 Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
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>>>> Bass traps in particular make a huge difference to the room and are easy to construct. Of all the techniques I've employed bass traps had the most impact on improving sound.
John in my (limited) experience you are dead on regarding this statement ... I have employed bass traps as well as acoustic panels and the traps by far have made the most noticeable difference with our particular system.
For the longest time I had a heck of a time getting our 600 dialed in to the room and added a couple of bass traps, played with the sub location afterwards, added a couple of more bass traps and I'll be darned if everything didn't click together and is sounding better than it has since I moved the system into the new room several months ago.
I am most definitely sold on bass traps, acoustic panels *in our particular environment* didn't do enough for me to justify the way they took from the aesthetics of the room to warrant keeping them.
Last edited by BrotherBob; 09/13/06 01:05 AM.
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 853
aficionado
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aficionado
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Thanks Dave. I know your pretty good at integrating the SMS/500 and I was trying to be succinct. Please chime in because I may have been too brief.  One more thing I should have added, when you are done adjusting the SMS increase your delay for the 500 at the receiver by 5 ft more than the physical distance to your favourite spot (2.5ft for the chip in the SMS and 2.5ft for the chip in the 500.)
John
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 853
aficionado
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aficionado
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Hi Rick, I remember you were having some issues dialling in the 600 and I'm glad it is sounding fine for you now. Yes I'd say acoustical treatments done right, especially bass traps are more important that equalization. The neat thing is how much more cost effective it is to employ bass traps and how big a difference they make in the subs performance and bass reproduction. Talk about a great way to tighten the bass. Sirquack really laid it out nicely in his thread and Audioholics also has several good articles on how to build them. Here is a couple of shots of my 4" x 2' x 8' basstraps which I guestimate cost about $50 each to construct one Sat aft in my garage. Much cheaper than my SMS though the SMS raised the acoustics bar another notch.  The treatments on the back wall beside the bass trap are rear diffusers to tame rear wall sound reflection from my frontleft main speaker. You're right about aesthetics and my wife was great about the four black monoliths tucked in the corners of our dedicated HT room. She did put her foot down though when I suggested ripping out the oak wainscotting for black fibreglass acoustical panels.    Darthkringle, how difficult is your room?
John
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
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John believe it or not is was my idea to can the panels. The 2'x 4'x 2" panels are mounted on stands and were located centered between the wall and the left side of the DVD/CD shelf on the right wall in the picture ... also covering a good portion of SRV's picture, and we just *can't* have that. On the left side the panels were located in front of the left side of the plantation shutter. I do have another set of bass traps located on the floor of the front wall next to the existing traps (per Glen @ GIK Acoustics) and I've moved the 600 so that the front of the 600 is even with the front of the TV. I'll post a picture of the panels/traps in place if you'd like. (I'll have to take one) It is my belief that the CD/DVD shelves on the right side and the plantation shutters on the left are acting as diffusers and is thus the reason I'm not hearing a that much of a difference with the panels in place ... as you can see in the picture there just isn't very much room for panels and treatment. 
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Oct 2005
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aficionado
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Very nice looking room Rick.  Those shutters and shelves really work well and I have several in mine as well. Please post another pic. One suggestion to consider would be treatments on that flat ceiling at the first reflection points. And triangular traps in the upper corners may make a difference. Its good that it is slightly peaked but that large flat surface will have reflections. I was lucky in my HT to have 3 large cross beams which act as natural defractors. I'm still thinking of one or two other treatments but my friends think it sounds like a studio right now with little echo from the clap test. (umm...not the veneral disease test).
John
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 93
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 93 |
Quote:
An SMS-1 with an EP500 will give you wonderful bass if set up properly. As Sirquack suggested before equalizing you should at first explore room acoustical treatments. Bass traps in particular make a huge difference to the room and are easy to construct. Of all the techniques I've employed bass traps had the most impact on improving sound.
Placement of the sub is just as critical with the SMS since like all equalizers it should be used sparingly when dealing with room dips. At this point only run sweeps through the sub. The guides are straightforward enough, set the 500 at your favourite spot then move the mic along the walls while watching the screen and running sweeps with all bars flat(no equalization adjustment). Where the FR looks most linear is the best placement. That may not work aesthetically so find someplace just as flat.
Next step would be to use the 500s trim control to compensate for room loading. You may get a smoother response. Setting the trim to Half will increase frequencies above 33HZ and Full will boost it more. Check to see which trim setting gives the flattest response.
Still leave the speakers off with the sub getting a full signal with crossover set above 100hz. Now run auto equalization. Next adjust to manual mode. The guide gives good guidance on how to get adjust the peaks and try to avoid boosting dips.
Now turn on the speakers and set the crossover to where you prefer. Leave the phase switch alone at the 500 and adjust phase at the SMS in small increments to where you get the flattest response. Then readjust the crossover at the receiver to see if going up or down in value helps smooth the graph. You may have to go back and forth several times. Small adjustments in the sub placement should also be examined again to see if it makes the curve more linear as well. Adjust the bars again using boost and Q to get the flattest response. Enjoy the sound.
Jakeman/All- This post is invaluable. Thanks SO MUCH. I will be printing this post out as a supplement to my manual. Thank again, as always, the folks on this forumn are first class.
M60
VP150
2x QS8
EP500
HK 7300
DENON DVD-3910
Sony 60" SXRD
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 93
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 93 |
Quote:
One more thing I should have added, when you are done adjusting the SMS increase your delay for the 500 at the receiver by 5 ft more than the physical distance to your favourite spot (2.5ft for the chip in the SMS and 2.5ft for the chip in the 500.)
Why do you do this? So if I am 9 feet from my sub, I should set it to 14 feet after ALL adjustments are made?
M60
VP150
2x QS8
EP500
HK 7300
DENON DVD-3910
Sony 60" SXRD
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 853
aficionado
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aficionado
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The reason you need to adjust delay is to account for the time difference in processing the signal through the electronics in the 500 and in the SMS. With an analog sub without an equalizer no further delay is necessary since more time isn't required to process the signal. . Its only milliseconds but you should notice that the bass sounds more articulate and more seamless with your main speakers. The 2.5-3.0 ft delay is a good rule of thumb for digital processing in a device. In your case, I would experiment with setting delay around 14-15ft for the subwoofer. In effect the sub signal reaching the SMS and then the 500 is starting sooner than the signal to the main speakers. The "headstart" means the sounds should start at the same time at the speakers and sub. Otherwise the bass from the sub will lag and the overall combined bass will sound less distinct and "muddier".
John
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Re: Just ordered a Velodyne SMS-1 to mate w/EP500
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 320
devotee
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devotee
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Quote:
Slow day in Austin, Rich?
Ssshhhhhhhhh. Don't let my boss know! Of course, it's been crazy since then. But since I don't have anything else to actually contribute to this thread, I'll keep it short!
Rich
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