, room and location are the same as before?

First, the basics. Make sure all 4 woofers are working. :)

Next, placement. You might want to try the reverse speaker trick. Put the speaker in your normal listening location, and walk around the room until you hear the ideal bass. Then put the speaker there.


Temixoch, the bass on the Def4 is certainly a different beast than on my Def2. I'm assuming the 1.5 is similar to the 2, w four 10" subs rear firing.

The trick to getting it right is to drop the Low-Pass Filter to 38-42Hz. I'm at 38Hz, as is Phil. It's critical not to allow subs output to bleed into, and thus smear, the mids FRDs.

At 38-42Hz, have the Volume at 5-7.
I'm at 6.5, but this is really room dependent.

Other settings w me are
PEQ Gain 3.75
PEQ Freq 31
Phase 0° (both switch and dial)

For me, the 2s were just overwhelming, I could never get them right. Yes, bass on the 4s seems less powerful, but it's tighter and more tuneful.

Get yr 4s a little into the room, they start singing here 5' from front wall, best at 8'. From side walls, 3-4'.

Then set Low Pass Filter to 38Hz, Volume at 5/10. Repeat tracks w Volume going up in increments to 7/10.

Then start again w Low Pass at 39Hz, vary Volume incrementally 5-7/10. Then start again at 40Hz, incrementally Volume 5-7/10. And so on.

At some point hopefully you'll hit on the right balance of extension, bloom and speed.

Another consideration is the 4s are down firing. Thus, footers on the Zus and type of floor makes a difference, more than the 2s.

In my old apartment w solid concrete floors, stock spikes or Symposium Rollerblocks really worked. Here, on my 150 yr old suspended timber flr w plenty of flex, Arya Audio Revopods on Panzerholz are the ticket.

I'll ask Phil to chip in.

By any chance is your amplifier either bridged or "fully balanced"?

From one of the writeups provided for the Def IV at the Zu site:

Definition Mk.IV is designed around conventional or parallel mode amps, bridged amplifiers are not recommended (black speaker negative leg of bridged amps will see the virtual ground node of the internal bass amp).

The same caution would presumably apply to fully balanced amps as well as to bridged amps.

Regards,

-- Al