Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater New EP 600 arrived

My newly ordered EP 600 with "The Switch" arrived on Christmas Eve via the transportation people.... what a nice present as I was not expecting it until late next week.

Here is the scoop: I placed the new 600 at the 6 O'Clock position behind the listening position and to my left the EP 800 at 9 pm and the Bryston Model T sub at my right at 3 am.

Dr. Mojo and I have been having a number of discussions on crossover settings on the preamp to enhance the overall effect. The preamp is an Anthem AVM60 and main amps are a pair of Anthem M1's feeding Bryston Model T Signature front speakers.

I have loved this system since I installed it and the bass is articulate and beautiful.... I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the EP600 just to see/hear what it will do in the mix.

This thing is one seriously powerful Subwoofer. It's a different animal than the EP800. It's also quite different than the EP500 I had at the rear position. I decide to stack the EP500 on top of the 600 for the fun of it. That took some work tuning the two in terms of output and phasing. But once it was set up and then phased properly with the other subs in the room, I was astounded at how much it filled the room.

However, the most important change I made was going into the bass management settings on the AVM60 and changing the default speaker crossover settings from Sub LFE at 40 hz. to 'bypass'. That sent the full range of low frequencies to the subs with no roll-off ranges. I set all the subs at crossover 150 hz. for the full range and the main speakers at 80 hz which rolls-off the lows under 80 hz. The subs are doing the heavy lifting now up to 150 hz, over-lapping the mains (and the Model T's are no slouch with triple 8 inch woofers). The Model T massive triple 8 inch woofers are now doing the work in the mid bass to mid range; the subs are doing the very low end up into the mid/upper bass.

All I can say is that this is something that I have not experienced thus far in terms of performance ..... it is simply off the charts. It works in my room, perhaps not in your room and also who knows what the Anthem AVM60 is doing which would be different from another preamp. But try it!

The bass is so detailed and just simply perfect; probably because I love mid/upper bass ranges which are more in line with music to me. Bass guitars are just musical and like live venues. And the other key improvement is the articulation in the mid and upper ranges as they really stand out properly since the bass is 'managed' as it should be; again to me.

How is the low bass? It's still there It's unchanged; but it just simply sync's. NO more mud at all!

Try this.

Some other settings now:
My bass levels are very high compared to before due to no roll-off. I had to reduce the bass level by 2 db to 7 db depending on the source. It's simply amazing how much more content is in place.

Plus the overall level 'seems' much louder for whatever reason. I am playing the music at a reduced level now and it's filling the room much better.

I'll report back on how movies sound with this. This is all music from digital streaming with full surround and rear speakers playing and two channel stereo with vinyl; both of which are doing much better now.

I don't think that I was clear on the subject of the mid and upper ranges being the stand out; I meant the mid and upper ranges from the Front Model T main speakers. With the bass being handled so nicely in the lower bass and into the upper bass ranges by the 4 subs and rolling off the bass a bit from the model T's, the mid range and upper range being handled by the T's is super detailed and much more evident.

I will do some more testing with a lower crossover down to 40 hz. for the mains as suggested by Mojo, but the initial test run where I tried multiple settings from 40 up higher, 80 seemed to work best for my speakers and the rather large cubic feet of space I am working with.

I will say that the EP500 sitting up high on top of the 600 shines in mid to upper bass ranges. It's extremely musical. The 600 really goes low and that works well in conjunction with the 500 on top. The 800 is well balanced throughout the bass range, but it does a nice job in mid to upper bass ranges. The Model T sub of course is very good at the mid upper ranges as it is a triple 8 inch driver sub.

The level of total bass in the room is exceptional in terms of output and balance with the entire room filled. When I sit on my bar stool at the center listening area, my pants literally flap against my lower legs with the notes.

Do you measure phase to align your setup?

I found a really great writeup that explains it with vids and graphs. Way better presentation than I’ve tried to share before.

Game changer to do a proper alignment. Can do with Audiotools. Did my Brother’s couple days ago while visiting for Xmas.

https://www.merlijnvanveen.nl/en/st...t-the-foolproof-relative-absolute-method

Wow! That system must sound incredible!!!

Bravo!!

PS What's the "Switch"?

Trevor I don't do any fancy measuring of the phase, I do it by ear. It only takes 30 seconds to dial it in and having things phased really elevates things nicely.

The switch? Ah yes the switch. It's the flat or boost position for mid range bass.

I know what you mean about the ‘No mud’

Never been able to do it properly by ear myself.

Seems like a powerful setup!

Is the switch a new feature?

Not sure when they added the switch but my 600 has it as well.

Actually, 'the switch' is something that Mojo worked with Ian on around a year or so ago. When I caught wind of it (just before I ordered my EP800) I told Ian that because Mojo was getting one, I thought it was only fair that I would get one too... And of course Ian made my amp with the boost switch with the algo. After Mojo and I ran these things with the new switch and raved about how good it worked; they made it a standard item. In fact I sent my Bryston Model T sub amp back in for some work and had the switch added to that amp. Unfortunately its not as effective with this sub in my opinion due to the configuration of triple 8 inch drivers.

The EP800 with the dual 12s and the 600 with the single 12, but much larger volume per speaker both do well with it. The switch in conjunction with the phase control really allow fine tuning to a room or balancing when you have multiple subs going.

It's been interesting to have stacked the EP 500 on top of the new EP 600. I run the 600 with reduced output level and the 500 with higher output to balance them. I am using all the subs with the 150hz crossover and it works fabulously well. I am amazed at how musical the 500 is on top of the 600. This seems to be a good marriage.

I do it by getting down on my knees next to the driver with my ears. I quickly rotate the phase from one extreme to the other extreme, side to side. As I move the control I listen for a peak in output from the driver. Once I find the peak, I slowly move the control left right over the peak until it syncs with the other subs. You'll know it when you hear it; its much like zero beating a CW tone (ham radio operations with morse code signals). When is syncs, you have a very defined peak with much tighter bass tones, no MUD! It's pronounced when you hear it. Give it a try; with a little practice you'll find it works very easily.

I can phase the subs pretty quickly and it makes a huge difference! I never liked the more standard phase controls you see with 0 and 180 or maybe some in the middle settings. The variable phase is absolutely critical as it dials it in vs. just getting it sort of close. If you move the control very slightly off of 'in phase' it turns to mud fast. You need to really dial it in; but once you hit it, its perfect.

Thank you slimpikins

I had no idea what to do with the phase controls on my subs.

You must have long arms.

Wait, don't get out in front of the driver, just get down next to it and your arms will be just fine as in unstretched.

Think it was quite a few years ago that Mojo started talking about it (almost prehistoric … somewhere in the early V4 era? maybe even V3?). Don’t quote me …

Maybe it was two years ago, I don't recall. I think I got my 800 with the switch around 2 years ago.

Update: For the fun of testing, I moved my 500 which was stacked on top of the 600 at the 6 O'clock position over on top of the 800 at the 9 O'clock position. It seems to have really elevated the mid/upper bass ranges in the room, but I feel like I want a little more at the rear position where the 500 was before. It sounds so nice that I may have to order in another 500 to stack on the 600 and leave the current 500 where it is on the 800.

Honestly, I think this is getting a little exaggerated and out of mental control. But the sound is so much of a draw that I cannot resist. The stacked subs is quite impressive and once you go that route, it's hard to go back to a single sub, no matter how large it is. It's as close to a live venue as you can get to, maybe it's even just as good or better.

You go, Slim!

I rest my case when I speak of losing one's mind. Just look up one reply at the House of Mojo. I thought I was losing it, this takes it to whole new level..... triple stacked!

Oh no! That picture reminds me of the last scene in the Shining. Triple stack. What does that sound like??