Best sub EQ under $400 - Page 56

I received an Antimode a couple of weeks ago. I have a HSU VTF-3.3 and a Pio Elite/MCACC and I've taken measurements with REW. I'm still in evaluation/tweak mode but so far the 8033 has:
Flattened out my peaks, confirmed by REW.
Eliminated most of the boominess/ringing I was hearing.
Tightened up the mid bass.

I'm satisfied with results so far and the 8033 really is a "plug and play", easy to use device. Now if it could do something about my big 50hz null, like send subliminal messages to my wife so I could rearrange the room, I'd be pleased as punch...

cardinal4,
I found a guy who is selling his SMS-1 and was thinking about buying it. Do you think the antimode will do a better job or are they both will. Thanks for the info. I just download REW and going to start reading it and testing my room.

I had a SMS-1 and really liked the 'instant display' that it provides. However I think the AntiMode actually does a better job at smoothing out the sub, at least better than I could do with the SMS-1. (I also got an XTZ in order to see what the AM does, since the AM has no display capability.)

The SMS-1 was considered and I almost bought a used one. But then I asked myself if I really wanted to invest the time and effort of making adjustments, taking measurements, rinse, lather and repeat -or- just connect an 8033 and end up with just as good or better result. The other "thing" the 8033 does that the SMS-1 cannot is that it can deal with room modal resonances which is a time dimension issue. The SMS-1 is definitely more "tweakable" if that is your cup of tea. Are you a tweaker or do you want to take the path of least resistance? You will probably have an answer once you deal with getting REW up and running.....

Sorry to post this here....but if anyone is interested in selling their Anti-Mode 8033c, please PM or email me: Pharmdpjt@gmail.com

Ordered from Simplifi Audio the new version of the Anti Mode 8033S yesterday, Friday 2/18. The morning I got a email saying that they had shipped my order and I would get it on Tuesday, 2/22. Last time I ordered the "C" model it took a week or more for them to acknowledge the order. It looks like they cleaned up their act and are responding to customer needs A.S.A.P.

Bill

After trying XT32 and an SVS-EQ1, I decided to see what I could do with the XTZ mic/software that I already owned and a BFD1124. The upside is that I've gotten better results (flatter response and reduced measured ringing) than either of the previous two hardware implementations. Another upside, of course, is the reduced cost ($112 for BFD and cables versus cost of a receiver with Audyssey XT or the EQ1).

The downside is that it most certainly didn't take me 20-30 minutes to do. Not by a long shot. Not a fun process whatsoever, but worth it in the end (IMO).

Do you have correction simultaneously in the frequency and time domains?

Impressive. Do you have waterfall graphs to back it up? Also, did you add the BFD on top of the XT32 and or the eq1 (which actually does exactly what the xt32 does)??

I'm trying to learn some of this stuff and would like to get into experimenting. When you look at some of the descriptions for REW it says "Real Time Analyser with up to 1/48th octave resolution"

Is that something that if you were using in conjuntion with one of the popular EQ's mentioned would make the real time response of the SMS-1 not really needed? I'm looking for something to get my feet wet on and real time response seems that it would help me as a beginner. This is what attracts me to the SMS-1 and the manual tweaking but if the real time reponse of REW is used I wonder if there are better options for me as far as price/ease of use/ yet still keeping manually control abilities.

I took you off the ignore list (temporarily) because I knew you were going to say something about that, plus I knew that someone would refute my claims of something cheaper doing the job of something more popular and expensive.

I'll put it this way: If the response is flatter than it was with either of the previous two versions of correction, the ringing (or overhang) is the shortest in ms that it's ever been, and the audible difference is nill, then I'm staying with the $100 option versus a $1300+ receiver with Audyssey XT(32) or $750 stand alone sub eq.

Now, that's all the time I'm wasting on your argument of time domain correction. If the response and ringing is the best my system has ever measured, and I find the results audibly pleasing, that's all that matters. If you wish to spend several hundred or thousand more to get a .01% improvement, then go for it. I can promise you I don't care enough to try and stop you.

So, let's recap for posterity:

1) You're going back on the ignore list.

2) The BFD is awesome if you're willing to put the time in and can measure the results of your work with REW, XTZ, or a comparable system

3) You're going back on the ignore list.

Got the answer.


Come on, you're breaking my heart.

Hi Stang,

I'm afraid I never saved any of the graphs with XT32 or the EQ1. I'm no longer using an Audyssey equipped receiver after sending the old one back (I'm using a Pioneer SC-27). It's very easy to recall them not being nearly as flat as I can get now, as well as the reduction in room nodes. This is with an average of three points across the main listening positions.

EDIT: Let me dig around in my pictures and see if I can at least find the uncorrected frequency sweep. I do have a low db sweep of the corrected one for comparison.

EDIT 2: Here. This is without eq'ing the mains yet, crossover at 80hz. Low db readings since they were taken late at night, but the higher db readings are similar. I'll get some new ones without the cropped waterfall measurements in XTZ.

is the minidsp better than the SVS AS-EQ1 at EQing dual subs?

I'm really curious if you get it today. Let us know.

Might want to re-check that date....

Feb....oops

Being an owner of a 8033S, I can attest to how wonderful these units are. I hope Simplifi audio have worked out the kinks regarding delivery.

I did get it on the day Simplifi Audio said I would. It is now in use and love it. I have now sold my Audyssey Sub EQ and Installer Kit.

Care to elaborate any further? Assuming you were able to achieve the same results through measurement, or by ear? If I remember correctly you have the 4 empires as well as the 4 ultras, or is that another member?

Nver had the Ultras, just the Quad Empires.

If I'm remembering correctly, didn't you have the Antimode before, liked it well enough, but eventually sold it and got better results with other methods? If so, why are you back again? Just curious about the reason for the full-circle.

Yes, I did have the Anti Mode before. Then I went full Audyssey with the Integra DHC 9.9, Audyssey Sub EQ and Audyssey Installer Kit. I couldn't stand the flat that Audyssey did in my room. I sold it off and went back to Pioneer and MCACC. Again, went Anti Mode for my Quad Empires and am staying with it.

Wow, that is awesome that you gave Audyssey a true 100% demo. That is was an expensive test with your top of the line Audyssey products. I currently use Audyssey 2EQ, and love it; however, Audyssey does not EQ my subs. I am worried about stepping to a product with Audyssey MultEQ (or XT), where the subs are eq'd.

As I commented a few posts back, I am not really that impressed with my current tune with the Antimode for my dual subs. This upcoming week I will play with moving my subs in a symmetrical orientation and re-run the Antimode.

Bsoko, I believe your subs are in 2 pairs, symmetrically placed in your room...right??

**ROOM PICS**

For the past two days I have all 4 subs arranged across the front of the room with the TV and mains behind. I get the best response with this as my room sounds more like a theater.

Thanks for the explanation.

I quess that everyone is happy with their Anti Mode?

Quite happy with mine. In fact, it works well enough (in my particular situation--already good placement of the sub and bass traps) that I've put off my desire to upgrade my AVR (apart from a sub EQ, I'm quite satisfied with my AVR, despite its age and feature limitations). I was going to upgrade the AVR and move the one I have now into the living room for a more modest 2 channel duty. Instead, I will be getting a 2 channel integrated amp or receiver (haven't settled on a specific one yet, though the list is now pretty short) for the living room and I will hang onto the AVR until it gives up the ghost or I squirrel away enough coin to do a more significant update (instead of getting its current mid-range level equivalent, I'm planning to hold out for a significant step up in class).

In the short to medium term, the 8033 will save me about 1000$ (the difference between what I would spend on a new AVR vs a 2 channel rig, minus the cost of the 8033) and amortize my current AVR for at least 2, if not 3-4, more years.

I would have to say this is one of the most cost-effective additions to my HT gear I've ever made and even if it is no longer needed with my future AVR, it will have been worth the cost and will likely find a home in the living room system should I add a sub there later on.

I certainly am. I use it to even out the sub region, knocking down major peaks and filling major holes (to the extent possible), and then follow this with Audyssey in my AVR (Onk 3008) to polish things off (it covers the entire freq region, not only the sub region).

Have you tried Audyssey without the 8033? Just as a comparison? I'm very likely to keep my 8033 in my HT even if I get an Audyssey equipped upgrade because my DVD-A player does not have an HDMI output, so the only way to EQ the sub for DVD-A playback would be to keep the 8033 in the loop.

sms-1 seems to be under $400 now so may be worth considering