Quote:
Originally Posted by
asere 
I have a Kreisel 12012 and a Hsu vtf3 mk4 subs. I only have Audyssey with multeq. I know Audyssey states that identical subs is best but I want to try mismatched because that is what I have. I happened to win the Kreisel. Anyways I know I need to run a\Audyssey on the Kreisel but then how can I best EQ the Hsu sub since I do not have the higher level of Audyssey? I also would need to get a Y adapter because the receiver has only one sub output. If someone could please explain how can I best eq the second sub please. Thank you
Here's from Chris Kyriakakis from Audessy:
Many powered subwoofers have controls that are set manually. It's important to follow some simple guidelines to avoid having these controls interfere with proper subwoofer calibration and integration with the satellite speakers.
If the subwoofer provides a direct input (sometimes called LFE input) then it should always be used. That input bypasses the filters in the subwoofer and allows the bass management system in the AV Receiver to operate properly
If there is no direct input, then the lowpass filter knob on the subwoofer should be permanently set to the highest frequency it allows. That way it will not interfere with the MultEQ measurements and bass management
The level control on the subwoofer is often set too high. This can cause the AV Receiver to run out of level correction range when MultEQ tries to set the subwoofer to reference level. Set the subwoofer level control to the midpoint. If MultEQ reports high negative trims (e.g., –12 dB) for the subwoofer, then you should turn the level control further down and run MultEQ again
If there is a Phase control on the sub it should be set to 0°
If you have a subwoofer with room EQ, then you should run that first in the subwoofer and then run MultEQ in the AVR
If you have an external subwoofer processor (such as the SVS AS-EQ1 or the Audyssey Sub Equalizer) you should run the calibration in that processor first and then run MultEQ in your AVR
If you have two subwoofers, there are some additional steps to take:
Place them at equal distances from the main listening position
Set the level controls on the back so they both play at the same level
Connect a y-cord to the sub out of the AVR and then connect to both subs
Turn off processing in the subs as it will not be able to give you the same resolution that you will get from MultEQ (thousands of points vs. a few parametric bands)
Here's what I just did with my two subs (non-matching--both of which are equidistant from my main listening positiion) a few days ago. My Denon receiver has two subwoofer inputs. In your case, you will need to connect a y-cord to the back of your receiver (AVR) and then connect to both subs. Do this later after you have matched the volume of both subs.
Below is elaborating what was summed up above by Chris of Audessy. One can even do this without the suggested spl meter by skipping step 2 below. After step 1 (see below), go to step 3 (see below) but only use one sub at a time (turn off the other sub by unplugging it if you don't have the switch on the back. Also do not use the y cord yet). Start with sub #1 by dialing the sub's volume (knob on the back) at 9 o'clock. In my Denon/Klipsch set up, 12 o'clock is too high resulting in a setting of -12 in Audessy. From here, follow step 3 below. Write down the result because you want the same result for the other sub (aim to have Audyssey set the subwoofer volume in the +/- 1db to 2db range for each sub). Repeat step 3 with subwoofer # 2 (make sure to unplug the power to sub # 1 and then plug the power to sub #2, disconnect the sub cable from sub #1 and connect it to sub #2). Tip: You may have to remeasure several times for each sub to arrive within +/- 1 to 2 db volume set by Audessy and believe me--it's very hard to get both subs the same volume from Audessy--a very slight nudge on the sub's back dial will make a big difference in the Audessy volume! So, between the two subs, a margin of +/- 1 to 2 is acceptable. So once you have set the volume for both subs, do not (ever) touch the volume dial on the back of the subs again! You can still make adjustments thru your receiver.
Then proceed to step 4 and 5.
If you have spl meter, just follow the whole sequence below from step 1 to 5. However, Chris (Audessy) cautioned readers in the use of SPL meters (except for the expensive professional meters) because of their inaccuracy.Thanks.
Step 1: Subwoofer placement. Make sure that the distance from each sub to the primary listening spot is exactly the same. This is because Audyssey calculates distance for only one subwoofer, and if the distance to the two subwoofers is significantly different, the sub delay setting will not produce optimal results. (Unfortunately, this places a severe restriction on where the subs can be placed in most listening rooms. Many experts recommend moving the subs around to achieve the best bass response, but it two subs are used, Audyssey calibration will not be optimal unless the subs are exactly the same distance from the listener.)
Step 2 (optional): Setting the subwoofer levels. Since the acoustic characteristics of the room are likely to be somewhat different for each of the subwoofers because they are in different locations, it’s important to set the volume level for each subwoofer to achieve roughly the same volume at the primary listening spot. This is accomplished as follows:
1. Place a Radio Shack sound pressure meter at the primary listening spot.
2. In the AV receiver setup menu, select Speaker Config/Channel Level, and generate a tone for the subwoofer.
3. Adjust the audio output levels on each subwoofer to achieve the same level at the primary listening spot, as shown on the SPL.
Note: at this point we don’t know if the volume levels on the subs are the correct levels-we only know that the settings produce a balanced output. The next step will determine if the volume settings are too high, too low, or just right.
Step 3: Using Audyssey to determine the initial subwoofer volume setting. Do the following:
1. Run the Audyssey calibration with the microphone in the primary listening spot.
2. After one iteration of the test tones, go ahead and select “calculate”.
3. After the calculation completes, examine the resulting speaker levels.
4. Note the level setting for the subwoofer. If the setting reduces the subwoofer output over 5db (e.g. -8db or -9db), then the subwoofer volume setting is too high. If the setting boosts the subwoofer output by more than 5db (e.g. +8db or +9db), then the subwoofer volume is set too low. The ideal result is to have Audyssey set the subwoofer volume in the +/- 1db to 2db range. Why? Because this allows the greatest flexibility to tweak the subwoofer levels after the Audyssey calibration has completed.
5. If the level setting is too high or too low, cancel the Audyssey calibration, and repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the subwoofer level falls into the +/- 1db to 2db range.
Step 3: Complete the Audyssey calibration. Make sure to use all eight microphone positions!
Step 4: Inspect the resulting speaker configurations after the calibration has completed and make any changes according to your preferences.
1. It is recommended to set all speakers to “small”.
2. Adjust the crossover frequencies for each speaker according to your preferences (e.g. 80 Hz). This does not affect the Audyssey calibration.
3. Set the Audyssey Dynamic Volume for each input according to your preference (e.g. Dynamic Volume “on”, setting “Day”).
Step 5: Test the results! You should hear tight bass integrated seamlessly with your other speakers.
Edited by beat1 - 2/21/13 at 12:22am