Why do I need to bump my subs up from -10 to around -3 or -4 when listening to music? I am running the onkyo h5100 HTIB w/ 2 pa-120 subs. I use my dvd player to play cds and I set the avr to all channel stereo. I don't get reasonable bass until it's bumped up. The subs are set to 75db at reference.

Is this normal? Because from what I have read around here, most have to turn subs down or leave them be with music.

You like more bass.

Kal covered it in a nutshell. It could be a number of things, you could be sitting in a null or you just "like more bass". I as well as several others have noted on here adjust the sub hot with most music, for me it's usually +2 or 3. +6 or 7 as you noted seems to be a little above the norm of preference but not that much depending on your room, sitting position, sub placement and the area it has to fill. As long as your not overextending the sub it shouldn't be a problem.

check out the thread i started about what level people calibrate their subs to for music.

i personally run mine about 5db hot for music. anything less just sounds boring.

You like more bass.

I do, but it just seems like there could be a song in a movie, that has really good bass. If I have the cd there is not near as much bass, unless I turn it up.

Kal covered it in a nutshell. It could be a number of things, you could be sitting in a null or you just "like more bass". I as well as several others have noted on here adjust the sub hot with most music, for me it's usually +2 or 3. +6 or 7 as you noted seems to be a little above the norm of preference but not that much depending on your room, sitting position, sub placement and the area it has to fill. As long as your not overextending the sub it shouldn't be a problem.

I know I'm not in a null, I have run REW and checked all that stuff. It just seems like there isn't very much bass at all until I turn it up. Everything is fine for TV and movies. Music is just really lacking in the bass department, so I have to bump it up.

check out the thread i started about what level people calibrate their subs to for music.

i personally run mine about 5db hot for music. anything less just sounds boring.

I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

I do, but it just seems like there could be a song in a movie, that has really good bass. If I have the cd there is not near as much bass, unless I turn it up.



I know I'm not in a null, I have run REW and checked all that stuff. It just seems like there isn't very much bass at all until I turn it up. Everything is fine for TV and movies. Music is just really lacking in the bass department, so I have to bump it up.



I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

That has to deal with how the movie track was mastered vs the cd your
listening to. The movie is mastered for big theater speakers, cds are usually mastered for boom boxes or your average car stereo.

Some say,
Bass doesn't fill the middle of the room.

If, when calibrating, you ended up with a sub adjustment of -10 on your AVR, you should perhaps increase the gain on the sub(s) and re-run the auto-calibration. Do this until the AVR adjustment for the subwoofer is closer to 0. This may not resolve your issue (probably won't), but this way your subs won't be receiving an already reduced signal. Also, all-channel stereo hurts my ears...;)

I do, but it just seems like there could be a song in a movie, that has really good bass. If I have the cd there is not near as much bass, unless I turn it up.Different mixing and mastering.