OK. Lets see if I did this right (proper setup of 5.2 system)

The only thing I'd do differently is leave the subs in place when gain matching them, and measure from the listening position, so you include any room loading effects in the adjustment. I'd also be careful what sort of signal I used, as sine waves will excite room modes, and you don't want to set anything based on levels augmented by wave interference.

I would also download REW and get a patch cable to plug the RS meter into a PC. Then you can measure bass response curves directly, making issues a lot easier to quantify and address. HELP is at the top of the download page. There are some issues with the RS meter, but it's fine below 200Hz, where you'll be working, but lots of unit-unit variability at high frequencies.

Finally, you may find some bass response anomalies that won't yield to the available adjustments, indicating that the subs need to move to resolve the issue.

Nice room by the way...

HAve fun,
Frank

I see what you're getting at... Your procedure will insure that each sub outputs the same SPL level for the same input signal voltage, correct?

However, that doesn't guarantee that they'll both clip at the same input voltge, which is what I understand as the goal of gain structure optimization. We're both using consumer-level gear, and gain matching is far more important when mixing pro and consumer gear as the pro gear has lower input sensitivity, resulting in an inability to deliver full output. (I can't think of the products used to address this....)

The issue with your approach, from a gain structure perspective, is that the VTF2 has less power than the VTF3 and so should clip first when you're done. Now 250W vs 350W isnt' a big difference, 1.5dB, compared with 8.5dB difference between my Onkyo AVR (0.2V input sensitivity) and, say, the Crown XTi series at 1.4V input required to achieve rated power. The pro vs. consumer gain difference is a factor of 7x, while your subs' difference is a factor of 1.4. Very different, I hope you'll agree, and very necessary if running your subs with pro amps, as many folks who post here do.

What I would suggest is doing some frequency sweeps with REW and your rmeter, to see where the peaks and valleys are in the frequency domain, them move the mic and see how much this pattern changes. Swings can be very large over short distances. Address this and you'll have made a real improvement in sound quality, but that's another thread...

HAve fun,
Frank

Here's a reference regarding what I said about gain structure optimization.
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-receivers-processors-amps/35677-gain-structure-home-theater-getting-most-pro-audio-equipment-your-system.html#axzz2C7UOREFe