Why are subwoofers so polarizing?

For me sub integration was making a detailed primary adjustment to obtain a flat room response, time, phase, Q, etc., using the on board Velodyne DD Plus manual Room Optimization program.

Six subsequent presets are adjusted with slightly different settings to accommodate a few common shortcomings in recordings to my taste. With the exception of phase and gain I don't use the presets that often. Some of those late 70s early 80s poorly compressed recordings can benefit from a little kick in the slats.

Speaking of PA mixing, I live near the Greek Theater at UC Berkeley, one of the most forgiving and acoustically amazing venues on the planet. I'm amazed by how horribly this place gets reinforced time after time.

Not long ago The Fleet Foxes headlined a show there and made mention of the venues acoustical reputation. This was one of the most stunning mixes I've heard at the Greek. I wanted to congratulate their sound crew but there was nobody behind the board during or after the show.

I think digital room correction devices are like asking a robot to select my food. I don't trust 'em, but that's just me.

Hipper live sound companies often use an Ipad or some such wireless thing to mix from wherever they need to in a venue, which could explain the lack of bodies at "the board"...sneaky. I am always mystified by inexcusably bad live sound, and I think it's due to idiocy and lack of supervision.

I am always mystified by inexcusably bad live sound

Agree! Many o' times I'd been tempted to bonk the guy running the board on the head with a longneck brew and take control myself. I swear these guys are deaf sometimes.

Wolf,

Have you tried room correction?

Marty

I haven't tried room correction because the room my hifi occupies doesn't need it, for me less is better (my dual mono preamp has source, level, and muting...that's it), and I don't trust robots. The room has plenty of furniture and a padded large rug, an angled tall ceiling, windows that are far enough away to obviate reflections, and any standing wave bass issues are nowhere near my listening spot. The main speakers sit on chopping blocks with vibrapods under them to keep the wood floor from adding back any pesky resonance (an experiment that worked) and my only adjustment is a tiny bass level tweak when I think it's called for (the front firing sub doesn't sit on anything but small floor scatch preventing felt pads and the vibrapods keep it from polluting the mains...at least in theory, and it sounds great)...like with very heavy bass lines that get in the way, or when cranking the thing up a bit. Otherwise it's a sweet sounding and accurate system, and I like a little "room tone" in there...makes it sound more alive.