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Setup Questions
#87596 03/29/05 02:04 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 28
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 28
Hello to all and a quicks thank you to you & Axiom for providing such a great forum!

I just started getting into this scene in January & am now thoroughly hooked. I have been piecing my system together since then and only need to get my center channel, a VP100 which I will be ordering this week, to complete my system (for now!). I just received my sub last week & have been constantly tinkering since then to get the most out of it. Anyway, I have a couple of questions that I hope y'all can help me out with regarding my setup.

I have yet to purchase a SPL meter or calibration disc and have been relying on MCACC to handle all of my setup functions thus far. I had read somewhere that when setting up my sub I should turn up the gain on my sub about 1/3 of the way and run MCACC and adjust the gain up incrementally until I was able to achive a speaker level on the sub as close to zero as possible. I was able to hit zero exactly by turning up the gain to just under the 11:00 position. My results for all channels is as follows:

Left Front: +4.5dB
Right Front: +4.0dB
Left Surr.: +2.0dB
Right Surr.: +2.0dB
Sub: 0.0dB

In various forums I have read that the sub level should then be adjusted from +1.0 to +3.0dB louder than the mains. Does this mean that I should be setting the sub level in a range from +4.5 to 6.0dB or does that mean adding +1.0 to +3.0dB to zero?

Also, when I ran MCACC I had set my crossover to 80Hz but that sounded rather harsh so I upped it to 100Hz & the sound improved dramatically. It sounded like there was a serious dip in output in the mid freqs (a big hole). Why would upping the crossover freq take away the harshness? I must say that at 80Hz the sound from my M22's literally hurt my ears. I don't understand why simply bumping up my crossover would reduce the high frequency sharpness.

Let me say upfront that I love my system so far. My Axioms are such a joy! I have had friends over who spent much more on their speakers and they get really pissed when they hear mine and especially when they find out how much I spent. I even have a couple of co-workers wanting to buy Axioms.

Anyway, thanks for any help you can provide & I look forward to chatting with y'all in the future.


Pioneer VSX1014-TX HK DVD31 M22ti mains VP100 center M2i surrounds SVS PB10-ISD
Re: Setup Questions
#87597 03/29/05 02:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,379
Likes: 7
axiomite
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>>In various forums I have read that the sub level should then be adjusted from +1.0 to +3.0dB louder than the mains. Does this mean that I should be setting the sub level in a range from +4.5 to 6.0dB or does that mean adding +1.0 to +3.0dB to zero?

I haven't heard this advice before but it would definitely mean adding to zero, not to 4.5-6. I"m guessing this is a way to compensate for the microphone not having totally flat frequency response at low frequencies, just a guess though.

>>Also, when I ran MCACC I had set my crossover to 80Hz but that sounded rather harsh so I upped it to 100Hz & the sound improved dramatically. It sounded like there was a serious dip in output in the mid freqs (a big hole). Why would upping the crossover freq take away the harshness?

I don't understand this one at all, unless you were running the system so loud the amplifier was clipping (doubtful). Doesn't sound normal, suggest you give Axiom a call and get their opinion. I can't think of anything you could be doing wrong that would cause that...


M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1
LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8
Re: Setup Questions
#87598 03/29/05 02:26 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 28
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 28
Thanks for your advice. I had my sub level set at +5.5 over the weekend and although it sounded pretty damn good on music the PB10 would blow me out of the room on movies. I have reset it to +3.0 now & I am still getting good bass on music. I'm going to go thru some good movie scenes tonight to check it there.

As to the harshness issue, I know...it's the damndest thing. I literally got a headache from my M22's at 80Hz, but at 100Hz, the highs seemed to tame considerably and the overall sound was much more robust. I can comprehend the latter, the former has me flummoxed, which really isn't that tough to do.


Pioneer VSX1014-TX HK DVD31 M22ti mains VP100 center M2i surrounds SVS PB10-ISD
Re: Setup Questions
#87599 03/29/05 02:53 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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RM, welcome. That procedure for having the sub level about at 0 on your Pioneer isn't unreasonable, but there's certainly nothing essential about it. As long as there would be a little room for adjustment, either up or down, things would be fine. As to bumping the sub up a few dB(from the setting at 0)I'd disagree; MCACC already has the sub properly balanced in relation to the other speakers. Some listeners don't want just balance, they really want to "hear" the sub that they paid good money for, especially on movies, so they set it a few dB "hot".

As to the crossover point, along with you and John(bridgman), I'm totally puzzled by what you report. I have M22s and when I experimented using them with a sub I used the commonly recommended 80Hz crossover with good results. The M22s have good smooth response in the 80Hz area and below and bumping the crossover up to 100Hz should have no such effect. The mystery remains.


-----------------------------------

Enjoy the music, not the equipment.


Re: Setup Questions
#87600 03/29/05 03:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
B
connoisseur
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B
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
In reply to:

Some listeners don't want just balance, they really want to "hear" the sub that they paid good money for, especially on movies, so they set it a few dB "hot".


Junk jigglers.

Bren R.

Re: Setup Questions
#87601 03/29/05 05:53 AM
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,379
Likes: 7
axiomite
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axiomite
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Posts: 6,379
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Is it worth trying again in case there was some kind of "wrong button push" going on ? I can't imagine for the life of me what might have been set wrong but it never hurts to go back and try again.

Definitely call Axiom though...


M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1
LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8
Re: Setup Questions
#87602 03/29/05 06:50 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
"I even have a couple of co-workers wanting to buy Axioms. "

If they do, make sure to have them mention your name so you can get a referral fee.


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