Just Got My $887 Rythmik F12 Sub. Holly Sh*t .....

Keep your Yamaha, run REW with SPL meter!! Dont get all hyped up into the Audy MultEQ XT

Enjoy that wonderful F12!1!

Hey no problem.

Google: raw software (room eq wizard) (REW)

SPL meter that pretty popular and won't break the bank: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12680845

Yeah, don't get hyped up in that XT32 that actually calibrates your sub EQ properly for you, automatically.

REW is very valuable, but its not for someone who is just getting into the hobby or that doesn't have much experience. Its a totaly P.I.T.A to get set up correctly and working right. Its not just going with free software and a SPL meter, you also have to have a soundcard, laptop, and various rca's. After all the struggle of getting everything setup correctly and figuring out how to calibrate the soundcard, you then move on to actually trying to figure out the software portion of REW and how to actually measure. It can be very time consuming and some find it not even worth the hassle.

OP. Stick with Aud Multi EQ XT or XT 32 (much better). Its as simple as plugging in the included microphone and following the directions. Sit back and enjoy your new subwoofer.

If the guy is willing to learn to use REW he shouldn't be discouraged. A receiver with XT32 is probably $1000 at minimum.

Onkyo 818 has XT32 and can be had for about $850. It does only EQ one sub (does not have sub EQ for two subs like other more expensive models). Certainly there's no reason the OP can't learn to use free tools and an SPL meter and get a good calibration... I was just responding to the comment of "you don't need that XT 32 stuff". XT32 is one of the best overall improvements in the home theater hobby in quite a long time and should not be dismissed.

Fair enough - the guy who said "don't get hyped up for XT32" shouldn't be dismissing XT32 so easily either

+1

REW is excellent, but it's not for the newbie or the faint of heart.

As an REW user, it's a pain to setup. I have a Dayton Omni Mic coming. Just too much loop back cabling with REW, plus sound card calibration etc....

I'm guessing you're a fan of Yamaha, judging from your avatar.....

Anyways, MultiEQ XT/32 should provide a pretty significant and notable upgrade in your HT. Manual sub calibration with an OmniMic + Audyssey is even better.

I totally understand some just want it simple as possible.

I had XT32, and even with calibration (onkyo), I always ended up tweeking settings.

Before dropping even more money into the problem, proper calibration (phase/time settings), speaker placement and room treatments(if permitted) should be your first course of action.

Room treatments are also not easiy to do unless you want to spend the money to get those "ready-made" panels and just mount then on the wall. They will run several $1000 for the room. Cheapest way is to do DIY using OC 703 panels. But if you want them to look good, then you have to spend more money to add fabric on top of them. Corner bass traps are not easy to build. You have to cut the panels and stack them. You would need some kind of support like 1x2 screwed to the dry wall so that it can hold the stack. Sure you can get one of those cylindrical corner bass traps but they are expensive. You cant get a perfect sound just by using room treatment alone even if it is done right. You need a combination of room treatment and active correction. The later will get you most of what you want so most people don't bother with the former as it is expensive and DIY is not easy to do, unless they are very particular and have either the money or the DIY skills.

I added corner bass traps in my room using OC703 panels cut into triangles. It did make a difference but it was a lot of work. So I dont recommend that to anyone. Just putting a panel behind the speaker is not going to do much. If you have bipolar speakers like Magnepan, then they will cut some of the reflections from the back wall. The panels have to be placed properly to absorb first reflections from the side walls and for bass also they have to be placed properly like at a distance of 1/4th the wavelength of the offending frequency from the wall.

I would suggest just getting an AVR with XT32 like Denon 4311 which is not too expensive (like $1200 if you call) and the general opinion at AVS is that the Denon 4311 is better than ONkyo 818
Edited by Mupi - 9/22/12 at 6:45am

As you can see the OC703 corner bass traps don't look pretty unless you cover them with some fabric. I dont have to worry about WAF so I didnt do that. I also didnt go all the way to the ceiling. I added similar traps to other 2 corners also. They go a bit taller but not all the way to the ceiling. I am planning to complete that someday