Distributed Bass
- Thread starter newguy1
- Start date
Currently two with a DSPeaker Anti-Mode 8033 DRC unit (I actually have a third 12" Titanic driver, but I never got around to putting it in a box). I was using two bucket subs as well, but I took them out of the loop when I installed the Anti-Mode. I was so impressed with the results I got with just the two Titanic subs w/ DRC I never bothered hooking up the bucket subs. That's been almost a few months now and once I get a little free time over the holiday I'll get out the measurement mic and see what happens with the bucket subs back in the loop. They won't be part of the Anti-mode circuit, so I'm anticipating a good bit of tweaking will be required.
I maintain my observation that there are two things in the audio hobby that have proven time and time again to be silver bullets for practically everyone who has tried them (properly)....acoustic treatments and distributed bass. I might be adding DRC (primarily for LF content) as a third or at least as a substitute method to get the performance of three to four subwoofers from just a pair. As dnewman mentioned earlier, for many DB is a difficult concept to implement because of the complications/concerns that arise from having to accommodate three or more subs. DRC may well be the the tool that remedies all of that. I wouldn't suggest one sub with DRC will offer similar results to three or four, but two units seems, so far, able to get there. I'm still experimenting, observing and measuring (with closer scrutiny of reverb/decay plots).
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You're probably right....which should come as no surprise since I imagine 90% (or more) of the target consumers are in single-sub households.
davidro
Lunatic Member
What do you think of 'stereo subs' placed below or very near to main speakers compared to DB, assuming DRC is applied in both cases?
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What sort of operating range are you considering for these "stereo" subs, David? :scratch2:
And one concern I'd have is what sort of response (interaction with room) will the subs have in that location? If that location (or locations) excites a nasty room mode then I'd prefer to locate them so the DRC isn't having to work so hard to correct it (well, that's to say the DRC isn't having to cut all the other frequencies so severely to match the level of the frequency where the modal activity is most severe). If that winds up happening you'll be left having to crank up the gain that much more to bring the output level from subs to a level that matches the mains. The mains may be using just a few watts to reach 90 or more db, but the subs could require considerably more to match them. If you elect to do any listening at or near reference levels you could very well start to introduce distortion if the sub amps/drivers aren't up to the task.
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davidro
Lunatic Member
It would seem the advocates of the stereo subs is that their subs fire up up to about 80Hz.
Any sub in my room is gonna have to fire up to well beyond 80 Hz before it's capable of doing any stereo duty.
And according to the trend I saw here...
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=628488
...I'd be inclined to say the same applies to most everyone else.
And according to the trend I saw here...
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=628488
...I'd be inclined to say the same applies to most everyone else.
davidro
Lunatic Member
Yeah, you sure took a bunch of shit over that didn't you, David.
Hell yeah. Still a little sore about it to be honest. But I guess you get emotional when someone says what you're doing contradicts the science.
Me neither.
Hence my original Q!
wweigle
Active Member
I have Been following this thread for awhile. Currently running four subs at low volumes to support my Altec 604e's in 612 cabinets. I originally recognized the attributes of distributed bass running my Altec 828 based speaker enclosures with Community light and sound 90 degree horns for the top end and JBL d130s for the low end. The point in which I have brought in the subs in is where the mid range/woofers drop off in the lower octaves. It would seem to me every speaker system would likely be different. Am I missing something?
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dnewma04
The Healer
Perhaps you are missing something. Distributed bass is about fixing the rooms impact on the bass, not about fixing the main speakers.
audiomagnate
Addicted Member
I've been running multiple subs for years. Two near the mains and one (an old Velodyne ULD 15) is cleverly disguised as an end table next to the listening couch. Gobs of power is always good too, I have 1.5 kw on tap for my subs. I like to crossover at 50 Hz. The bass on some cuts, like the 24/178 Reference Recordings "Firebird Suite," is downright scary.Once you've gone the multiple sub route I don't think you can go back.
davidro
Lunatic Member
let me see...from about here:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=626993&page=14
enjoy!
Jeffery
High Powered Mutant
If only some audio engineer, working for a large speaker manufacturing company, had written a paper on distributed bass (mentioning mono vs stereo subs starting on about page 4).
...more horizontal surfaces to put stuff on
But having numerous subs would provide her with more horizontal surfaces upon which to place WTF (who the f3453!!!k) knows what. No horizontal surfaces can be left untouched, undecorated, or alone.
But having numerous subs would provide her with more horizontal surfaces upon which to place WTF (who the f3453!!!k) knows what. No horizontal surfaces can be left untouched, undecorated, or alone.
