Upgrading sub to get a live feel.

Hello Watcher,

     Sorry about mcreyn and phusis having a discussion on the benefits of horn tapped subs in the middle of your thread.  I just found out they're both longtime members of the Church of Latter Day Bass. A little rude but no big deal.
     I'm going to give you a step by step procedure for how to position each of the four subs and set the controls on each very soon but I need to know a few things before we get started to make sure we have everything we'll need:

1. What are the brand and model numbers of your other components?  I need to know whether you're using an AV receiver, integrated amp or preamp and power amp setup.

2. How do you currently have both of your SB-1000s connected? I need to know what method, line level or speaker level connections, you currently use and how you planned to connect all four subs.  If you don't already have a plan, I'll figure it out but it may require you buying a few things before we can begin.

3.  Are your JBL 4319 main speakers positioned on the floor, on stands or a different method?

    Depending on your other components, mainly your amp, we need to determine whether you should limit the bass reproduced or run them full range. W'll pick backup once you give me your answers to my 


Tim

1. What are the brand and model numbers of your other components? I need to know whether you're using an AV receiver, integrated amp or preamp and power amp setup.

Resonessence Mirus DAC > Pathos Atrium Preamp > Odyssey Kismet Mono-Block
 
2. How do you currently have both of your SB-1000s connected? I need to know what method, line level or speaker level connections, you currently use and how you planned to connect all four subs. If you don't already have a plan, I'll figure it out but it may require you buying a few things before we can begin.

SB are connected using speaker level input, the PB are tapping the speaker level from the SB. 

3. Are your JBL 4319 main speakers positioned on the floor, on stands or a different method?

The speaker currently sit on top of the SB 

The amp has pretty big bass, the DAC also has very detailed and articulated bass, the preamp is neutral. 

Sorry about mcreyn and phusis having a discussion on the benefits of horn tapped subs in the middle of your thread. I just found out they're both longtime members of the Church of Latter Day Bass. A little rude but no big deal.

"Church of Latter Day Bass" - good one, thanks for the early night (local time) chuckle here. 

Tim, being you're a rather frequent collaborator and advocate of a "four-and-only" sub approach many of us know all too well by now - one that certainly has its merits (and one I don't necessarily disapprove of per se) - it would nonetheless only seem prudent, in a effort to diversify the subject a bit, to throw in an alternative bass-augmentation dish, so to speak; one, or in essence most everything else you'd obviously not approve of. 

Truth be told I'm not on a mission to willfully oppose your views, but simply to recommend what I feel would be one heck of subwoofer pairing with a future main speaker acquisition the OP appears to have in mind. But you don't want to hear that, right? You're all over the place with your "my (sub-)way or the highway," and when a couple of guys have a few challenging thoughts on the matter you're choking on your morning smoothie. 

I'd actually let poster @mcreyn get off the hook here as he simply sided with my fondness for tapped horns, apart from delivering some very worthwhile info.

thewatcher101

They are 6 inches away from the wall,

You keep mentioning hardness in the lower midrange. This right here could be the reason. We all have room constraints so maybe this is forced, but if its not then you might want to try moving the speakers in a few feet from the side walls. 

Being so close to a side wall the critical first reflection arrives within a millisecond or so, well within the roughly 4 milliseconds within which the human ear perceives sound to be coming from the same source. What this means in plain English, its smearing and ruining your imaging.

But that's not all. That's so close the wall is practically acting like a horn, reflecting and reinforcing the speaker but not in a good way. I could never understand your comment trying to link sub placement with this low midrange hardness. Can't see it happening. What I can see happening though is the bass changes distract from hearing the reflection problem that is there all the time. Move the speakers and see.

While you're at it get them off the subs. You'll get better bass and improve imaging in one fell swoop.

phusis: "Truth be told I’m not on a mission to willfully oppose your views, but simply to recommend what I feel would be one heck of subwoofer pairing with a future main speaker acquisition the OP appears to have in mind. But you don’t want to hear that, right? You’re all over the place with your "my (sub-)way or the highway," and when a couple of guys have a few challenging thoughts on the matter you’re choking on your morning smoothie."

Hello phusis,
If I recall correctly, I stated that the interjection between you and mcreyn was no big deal and I meant it. I welcome new ideas, new information and actually found your discussion of horn tapping subs very interesting, thank you. My intent was not to dismiss or reject the idea of a different solution for watcher, I just thought, since he already committed to trying the 4-sub DBA concept by buying two more SVS subs, he should first give that concept a fair try before being asked to consider a solution that would be much more expensive and require utilizing much larger subs.
You are correct, I am an advocate of 4-sub DBA systems and I understand many likely prefer I’d just stop already. I think it’s an excellent solution for anyone who has the funds and room space. However, I’m not naïve or ignorant enough to think it’s the only or even the best solution. I understand each individual situation deserves an individual and unique solution based on the specific circumstances and preferences. I believe the best solution for a given individual system and room can span from a single sub or dual sub setup to a 3+ sub linear or distributed bass array setup to more elaborate and larger sub bass systems utilizing horn tapping or even larger horn based subs to something new or that I’ve never even heard of.
You stated "But you don’t want to hear that, right? You’re all over the place with your "my (sub-)way or the highway," and when a couple of guys have a few challenging thoughts on the matter you’re choking on your morning smoothie."
Wrong, I want to hear your discussion with mcreyn and all sorts of opinions, information and ideas from you guys or anyone else willing to share them. Who knows, I may even feel the urge to share some, too.


Later,
Tim