Searching for matching(?) Subwoofer solution

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

Thanks Tim,

You did answer my question. With as good as a DBA system is, there still will be only one sweet spot in the room. This is what I figured but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something. 

Dear @audiokinesis : "" in which a distrubuted multisub system falls short..."

I’m just talking about the myth that we can’t detect the direction for frequencies 80hz down ( two channel with two subs. ) and this is not true. Our brain/body can, @tyray explained twice .

What is true is that some people can’t detect it but other can do it.

Even with frequencies/instruments that speakers puts at the center of the imaging/soundstage is difficult to detect if the sound comes from the left or rigth speaker.

Knowledge/experience to know what to look for is what tell each one of us the true not that myth per se.

Inclusive other gentleman posted that not playing music but test tones proved that our ears can detect 50hz.

No one knows the whole body/brain abilities on that myth subject when even the scientifics say the human been knows how the brain works only at around 18% of its overall capacity ! !

Audio is surrounded of to many myths many of them by our self ignorance levels or just for not know what to look for.

Some times is more problematic due that we own different kind of room/systems and obviously different ears/body/brain sensitivity to different frequencies and to different SPLs.

Noble 100 is spreading " everywhere " that low bass non detectable myth and that says he can't do it but that he can't do it does not means no one else can.

Audio is complex issue, especially on what we are perceiving and a home system behavior is different of what happens in a MUSIC hall or a small club.

R.