Upgrading sub to get a live feel.

I’ll report back in a few weeks after everything is set up, and I’m able to spend some quality time with the setup. The initial dip into this has been promising.

As for the SB, I think they will still be place closer to the main speakers, as they integrate better, because they produce a puncher upper bass output. The PB will be set further back. 

The phase control method is a great idea. 

For me the crossover points has been easy, as I can hear when the crossover points are too high. The imaging starts to feel like your in a hallway and it the upper bass/mids get harsh. 

Volume will be the fun factor, I think everyone has different tolerance for bass notes, and it is going to be as high or as low as one can tolerate. 

Off to a great start. 


Thanks again.

Hello Watcher,

     Okay, I'll keep monitoring the thread. I you have any questions, you can always pm me, too.


Good luck and take your time,
 Tim

After a week of setting up, my review of the system is consistent with the one I've posted. 

I ended up moving the speakers forward 3 feet away from the wall (I have other things in my room so I can't move them that far away). The imaging improve marginally, a bit cleaner. 

Did the crawl test, and the subs are about the same relative place, with two against the front wall and two behind the seating position. 

The phasing was next, using the reverse polarity method, and since the subs are all about equal distance from the seating position and in the relative to the speaker. So all phasing ended at pretty much zero.

Crossover same concept, I paid attention to low mid range harshness, and tuned it to a point where harshness is gone. Starting with the pairs closest to the speaker, the ones far away should not be set higher than front. If you still sense harshness, the ones closer to you should be crossed over lower than the fronts. 

Volume is fun to play with, if you set them all the same you get a better sense of space, but if you set the front higher than the rear, you get stage imaging. I'll play with this setting and see what comes from it.  
 
The sound is effortless and cohesive extending the dynamic range of my speakers and enhancing the sense of space. For about 2 grands its a deal compared to not even the price of one high end sub. 

Hello watcher,

    Excellent!  It sounds like you're very pleased and are gaining some good knowledge and experience with your custom 4-sub DBA.   

You stated:
"Volume is fun to play with, if you set them all the same you get a better sense of space, but if you set the front higher than the rear, you get stage imaging. I'll play with this setting and see what comes from it."

     This is very interesting to me.  I've never used a custom DBA where you can control the volume and crossover on each individual sub. I've only used the AK Swarm DBA system were you control all 4 subs volume and crossover as a group.  
     I have all 4 set at 45% volume and a crossover usually at 40-50 Hz and I'd characterize it in your terms as improving my system's soundstage and its sense of space or airiness. But I'd like to be able to control the degree of these qualities like you're able to. 



Enjoy,
Tim