I'm having trouble calibrating my subwoofer. When I think it's set correctly by ear, the mains are 75dB, but the sub is only 62dB (via the test tone from my Onkyo 504). If I raise the subwoofer all the way to 75dB, it is glaringly incorrect. I'm wondering if the sub (Paradigm PS1000), or receiver is broken. Maybe the subwoofer could not be putting out high enough of a frequency to register as 75dB, albeit it's putting out enough of the lower frequencies at this level, but then too much when it's raised to register on the meter as 75dB? What do you guys think?

I meant to add one more thing: how should pink noise coming through a subwoofer sound? I know that it will obviously be lower in pitch than through the speakers, but by how much? All I hear through the subwoofer is a rumble, and the pink noise is very muddy. I know this cannot easily be communicated over a forum, but I'm trying to get a feel for what my sub is doing/not doing.

Sounds like you have a peak in part of the sub range that's causing you to set it low.

By any chance, does the sub sound 1 note when you are actually playing content?

Are you using any kind of parametric equalizer for the sub range?

Check any and all crossover settings. Turn off all bass boosts.

Get a disk like Avia and run sweep tones while measuring SPL.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by the sub only outputting one note? I'm not using an EQ.

I've got the crossover set at 120hz for my Athenas. I do have Avia though! How can I use sweep tones to calibrate the sub?

Are you using the Micras? 120 is a little high. The Paradigm is rated to 150, but probably rolls off before that. Lower your Xover to 80, then 100 if 80 leaves too much gap. Use the sweeps to chart the SPL levels over the whole sub range, not to calibrate. This will show if you have any large peaks. If you sub is placed in a corner and gives some big peaks, move it out of the corner.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by the sub only outputting one note? I'm not using an EQ.

I've got the crossover set at 120hz for my Athenas. I do have Avia though! How can I use sweep tones to calibrate the sub?

Provided you have a Radio Shack SPL meter, you run a frequency sweek off of Avia and measure responses at different frequencies. If in the subwoofer range, you have wild needle movement, which equates to peaks and dips.

The one note sub comment relates to how a sub with a very dominate freqency can sound like its only hitting that frequency,ergo, one note sub.

As to how to eliminate a peak or bring up a dip, it usually involves a combination of sub placement (sometimes multiple subs) and equalization. Then you get into accoustical room treatment.