Separate subs for music and HT/surround

Hello DB,

     I really think you're going to be thrilled with the quality of the bass performance in your system/room once you have all four subs back from repair and set-up.  
     For optimum performance, I suggest you position and configure all four subs manually before running any room correction on the Velodyne SMS-1s.  I know we discussed optimum positioning of the subs previously and I believe you're aware of the importance of setting the volume and crossover frequencies precisely for seamless integration with your KEF Ref1 mains and how to do it. 
  However, I don't think I shared with you my simple trick method of setting the continuously variable phase control optimally on each of your subs. Here it is:

1.  Temporarily invert, or reverse, the polarity on both of your Ref1s by reversing the speaker wire connections to the opposite positions.   The positive speaker wire is connected to the negative speaker terminal and the negative speaker wire is connected to the positive speaker terminal. It's very important that this polarity inversion is done only on the back of each main speaker and the speaker wire connections on the amp are not altered and remain unchanged.

2.  Play some music with good and repetitive bass and sit in your listening seat.

3   Have an assistant slowly turn the continuously variable phase control in one direction and back while you determine when the bass sounds weakest or worst to you, which is the proper setting.  Repeat this procedure for each sub.

4.  Once completed, reconnect the speaker wire connections on both of your Ref1s to the proper, non-inverted positions.

5  Play the music with good and repetitive bass again, sit at your listening seat and verify the bass sounds very good and natural to you.

     This procedure works very well because it's actually much easier to determine when the bass sounds worst than when it sounds best.

     As I'm sure you know, trying to figure out an alternative use for your spectacularly beautiful KEF Ref 204/2C, besides the work of art room centerpiece and very competent center channel speaker it is world renowned as being and very obviously is, has been scientifically proven to be futile.  So, I suggest you just cut it out and reinstall it already.

Later,
 Tim

I had previously done the quick setup of the Velodyne SMS-1 bass manager, so never really studied the manual. I discovered I should have been feeding the equalized output back to the preamp, a connection I had been failing to make. The aim is to set a comfortable spectrum level for the speakers using the video display then match it with the subs, a step I had been leaving out during my decade or more of use!

db, Piled Higher and Deeper

Hello DB,

     Have you fed the equalized output from the SMS-1 back to the preamp and gotten all your subs back from repair and setup yet? 

     Also, do you want to keep your unused Oppo 205 or do you want to sell it to me at a reasonable premium?  I'd put it to good use.

Tim

Tim,

I haven't gotten a notice that the HGS-15 is ready for pickup.  I plan to feed the equalized output from the SMS-1 to the preamp today or tomorrow.  I've designated an input for that procedure.

I'll likely sell either the 205 or 105D or both, but I've yet to send the DX-5 DSD to Ayre.  The 205 presumably has the superior DAC process and does 4K; the 105D has a link to Netflix and is silver.  The 105D is boxed and ready to ship.

db  

Tim,

I think I ran the SMS-1 setup correctly, setting the overall spectrum level from the speakers to about 80 dB, then matching it closely with the subs.  The combined spectrum from 20-200 Hz seems pretty flat except for a hump around 60 Hz, and bit of rolloff at 15 Hz.  The HGS-15 is in a corner; the HGS-10 behind the left KEF Ref 1, a less than ideal arrangement.  When the other subs are returned, I plan to increase the separation of the Ref 1s about a foot and place an HGS-15 behind each.  I'll try various placements for the HGS-10s.

db